Medical and Public Health Law Site TITLE: DoD 1215.15-H, "The Reserve Components of the United
States Armed Forces", 06/1996 SUMMARY: This Handbook has been prepared for the purpose of
providing general understanding of our Reserve forces and is reissued under the authority
of DoD Directive 1215.15, "Reserve Officers Foregin Exchange Program," September
8, 1987. The Guard and Reserve are no longer considered as forces of last resort; rather,
they are recognized as indispensable to the nation's defense from the earliest days of a
conflict. And, as we look to a future in which budgets will likely remain tight and the
tempo of day-to-day military operations will remain high, the cost-effectiveness of the
Total Force takes on increased importance for the twenty-five years of Total Force
planning. Although the wartime role of the guard and the Reserve forces has been and will
remain critical, peacetime support to the Active forces has taken on increased importance.
Through the use of "Compensating Leverage" the Reserve components are helping
control peacetime cost and to reduce the risks associated with smaller active forces. FILES: Select a Format OPR: ASD(RA), 703-697-6631
DoD Directives