For a democratic government to act responsibly, it is imperative that there be a consistency between national policy and the will of the people. It is especially important when the policy involves the use of armed forces. In the United States, the National Guard and its citizen-soldiers are an essential part of the consistency linkage. Without the existence or use of the National Guard, the nation treads dangerously toward inconsistency between national security policy and the will of the people.

The Maxwell Papers, the Air War College's occasional papers series, focus on current and future issues of interest to the Air Force and US Department of Defense. The first Maxwell Papers was published in May of 1996 with the Air University Commander's signature on the foreword. Maxwell Papers are open to all interested authors, particularly Air War College faculty and students, but also to other officers and analysts. Maxwell Papers have been distributed to over 400 addresses including all senior Air Force and US Department of Defense decision makers, Professional Military Education (PME) schools, contractors, and other US agencies, and more than 40 foreign air forces and institutions. This document is a Air War College Maxwell Paper.