The RC is expected to keep physically prepared for battle, but there is very limited time in 1 weekend per month and 2 weeks per year to prepare for all the elements that are called upon for battle. AD units are supposed to have more time for training and potential mission preparation.
My point here is that it would appear that the Pentagon's strategy is to use the AD component to engage the first 6 months of any action with an immediate call for large numbers of RC troops to take that next 6 months, during which the RC units scramble.
With the higher level of AD strength, we had more AD units available to take that second rotation, minimizing the RC activations. Integrating smaller numbers of RC units into the second rotation, will yield a higher level of overall training and preparation.
Not sure about your confusion. Of course there is a place for RC in our military plans, but it would seem that the Pentagon is overestimating their ability to hit the ground running long-term based upon the current preparedness of RC units that have had repeated deployments and have more overall battle experience than a peace-time RC unit.
If we are going to continue our past decade's frequency of RC deployments, of course we will have a more battle ready RC. However, I suspect that this will not be the case during the next 5 years given our current political leadership and national attitude towards international intervention, which will result in a different level of preparedness in the RC - i.e. the Pentagon is depending upon a political environment that may not exist to keep the RC as ready for battle as they project.
The debate we should be having is if the RC components are strategic reserve or operational reserve? If we consider the RC components to be an operational reserve, yes I agree with you. If we consider the RC components to be a strategic reserve (they are), readiness level based on one weekend a month and two weeks a year is works.
Having the first hand experience on the RC transformation since 911, I can simply say that it wasn't pretty, but 6 months was more than enough time to spun up the RC component. Of course, it creates undo hardship on RC members. Personally, the idea of having RC components as an operational reserve is a bad idea.