The vice chief of staff of the Army says the use of National Guard units in Iraq and Afghanistan has now passed its "high water mark” and he says barring a new, unforeseen conflict somewhere in the world, never again will the Army lean so heavily on the Guard.

General Richard Cody told Associated Press Radio that in the first three troop rotations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the men and women of the Guard made up approximately 47 percent of the fighting force.

In the rotation that is just now beginning, that percentage has plunged to 30 percent.

Cody says the Army "consciously made the decision" to deploy a high number of Guard units over the last three years.

He said the units "were ready" and sending them into combat allowed the Army to reshape and re-equip its active duty units.

Cody also told AP Radio the Army plans to keep the total number of Guard brigades at 106 but the types of brigades would transform and there will be no reduction in manpower.

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