The Senate has advanced an amendment that would add the National Guard chief to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The proposal is controversial among the current chiefs, who argue that there’s no reason to change the structure that’s now in place. 

Sen. Daniel Akaka has expressed support for including the National Guard chief, and called the move “overdue” in a statement. 

“Guard members are in every state and for the last decade have been heavily involved in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Akaka said. “No one knows exactly what the next conflict will entail, but we can be confident that we will again call upon the 460,000 men and women of the National Guard to do their part.”