USNI News Search for: Home » Foreign Forces » Panel: First Gulf War Proved the Value of the Reserve Force, Destructive Power of Simple Weapons Panel: First Gulf War Proved the Value of the Reserve Force, Destructive Power of Simple Weapons January 14, 2021 9:48 AM USS Wisconsin (BB-64) Firing a broadside to port with her 16/50 and 5/38 1991. Navy History and Heritage Command Photo Key to the success of the first Gulf War was extensive use of reservists — like Seabees and intelligence — in the conflict, three experts from the Center for Naval Analyses said in a press briefing Monday. Mark Geis, who was an analyst with II Marine Expeditionary Force in Desert Shield/Desert Storm and is now CNA executive vice president, said this total force idea was “a little bit risky [of a] concept,” but all the services “were aggressively pursuing” it in the post-Vietnam era.