Death toll among part-time troops in Iraq soars.

[sabra]

http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/wptv/article/0,2547,TCP_1213_3995951,00.html

Death toll among part-time troops in Iraq soars.
By Robert Burns; AP Military writer

The National Guard and Reserve suffered more combat deaths in Iraq during the first 10 days of August at least 32, according to a Pentagon count than in any full month of the war.

More broadly, Pentagon casualty reports show that the number of deaths among Guard and Reserve forces has been trending upward for much of this year, totaling more than 100 since May 1. That ranks as the deadliest stretch of the war for the Guard and Reserve, whose members perform both combat and support missions.

There is little evidence to suggest that part-time troops are being specifically targeted by the insurgents, since Guard and Reserve troops are mostly indistinguishable from and interchangeable with active-duty regulars.

...

The Pentagon rejects any suggestion that the Guard and Reserve are more vulnerable in combat because they are part-timers.

[hobbit709]

1. They're being used as front-line troops

so of course the casualty rate is higher. As long as they're used as convoy guards they are exposed as targets every second of the day.

[VegasWolf]

2. Think the Pentagon will understand why Guard enrollment is in the

toilet?

[roscoeroscoe]

3. hello from tikrit,

this is only because there's more reserve troops over here! please don't buy into any sillyness about the guard troops not being prepared. save yourself the trouble. the guard troops i'm serving with here are doing ok. in fact, we see frequently that our combat discipline is often higher than active duty troops.
again, there's simply more of them here.
thank you, :)

[EST]

4. Thanks

[VegasWolf]

5. Best wishes to you! nt

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

6. dude, be careful out there, your Government does not give

half a shit about any of you.

Your only winning move is to get home whole and then deal with the mental part as best you can.

We older vets will be there for you, don't worry.

Good luck, and welcome to DU.

[LiberalVoice]

7. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Barrett808]

9. Yes, welcome to DU!

Love to hear your insights on the war. :hi:

[Inland]

11. Although there wer reports of guard getting equip inferior to active duty

But that too isn't about who is trained and able.

[Cha]

8. "Part time"? Like a part time

job that gets you killed?

This is all so surreal..like Green Day's latest video.."Wake Me Up When September Ends"

http://www.greenday.com/greenday.html

[Roland99]

10. Killing civilians in Afghanistan, too

[sintax]

12. kick n/t