National Guard unit to return from Iraq to Katrina

[ECH1969]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A National Guard unit based in New Orleans will return from the war in Iraq on Saturday to deal with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the flood that followed, a spokeswoman said on Monday.

"We have got several hundred soldiers that are coming back from a year in combat to this," said Samantha Bingham, a spokeswoman for Fort Polk, an army base northwest of New Orleans. "Many, many of them are from southern Louisiana," Bingham said in a telephone interview.

Several hundred members of the 2,800-strong 256th Army National Guard's 141st field artillery section are due to return early on Saturday morning, Bingham said.

The members of the unit will be given immediate four-day passes to give them time to figure out their situations, she said. They will then be given the option of demobilizing from active duty and going back to civilian life, Bingham said.

http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=230691&source=r_general

[Olney Blue]

1. From one quagmire to another....

[jayctravis]

13. I'm sure they'd much rather be helping citizens in our country.

...which is what they are actually supposed to be used for.

[bemildred]

2. I want to hear what these guys & gals have to say when they get home. nt

[brentspeak]

3. Is it true that most of La.'s Nat. Guard heavy equipment is also in Iraq?

If anyone can confirm.

[NYC]

4. They took their equipmt. with them, including high water vehicles.

Search is not working, but it was definitely posted on DU. There was more than one source, and it may have been in the Washington Post.

If we get search back, I'll try to find it, and post it for you here.

[Judi Lynn]

5. I've heard they took their "high water" vehicles to Iraq. n/t

[Janice325]

6. Big fucking woo.

What will the poor bastards have to come home to??? ANYTHING?? ANYONE to come home to???

[Redstone]

7. May this be the first of all of them.

We can only hope.

Redstone

[bemildred]

8. Yeah, get them all home to their friends and families.

It can't be soon enough.

[daleo]

9. The headline seems to imply they will help out with Katrina

They can, but they don't necessary have to:

"They will then be given the option of demobilizing from active duty and going back to civilian life, Bingham said.

"They will also be given the option of going right back on active duty and serving as National Guard soldiers in the relief efforts," she said."

[NNN0LHI]

10. Louisiana Guardsmen Returning From Iraq Will Help With Storm Relief

http://www.wdsu.com/news/4937195/detail.html

WASHINGTON -- Most of the 2,800 Louisiana National Guard soldiers who are returning home early from their Iraq mission intend to join in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, their commander said Monday.

That's according to Brigadier Gen. John Basilica Jr., commander of the 256th Brigade Combat Team of the Louisiana National Guard.

The brigade has been in Iraq since last fall. They were due to return to Louisiana in September and October.

The Army said Monday that the first 50 soldiers from the 256th returned Sunday and more will return this week.

[rsmith6621]

11. Thats Awfully Nice

the the commander and SCUM of the earth is allowing this.....

I get the feeling that bush has realized there is no capitol in his account and this is one way to get a small deposit.....

bush is in the middle of a public relations nightmare...

[librarycard]

12. But the RWers, to include FEMA, have been saying they're not needed

Now they are?

So the war effort IS hurting our national preparedness after all!

[OneBlueSky]

14. some of those soldiers will collapse in despair at what they see . . . nt

.