Three Illinois units called up for anti-terrorism duty

[Judi Lynn]

Three Illinois units called up for anti-terrorism duty


THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PEORIA — Three units of the Illinois National Guard are being called to active duty to help guard against terrorist attacks, a spokeswoman said Sunday.

The activation involves about 520 members, National Guard spokeswoman Lt. Col. Alicia Tate-Nadeau said. She said the call-up applies to units based in Chicago, Peoria and Decatur that are part of the 106th Aviation Battalion; units in Crestwood and Sycamore that are part of the 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery; and the 3625th Maintenance Company in North Riverside.

The soldiers will get special training in the United States during the next four to six weeks before heading to Iraq, Tate-Nadeau said.

"We've been trying to hold back the tears all morning," said Karen Shamblin, of Bushnell, whose son, Spc. Eddie Shamblin, boarded a bus in Peoria Sunday bound for Fort Knox, Ky. "Saying goodbye is the hardest part. The fact that he is going (to Iraq) with everything that's going on over there, thats hard."
(snip/...)
01/06/04
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/city/w06deploy.htm

"anti-terrorism duty?"

[La_Serpiente]

1. wtf

:wtf: anti-terrorism duty? Shouldn't that be left to the more involved branches of the military?

[Melodybe]

2. God, it is like they are inviting someone to go and be all terroreristy

Honestly, this is a good way to attrack bad attention. I hope that no one ever takes them up on it.

[La_Serpiente]

3. I also fear who they consider terrorists or not

anti-terrorism work seems like a professional job for an elite unit- not something that a National Guard Unit would do.

If they are going to be "engaged" then it is possible they would lose a lot of men and women in their unit. The death toll could be highly disproportional to other units.

[kalian]

4. This is beginning to sound like martial law might be around the corner

Seriously, what else would we need military personnel running around
our streets for?
Notice: FIELD ARTILLERY units... :wtf:

[seemslikeadream]

5. I know someone who left a couple of weeks ago

to learn how to be a "cop".