Weekend Warriors Go Full Time (Nat Guard deployment biggest since WWII)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20873-2004Mar1.html

<snip>

Not since World War II have so many National Guard units been pressed into service abroad. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, more than 143,000 National Guard members have been mobilized worldwide, with the biggest single concentration expected this spring when more than 35,000 Army National Guard troops -- topping the wartime peak of 30,000 -- are slated to arrive in Iraq as thousands of their colleagues rotate home.

Yesterday, the Pentagon announced that units from New York, Louisiana, Idaho and Tennessee would be deployed to Iraq by late this year or early next.

The massive call-up is beginning to make governors, who rely on the National Guard to respond to disasters, exceedingly nervous. In Arkansas, for instance, more than half of the state's 8,200 National Guard troops have been mobilized. The state has had to call out the National Guard over the past six years for two giant tornadoes and a devastating ice storm, and Arkansas officials wonder whether they would be too shorthanded to respond quickly to another crisis. One fourth of Maryland's National Guard has been mobilized, as has 30 percent of Virginia's.

N. Wayne Ruthven, director of the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, estimates the outflow of National Guard troops from his state could cause 40 percent delays in disaster response time and "a 40 percent time delay may mean the difference between life and death."

[PartyPooper]

1. Our forces are stretched to the limit. The draft will be here next year!

Unless we elect a Democratic president...the draft will be in effect by June 2005!

:-(

[Taeger]

2. I was ready to join ....

Even after the Iraq war began, I was ready to sign up. Lost my job, and I need new skills they were willing to train me for free.

THEN, they couldn't find those weapons. Shit, I was fooled, I thought they were there.

Not now ... now way. This administration has ZERO honor.

Now I know why that recruiter was calling me every day after I made contact. I think they realized that they weren't getting many recruits any time soon. They were willing to accept me even though I was still overweight!!!!

[Columbia]

3. Those pesky recruiters are tenacious

That's their job though of course.

"They were willing to accept me even though I was still overweight!!!!"

Oh don't worry, that would've changed quite rapidly after a few weeks of basic training.

[PassingFair]

4. You are one lucky ducky, Taeger.

I am so glad you are here to fight the REAL battle, and not being trained to become an imperial stormtrooper.

[Taeger]

6. Well ...

I don't think they would have made me into a storm-trooper. But I was briefly enthused with the idea of becoming a helicopter pilot before they started getting swatted like flies.

The Bush admin failed to give gaurdsment the proper body armor. They also FAILED to ship gaurdsmen over with helicopters that have the proper anti-missle systems. Thats only for regulars who aren't deployed.

There are some pretty fucked up things going on in the defense department. They can't seem to send guys into a theatre of war without updating their equipment. They don't seem to care.

BTW, if I had to join today, I'd choose signal corp. I'm a computer geek at heart and would be better utilized keeping computers running.

One way to vote AGAINST whats going on in Iraq is by NOT joining the service. It forces the draft issue and then the issue of whether we are in Iraq for the right reasons.

During a just war, enlistments GO UP, they don't go down as they have with Vietnam and Iraq.

[Mari333]

5. sigh.

[Sugarbleus]

7. My continuing question is

Will our Dem prez keep sending our people to IRAQ???

I understand giving those already there a break, but I don't understand not finding a solution to get them ALL OUT PDQ!

The explosions in Iraq this evening are horrendous. People and children are blown to bits. They don't want us there.

BRING THEM HOME NOW!!