CA Nat'l Guard Warns of Stretched Resources

[struggle4progress]

Posted: Friday, 11 May 2007 6:30AM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCBS/AP) - ~snip~

And California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says a lot of equipment has gone to Iraq and does not return.

An Associated Press review finds that state's National Guard is missing 700 Humvees and over eleven-hundred high-water vehicles; nearly half the number it's supposed to have.

California National Guard Lt. Col. John Siepmann said underfunding has long been an issue, to the tune of about $40 billion nationwide.

"California, we're looking at about $1 billion, this is just in unfunded equipment," he explained. "This isn't our wish list for things we'd like to have, this is equipment that we're authorized to have but simply don't." ~snip~

http://www.kcbs.com/pages/443878.php?contentType=4&contentId=489796

[jody]

1. I'll bet the California State Military Reserve also lacks equipment and is incapable of replacing

the California National Guard when it's activated to fight in Iraq.

California's State Military Reserve

The California State Military Reserve (CSMR) is the State Defense Force of California authorized by United States Code and the California Military and Veteran’s Code.

The CSMR assists the California National Guard in its Homeland Defense mission by assisting in training the California National Guard so that the Combatant Commander receives soldiers and airmen prepared to get the job done, and to come home safely. In addition, the CSMR assists the CNG in the mobilization of these soldiers and airmen.

The CSMR assists the CNG in its Homeland Security Mission by providing individual soldiers and airmen as well as rapid response teams to Military Assistance to Civil Authorities in the preparation, prevention, deterrence, preemption, defense, and mitigation of natural and man-made threats to California.

The CSMR is a volunteer operational force upon which the California National Guard depends. Its members are subject to call to state active duty by the Governor of the State of California.