NYT: Army Brigade Finds Itself Stretched Thin

[babylonsister]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/20/us/20army.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Army Brigade Finds Itself Stretched Thin
Michael Stravato for The New York Times


By DAVID S. CLOUD
Published: March 20, 2007

FORT POLK, La., March 14 — For decades, the Army has kept a brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division on round-the-clock alert, poised to respond to a crisis anywhere in 18 to 72 hours.

Today, the so-called ready brigade is no longer so ready. Its soldiers are not fully trained, much of its equipment is elsewhere, and for the past two weeks the unit has been far from the cargo aircraft it would need in an emergency.

Instead of waiting on standby, the First Brigade of the 82nd Airborne is deep in the swampy backwoods of this vast Army training installation, preparing to go to Iraq. Army officials concede that the unit is not capable of getting at least an initial force of several hundred to a war zone within 18 hours, a standard once considered inviolate.

The declining readiness of the brigade is just one measure of the toll that four years in Iraq — and more than five years in Afghanistan — have taken on the United States military. Since President Bush ordered reinforcements to Iraq and Afghanistan in January, roughly half of the Army’s 43 active-duty combat brigades are now deployed overseas, Army officials said. A brigade has about 3,500 soldiers.

Pentagon officials worry that among the just over 20 Army brigades left in the United States or at Army bases in Europe and Asia, none has enough equipment and manpower to be sent quickly into combat, except for an armored unit stationed permanently in South Korea, several senior Army officers said.

“We are fully committed right now,” said Col. Charles Hardy of the Forces Command, which oversees Army training and equipping of troops to be sent overseas. “If we had a fully trained-up brigade, hell, it’d be the next one to deploy.”

more...

[Zywiec]

1. I've been on active duty or in the reserves for more than 20 years

I have never seen things so bad. Most people in my position are just waiting to receive a "20 year letter" and then retiring as fast as possible. It's very sad for people who have chosen the military as a career.

[babylonsister]

2. Welcome to DU, Zywiec! Things do sound horrendous. I am

the wife of a retired vet and know many who served over and above their 20 years with pride. No more. People are concerned with saving their skin in this illegal occupation, and rightly so. Combined with the scandals surrounding Walter Reed, there's not much left that's attractive for someone to enlist.
I hope you stay safe and can get out at 20; that's another issue. Some people aren't being allowed to retire.

Here's an article I posted yesterday that's further disheartening:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=450782&mesg_id=450782

[Monkeyman]

3. Some of the kids being sent are right out of boot camp with no AIT

[Zywiec]

4. Do you have a link about no AIT?

I know times are very challenging for the Army, but I have never heard of anyone not going to AIT. Thanks!

[genie_weenie]

5. Suck it up, soldier on

U
Signed the
Motherfucking
Contract

Oops. Sorry, didn't mean to mix my screwed by the military metaphors.

Now, if only Tom Delay would go on NBC and state he supports the troops and Talk about his *fight* and how he won't retreat or surrender.

I'm sure service members everywhere will be emboldened by such *strong* leadership.

I'm glad we have the Culture Warriors here fighting for the Service members there. In fact, who is to say who has the harder battle.

<cue Ave Maria and the images of our glorious home front warriors fading in and out>