U.S. plans to send more National Guard to Iraq

[LiberalNation]

That sucks for them. Why are they sending the gaurd so much anyway. They are supposed to be part time soldiers.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070406/ts_nm/usa_iraq_guard_dc;_ylt=Am6d5NXWR1Sg7Y4ZzW6M0r134T0 D

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Defense Department is preparing to send another 12,000 National Guard combat troops to Iraq, NBC Nightly News reported on Thursday, citing Pentagon sources.

New orders awaiting the signature of Defense Secretary Robert Gates will put 12,000 National Guard troops on alert to prepare to deploy to Iraq, the report said.

Four Guard combat brigades from units in four states would be involved in the involuntary mobilization, NBC said.

The one-year combat deployment would begin early in 2008, the report said.

The Pentagon referred queries about the report to the National Guard, where a spokesman had no immediate comment.

Gates did not mention a possible Guard deployment at news conference on Thursday.

More than four years into the U.S.-led war in Iraq, the U.S. military shows increasing signs of strain.

On Monday, the Pentagon said it would send another 9,000 U.S. troops to Iraq, with about half of them returning to combat ahead of schedule.

Two of the affected Army units, totaling about 4,500 troops, will return to combat short of their promised year at home, reflecting the strain placed on U.S. forces by operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Under the Bush administration's new Iraq policy announced earlier this year, the Pentagon has increased force levels there by about 30,000 troops in an attempt to regain control of security and reduce sectarian violence.

The units announced this week largely replace forces already in Iraq, which number around 145,000.

[Gaffer]

Three carrier groups in the gulf. Activating guard units. Surge of troops in iraq. Somethings being built up for.

[darin]

awesome! I bet these soldiers - by a vast majority - are excited to serve! :)

The National Guard is NOT a part-time force. It's not a "Reserve Force". It's a vital component of National Security and Military Power.

[theHawk]

awesome! I bet these soldiers - by a vast majority - are excited to serve! :)

The National Guard is NOT a part-time force. It's not a "Reserve Force". It's a vital component of National Security and Military Power.

Idiots like LN don't have a fucking clue about how the military works.
The National Guard "a part-time force", lmao.

[Gaffer]

The National Guard and reserves stopped being a part time force in the late 70's, since then they have continually taken on a more important role. Activated units need a few months and sometimes years to get up to full combat readiness. As active duty forces move into position the Guard forces will take up their training positions here in the states.

And note the Guard units are being called up for iraq and afganhistan. They both border iran.

[LiberalNation]

awesome! I bet these soldiers - by a vast majority - are excited to serve!
Now that I'll call bullshit on. The vast majority do not want to be taken away from their jobs and families to go fight in an unpopular war zone.

On another note, anyone watch that discover/military channel series that followed around some guard soldiers in Iraq. A bit old but very interesting.

[LiberalNation]

The National Guard "a part-time force", lmao.
Talk to some people in the Guard and you might just find many very annoyed about this. That went in to get benefits from he GI and help out at home during disasters. Not to fight.

[grunt]

Talk to some people in the Guard and you might just find many very annoyed about this. That went in to get benefits from he GI and help out at home during disasters. Not to fight.


Of course "some" feel this way. If you don't want to fight in a war, don't join the military. Period. It's that simple.

[LiberalNation]

True.

[darin]

Now that I'll call bullshit on. The vast majority do not want to be taken away from their jobs and families to go fight in an unpopular war zone.

What do you know about Military Service? You're a KID. :)

The thing is, Soldiers don't CARE about popularity of Wars. They care about killing the enemy and security innocents.

[CockySOB]

Talk to some people in the Guard and you might just find many very annoyed about this. That went in to get benefits from he GI and help out at home during disasters. Not to fight.

Which means that they want their cake and eat it too. Sorry, but anyone who signed the contract for the benefits is still bound to fulfill their own obligations whether they like it or not. It's a little matter called personal responsibility. No one forced anyone to sign up for military service, remember? This is a volunteer military. And if anyone thought they weren't going to have to fight as you put it, should have gotten that figured straight by the second week of boot (if not the first). Think about it - you receive firearms and combat training for a reason!

[theHawk]

Talk to some people in the Guard and you might just find many very annoyed about this. That went in to get benefits from he GI and help out at home during disasters. Not to fight.

I have talked to people in the Guard, and I guarantee they'd be a hell of alot more annoying by being called "part time" military or "weekend warriors". And if anyone joins the Guard with the intentions of never fighting, they are complete morons.

[Gaffer]

During Vietnam those that joined the Guard did so to get out of serving in Vietnam, it was better than a college deferment. After that they were just weekend warriors. Then they started to be integrated into the regular military in the late 70's. By the late 80's they were insulted to be called weekend warriors. Everyone I have ever met has been proud to serve and didn't join just for the GI Bill and other bennies.

Now days the only reason to join the guard is to serve your country. And with a war on its highly likely they will be called up. But they join anyway and many stay in to retire.

The dems can't get a draft so they try to use the Guard as the war victims. That's the part they can't grasp, there are no military victims to use. And they can't stand it.

[grunt]

lol...come on now guys. Some of you are really stretching things now. I did some I&I duty while in the Marines and I'd guess that at least half of the reservists that I trained joined for the college money, extra income etc. The National Guard units that I've been around I'd dare say that number is closer to 75%. I'm not saying that these men and women don't have pride in their units, branch and country, or they are not good soldiers or Marines, but if they really wanted to be a full time soldier or Marine, they would have went AD. The point, however, is that if you join any branch in any fashion...it's a possibilty that you may have to go to war. If that's not your thing, don't join. I can't tell you how many younger reserve "Marines" that I had to bitch out due to their whining about having to be deployed.