[AmandasMom]

I saw on the news tonight that something like another 800 TN National Guardsmen left for training then they are going to be sent off to Afghanistan. I always thought the National Guard was just that... they stay here and guard our nation in times of need, not be sent overseas. (I once got rescued by the National Guard when my neighborhood got flooded in a hurricane a few years ago). I thought the National Guard was there to restore civil order in times of need. I thought that going overseas was what the Army, Air Force etc was for. If you look at these guys going, most arent young guys, they are policemen and firemen, mailmen and the gardner next door. Just doesn't make sense to me...

 

[applejuice]

My DH was in the CA National Guard. He went to AK to help in the earthquake in 1964.

Then he was activated to go to Vietnam?!

 

[TiredX2]

ITA, but what should be and what is are very very different right now.

 

[TexasSuz]

It's because of the Total Force Concept - the division of duties are divided between Active duty, Reserves, and National Guard. There is less overlap - ie - 10 units doing the same thing. Since the number of overall troops has been cut so much National Guard units are used to more and more these days to fulfill worldwide missions. Although, doing so is not new. National Guard units went to Korea and Vietnam also.

Most people also don't realize that these National Guard units function full-time not just on weekends when some members pull their weekend duty. They use reservists who are also civil service employees during the week and some active duty personel. For example, my dh's unit trains pilots. He only goes 1 weekend a month but they are flying and training everyday.

I also don't like how dependent the military has become on reservists but they have no choice because of the small number of active duty personel. This is all a result of the base closings of the 90s and the military funding cuts. Reserve and National Guard units are a lot cheaper to operate.

And although National Guard members are under the direction of each state governor (on paper), the money to run the units comes from Washington.

My dh has also been in both the Air Force reserves and then the Air National Guard (after his base closed) and he has seen no difference in how each is operated. Basically the US military in the same regardless of what it is called and people signing up know that - same training, same pay, same everything. No one signs up for the Guard thinking that they are going to be helping with domestic floods or fires these days!

Hope that helps.

 

[RowansDad]

Pertinent articles for this thread:
Iraq deployments hurting employers, they tell lawmakers

"Currently, 155,805 guard members and reservists are mobilized. They constitute 40 percent of U.S. troops in Iraq. Unease in the business community has forced the Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 3 million employers, to lobby Congress and the Pentagon for commitments on how long guardsmen and reservists can be called up and when they'll return."

More here: http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwash...printstory.jsp

Iraq war casualties mounting for U.S. citizen soldiers, with no letup in sight

"The trend may continue after the transfer of sovereignty, since the size of the U.S. military force in Iraq including Guard and Reserve soldiers is not shrinking, and may even increase. Military officials warn that while the U.S.-led occupation authority ends Wednesday, the danger for troops will not.

"''We should expect more violence, not less, in the immediate weeks ahead,'' Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee this past week."

More here: http://www.boston.com/dailynews/178/...nting_fP.shtml

94th Military Police Company to leave Iraq in August

""Families of the reservists can expect members of the 94th Military Police Company to leave on or about Aug. 6, said Snowe, R-Maine. But it´s still unclear when they´ll be back home in New England..."

"About 180 members of the unit were first deployed in December of 2002. Twice, they had been ready to leave when their stay was extended. At Easter, they were hours away from boarding their plane when they were told to wait.""

More here: http://news.mainetoday.com/apwire/D83ERKKO0-177.shtml

 

[lula]

I think the title National Guard leads many people to believe quite logically that the National Guard stays mostly "National" in literal meaning of the term. However, National Guard members are soldiers and have served overseas/abroad/in other nations since practially the begining of the US military.

The National Guard has Combat, Combat Support and Combat Support Services. They are different from the Reserves and are not solely controlled by the federal government. I believe that the Guard is in existence in the current manner due to the Constitutional provision that all states have their own guard/militia. (Sorry it has been a while since I read this aspect in the Constitution but somewhere this "fact" is in my mind.)

I believe the National Guard was formed in the 1630's as a protective measure to guard against " native tribes" in MA. (My sister as member of the National Guard finds this fact uniquely discomforting.) Obviously, their role has changed but members were involved in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, deployed in the WW's etc.

Usually, they also help in crisis situations within the state and the Gov. of the state has the authority to use their services in such situations.

Also, they are deployed in non-war areas. Many of the troops in Bosnia and similar areas are National Guard. Having National Guard members deployed is not a new situation.