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| Guard Units on Alert for Likely Iraq Duty | |
| 2004-03-02 | |
About 18,000 National Guard soldiers from four major units have gone on alert for likely deployment to Iraq late this year or in early 2005, the Pentagon said Monday. The announcement underscores the deepening involvement of Guard and Reserve forces in U.S.-led efforts to quell the insurgency in Iraq and stabilize the country. So far 45 Guard and Reserve members have been killed in action in Iraq and 42 more have died of nonhostile causes. The Guard units alerted are the 42nd Infantry Division headquarters from the New York National Guard, the 256th Infantry Brigade from Louisiana, the 116th Cavalry Brigade from Idaho and Oregon, and the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment from Tennessee. They will be mobilized over the next several months to conduct training before their new assignment, the Pentagon said. The 42nd Infantry Division from New York will be the first National Guard division headquarters to serve in Iraq; other Guard division headquarters have served in the Balkans in recent years.
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #10 I agree with you about the need to not exhaust our entire force in Iraq. but given the need for stability and support operations there for some time to come, I'd rather see NG / Reservists there than active duty units, for a variety of reasons. |
| Posted by: rkb 2004-3-3 3:49:06 PM |
| #9 No agenda - just a different perspective. I don't believe that the Army's current leadership has clearly communicated to our political bosses what an extended deployment will do to our readiness (active and reserve). Shinseki tried to spell it out and got relieved early. The AC types view the reserves as an expendable resource. A resource they are not responsible for, easy to expend. We can not afford to exhaust our entire force (Army) in Iraq. We have to hold something back. No end is in sight for this deployment as well as Bosnia. The Afghanistan rotations have to be maintained. |
| Posted by: JP 2004-3-2 9:42:58 PM |
| #8 Okay, JP - just what stand do you think the active duty leadership should be making?? You clearly have an agenda in mind that you're not spelling out. |
| Posted by: rkb 2004-3-2 8:12:26 PM |
| #7 I read the article - the NG units are infanry and armored cav. I agree on the base premise that CS and CSS units are in the reserves to make it hard to deploy troops (active or reserve) without a political mandate, but, most of the troops in the next two rotations are reserves. You are missing the point - the active duty leadership is taking the easy way out. It is easier for them to throw NG/Reserve units at the problem than to take a stand. To the proud aunt - God bless you - the 278th is an excellent unit. |
| Posted by: JP 2004-3-2 7:32:40 PM |
| #6 Hi Kay! |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-3-2 6:40:32 PM |
| #5 I'm a proud aunt. My nephew is in the 278th and was just promoted to sargeant. (I've been lurking here forever, this is my first post.) |
| Posted by: Kay 2004-3-2 3:30:51 PM |
| #4 Nope. Read the article - the NG will be called up for combat support and supply support roles. This isn't active duty guys taking advantage of NG. It's the direct result of the post-Vietnam decision to push critical functions **to the reserves and NG only** precisely to make it hard to deploy active duty troops without a political mandate. Trust me, the active duty guys I work with dearly would like not to have to rely on this ... |
| Posted by: rkb 2004-3-2 2:29:17 PM |
| #3 The active duty boys are taking advantage of the reserves. It is easier for the Army's leaders to throw NG and reserve units into the fray rather than to take the stand that we need to draw down our forces in Iraq and Bosnia & reconstitute our forces to get ready for the next war. The reserves (Army, Marine...) make up better than 50% of the current mix of forces in the 2004 rotation. |
| Posted by: JP 2004-3-2 11:40:01 AM |
| #2 Don't get too excited. My impression is that these units are leaving most of their heavy equipment behind and will only suitable for constabulary work. |
| Posted by: Hiryu 2004-3-2 8:04:55 AM |
| #1 hmmm...Late this year or early next. So that leaves an excess of troops in Iraq at the end of the year, yes? Unless the Guard units are going to take the garrison while other units go Elsewhere. |
| Posted by: Pete Stanley 2004-3-2 1:43:08 AM |