National Guard in Iraq, Should they be there?

bobbyjoe

40 percent of the forces in Iraq are from the Guard and Reserve.
More than 100 [dead in Iraq] were members of the National Guard. Thousands more have been injured.

But should they even be there?

http://www.1800goguard.com/service/service_where.html
The Army National Guard is based in communities and is located in every State and Territory. When you become a member of the Guard, you serve where you live. Many cities and towns have their own Armory where the Guard conducts training. This means you can join a unit right in your hometown or wherever you want to live.

But
"During national emergencies, however, the President reserves the right to mobilize the National Guard, putting them in federal duty status."

Was Iraq a National Emergency?
The US wasn't in direct danger from Iraq and has admitted that Iraq had nothing to do with Sept 11.
911 was the national emergency yet these guys aren't fighting those responible for it.
Still Bush was very quick to send these weekend warriors off to Iraq. Septemper 14 2001.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010914-5.html

Bush claims they are there to fight terror in an address to the National Guard convention.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040914-23.html
" More than 185,000 Guard members have been called up to serve on every front in the war on terror. "

And they clapped him!

A soldier sent to Iraq is now sueing.
SOLDIER BRINGS FIRST CHALLENGE TO ARMY POLICY REQUIRING EXTENDED MILITARY SERVICE FOR IRAQ OCCUPATION
http://www.sorgen.net/id28_stoplossrelease.htm

Also is the National Guard a backdoor draft?
Look at the air national guard homepage.
http://www.goang.com/flashhome.aspx

Theres answers to important questions
Will I get life insurance
Will I get money for college
Will my student loans be repaid
Can I fly for free on military aircraft

Shows the priorities of the people they are recruiting.

So is the National Guard a draft by the backdoor?
or cheap cannon fodder?

The irony of a guy who chickened out when his time came, sending others to do more than they signed up for, is far worse than these arguements about documents etc.

PH01

Well the National Gaurd are volunteers, right?
So what do you expect them to do? Peel spuds all day? Fly jets in Texas?
And I don't think they're front line troops. Back up services and the like. Out of harms way. That's is untill they get ambushed (which seems to happen quite a lot).
Anyway, if you join the army expect to get shot at.

Nuttzz

They are an element of the US Army, why shouldnt they be there, Reserves are defined as forces that can be called upon in times of war,. Bush is fighting the "war on terror" so as far as the US are concerned they are in a state of war and will call on all available resources.

I believe ( I'm open to correction) that there are plans afoot to allow Irish Army reserves go overseas on peace support missions.

bobbyjoe

The National Guard are volunteers who are expected to commit one weekend per month and an additional 15 days per year.
They usualy have full time jobs and come from all professions.
Many of them are cops or firemen.

Thats what they signed up for, to protect the US homeland.

Part of their mission statement is below:
From
http://www.arng.army.mil/about_us/protecting_our_world.asp
"During peacetime each state National Guard answers to the leadership in the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia. During national emergencies, however, the President reserves the right to mobilize the National Guard, putting them in federal duty status."

So Bush called a National Emergency in order to send them overseas.

The National Emergency cited to send them to Iraq was.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010914-5.html
"Declaration of National Emergency by Reason of Certain Terrorist Attacks, which declared a national emergency by reason of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, New York, New York, and the Pentagon, and the continuing and immediate threat of further attacks on the United States, I hereby order as follows: "

So they are over there fighting the "War on Terror" even though Iraq had nothing to do with the attacks on the US.

Basicaly they are cheaper to send than regular soldiers
This does have a downside, for the Guards not the Gov....

They are less well trained and funded than regular soldiers
The National Guard system is not designed for long oversea's stays and they have no access to the same support structures regular troops have.
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act is meant to protect individuals returning from service and ensure that they return to their jobs with any promotions they would have received if able to work in the time they were deployed.
Their jobs are supoposed to be kept for them and they are not supposed to suffer in the case of promotion etc while gone but there have been 1,200 complaint cases against problems with the execution of the bill have been made from Oct. 1, 2003 to July 31.

If a National Guardsman gets injured and can't work their not entitled to their job back.
The 40,000 were sent without adequate body armour
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/2345677
They are still there and many are having their stays increased using the stop-loss system.
They are fighting alongside regualar army troops.

Looks like it will be getting worse for them
New Iraq combat roles ahead for National Guard, Reserve
http://www.thebatt.com/news/2003/11/26/News/New-Iraq.Combat.Roles.Ahead.For.National.Guard.Reserve-568289.shtml

http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=68630
Army Gen. George Casey, chosen to assume command of all U.S. and coalition troops in Iraq, told Congress on Thursday that that National Guard and Reserve troops could make up as much as 50 percent of the total U.S. force in Iraq in the months ahead.

Back up services and the like. Out of harms way. That's is untill they get ambushed (which seems to happen quite a lot).

Definetly not out of harms, their replacing the regular troops in many places.
The most persistent killer in Iraq is the homemade roadside bomb. Since Bush declared major combat over.


So should guys who train one weekend per month 15 days extra during the year end up in a war zone without the correct equipment?
Or is it tough sh1t?

Especially since the guy sending them there used the National Guard to get out of a previous war.

Stabshauptmann

Interesting points but what really imppresses me is the sourcing and references