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Bob P.
Litchfield, MN     09/03/2009 1:01 PM

But there are suspicions inside the Guard and out that the reductions are part of an effort to shift the burden of fighting overseas onto the active-duty Army and ease the public outcry over the way that Guard units — part-time soldiers normally called into action during hurricanes and other disasters at home — have been sent on long, repeated combat tours in Iraq. Sorry I had to copy this to my comment. I spent several years before I retired in the National Guard. The Guard does have state missions, but they are also online if needed to be sent overseas. I went on several state missions during my time in the Guard, but I knew we could be call up for overseas combat at any time if needed. I retired a 1SG and got many calls from mothers and fathers that their sons or daughters didn't join to go to war they joined for the college benifits. These young men and women know what joining means and they may get set to war. I don't understand the out cry about that. It's to bad if they are sent, but the benifits of belonging to the Guard out way this. They are trained to deploy and if they didn't want to they wouldn't have joined. There is no draft and it's their choice. It's wonderful there are still young men and women that want to join even with whats going on in the world. The military is a wonderful life. Job training for some MOS's that can be used after they get out and good pay and benifits while they are in. GOOD for all that join. Keep our country strong.