Not having the National Guard equipment

[sgmgrumpy]

An earlier ANG concern about these equipment shortages now a reality?


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...TAM&SECTION=US

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius said Sunday evening that the state's response will likely be hampered because much of the equipment usually positioned around the state to respond to emergencies - including tents, trucks and semitrailers - is now in Iraq.

"Not having the National Guard equipment, which used to be positioned in various parts of the state, to bring in immediately is really going to handicap this effort to rebuild," said Sebelius.

[selil]

It looks like the tenth amendment discussion is starting to percolate to the surface. I haven't found any MSM discussion but the blogosphere is starting to buzz as governors are talking about recalling their troops and the legality of unfettered deployment of national guard units.

[Stan]

Good post Sam !
Unfortunately, no trolls here for breakfast (or are there?) !

Sound's like he's a bit bent. Exactly what do the men and women of Ohio's NG have for up-to-date equipment?

The brave men and women who serve in the Ohio National Guard are putting their lives on the line. I am asking for your assurance that prior to deployment, every Ohio soldier has the most up-to-date equipment, including individual body armor systems, M-4 rifles and other weapons systems, night vision devices, and up-armored type wheeled vehicles.

I agree, SGT Snow needs to get real.

Time out. WHY is a spokesperson for the Ohio adjutant general’s office speaking to the media, any media before evidently NOT running what he/she is going to say by their state Commander-In-Chief, Governor Strickland (see the root of the constitutional problem I’m talking about here). There is no indication that Sgt Snow (name sounds familiar) even ran this public affairs statement by the Ohio Adjutant General, in fact, there is no indication that Governor Strickland's letter to President Bush was coordinated with HIS Adjudtant General (Scratching Major Hanafin's head).

[Ski]

The article may be over the top but there is a very real lack of equipment in the Guard and Reserve.

[John T. Fishel]

Back in the Reagan Administration several governors challenged the right of the President to send the National Guard on deployments to Central America. the Supreme Court ruled against the governors. Thus, there is a precedent which, despite some factual differences, is most likely to be upheld.

Nevertheless, the policy issue is real and the over reliance on Reserve Components for repeated, long term, overseas deployments to an ongoing war is one in which there are far more negative consequences than positive ones. Unfortunately, there is no good short term fix and the long term fix simply takes the long term and significantly more funding.

[Ski]

In addition, there needs to be a political decision to expend the industrial base of the military. We simply aren't getting equipment quickly enough.

Back in the Reagan Administration several governors challenged the right of the President to send the National Guard on deployments to Central America. the Supreme Court ruled against the governors. Thus, there is a precedent which, despite some factual differences, is most likely to be upheld.

Nevertheless, the policy issue is real and the over reliance on Reserve Components for repeated, long term, overseas deployments to an ongoing war is one in which there are far more negative consequences than positive ones. Unfortunately, there is no good short term fix and the long term fix simply takes the long term and significantly more funding.

[Stan]

John and Ski,
I will beg forgiveness at the lack of knowledge regarding 'lack of equipment' not having served a day in the Guard.

My 23 years of active duty led me to however believe (yes, a tad naive) that our NG and Reserves have always been intended to back US up.

Did it get to this point recently ? Granted, before Iraq and Afghanistan, we didn't strain the system enough to see 'support to AD units' shortcomings. That said, perhaps better we are discovering those shortcomings now.

Back in the Reagan Administration several governors challenged the right of the President to send the National Guard on deployments to Central America. the Supreme Court ruled against the governors. Thus, there is a precedent which, despite some factual differences, is most likely to be upheld.

Nevertheless, the policy issue is real and the over reliance on Reserve Components for repeated, long term, overseas deployments to an ongoing war is one in which there are far more negative consequences than positive ones. Unfortunately, there is no good short term fix and the long term fix simply takes the long term and significantly more funding.

[sgmgrumpy]

The National Guard and homeland security
By Douglas Hanson

http://www.americanthinker.com/2005/...d_homelan.html

For 30 years, the Guard has been largely configured as combat arms formations designed as a supplementary force to 'round out' active Army combat divisions. In other words, reserve manpower to augment combat formations in mid— to high— intensity wars. The Army has wisely determined that the Guard's proper focus should return to protecting our homeland.

The Chief of the National Guard Bureau has announced a major strategy change for the Guard. Army Lt. Gen. Steven Blum said that the Guard will play a significant role in Homeland Defense and Homeland Security.

In an interview, Lt. Gen Blum noted that,

The Guard's homeland defense missions include supporting Coast Guard patrols of sea and coastal areas, detecting and defending against air and missile attacks, protecting private infrastructure and responding to attacks involving weapons of mass destruction. In the event of an incident or crisis, DoD's and the nation's "reliance would be very heavy on the National Guard, both the Air Guard and Army Guard," Blum said.

This is a strong indication that the National Guard will revert to a more traditional role of remaining stateside to provide a much—needed military capability to handle a variety of homeland defense and security missions, including WMD response.