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CodePINK: Bring Home Our National Guard Campaign National Guard Fact Sheet Of all the soldiers serving in Iraq, none affect their home communities as much as those serving in the National Guard. Torn from their jobs, these "weekend warriors," many of whom signed up out of a promise of free college tuition and a part-time job, have been thrown into a conflict thousands of miles away from home. Refusing to institute a draft for such an unpopular war, President Bush has chosen instead to force these heroic community servants into a foreign conflict to supplement an army too small to carry out such a war without a draft. Since Sept. 11, more than 210,000 of the Guard's 330,000 soldiers have been called up to active duty.(1) Instead of protecting their states from hurricanes and floods, these guards people are dying in unprecedented numbers with no end to the bloodshed in sight. Two-hundred and eleven Army National Guard soldiers have already died in Iraq,(2) more than double the amount that died in the entire Vietnam War. The Purpose of the National Guard The National Guard was created in 1903 by the Dick Act, which reorganized state militias into National Guard units. The Act standardized the equipment and training and poured massive amounts of federal funding into these units.(3) The National Guard was meant to assist states in times of local emergencies like floods, earthquakes and other disasters, and to protect the country as a whole in time of federal emergencies. Unlike regular Army soldiers who serve full time and are stationed on military bases, members of the National Guard serve only on weekends and live at home, the exception being when they are called up to active duty in time of emergency by the Governor of their state or the President. This distinction allows guards people to attend college and work full-time jobs. This distinction is also creating problems as more and more guards people are being called up to active, full-time duty and shipped overseas. Federal call-ups are having an impact on members of local law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and emergency medical crews, many of which are staffed by National Guard members.(4) Over 44 percent of the country's police forces have lost officers to Iraq.(5) Local Impact of War In addition to depriving states of local first-responders, the move of National Guard units overseas is impairing the ability of states to deal with large disasters. A record setting wildfire season this spring caused Brian Schweitzer, the governor of Montana, to call for the return of National Guard troops fighting in Iraq to help out. More than 1500 of Montana's 3500 National Guard troops are currently serving on federal active duty.(6) The wildfire problem in Montana is only compounding the feeling that many governors have that National Guard forces are stretched too thin. Historical Background During the War of 1812, many governors refused to mobilize state militia's to invade Canada. Their refusal sparked off a debate about whether the constitution allowed the president to order state militia units to fight outside of the United States. Congress circumvented this issue in 1908 by designating the National Guard as the United States' first line of reserve.(7) When the president calls-up the Guard units to federal duty, he in effect "drafts" the unit into the military. When units are drafted, they technically become part of the United States Military, but they retain all the same equipment and members. The only major difference is that they go on active, full-time duty and become subject to the orders of the United States Military and no longer serve their state.(8) National Guard Forces Serving in Iraq President Bush drafted the National Guard into US Military full-time service when he sent more than 37,000 National Guard soldiers to Iraq in late 2003 to replace forces already on the ground.(9) It was the largest mobilization of the National Guard since the Korean War. National Guard soldiers served in Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Kosovo, but only in a limited capacity and in the latter two wars without any fatalities.(10) Since then, National Guard mobilizations have only escalated with a new unit being called-up to active duty every few weeks. The use of National Guard soldiers in Iraq far exceeds its use compared to other wars. As of June 5th 2005, the National Guard accounted for 45% of the total Army force in Iraq. (11) Guard units typically use older equipment than active-duty Army units, who receive priority. It was a Tennessee National Guard soldier that asked that National Guard units receive a $1000 bonus for every month beyond the date the units were due to return home from Iraq. Such extensions are becoming increasingly common, as more troops are needed in Iraq. Since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 364,000 reserve troops and National Guard soldiers have been called for military service, serving tours of duty that often last 20 months. Studies show that between 30 and 40 percent of reservists and National Guard members earn a lower salary when they leave civilian employment for military deployment. Army Emergency Relief has reported that requests from military families for food stamps and subsidized meals increased "several hundred percent" between 2002 and 2003.
National Guard Websites for Further Information Ibid 2 "In Memoriam" National Guard Bureau. http://www.arng.army.mil/news/memorial/ 3 "National Guard of the United States," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99. © 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. 4 Kellogg, Sarah. "Governors worry National Guard spread too thin at home." Booth Newspapers. 4/25/05 http://www.mlive.com/news/statewide/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1114036801307130.xml 5 "Costs on the United States: Security Costs." http://www.iraqometer.com/ 6 "Montana Governor Sets off Fight with Call to Bring Guard Home" The New York Times. March 12, 2005 http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/13/national/13montana.html?ex=1115956800&en=cf6bbec9c7aa2569&ei=5070 7 Merkel, William G., Uriller, Richard H. "The Last Years of the Militia of the Whole." "Muting the Second Amendment: The Disappearance of the Constitutional Militia." The Second Amendment in Law And History. The New Press, New York, 2000. Pg 167. 8 Merkel, William G., Uriller, Richard H. "The Birth of the National Guard." Pg 167. 9 Putnam, Bill Spc. "112,000 service members tapped for Iraq" http://www.arng.army.mil/news/news_view.asp?news_id=957 10 Haskell, Master Sgt. Bob. "Guard Casualties." 11 Alan Wirzvicki. "Montana in a Tug of War for Guardsmen" June 5th 2005. Boston Globe http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/06/05/montana_in_a_tug_of_war_for_guardsmen/
United for Peace and Justice National Guard and Reservists Who are the Reservists and National Guardsmen? Reservists and National Guardsmen, often nicknamed "weekend warriors," are part-time soldiers who during normal times, are expected to commit one weekend per month and two weeks per year to training and service. Reservists are always under the control of the president, whereas the National Guard is primarily controlled by state governors, and often serve as an additional police force when the state, for reasons such as a natural disaster, need extra help. For an excellent summary of the role, responsibilities, and benefits of the National Guard and Reserves, check out "Reserve Component Personnel Issues: Questions and Answers." At any time, the president can declare a federal emergency, which allows him to take charge of the National Guard. President Bush (43) did that after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. During federal emergencies, the Reserves and the National Guard can be on duty for two year shifts. As a result of the increasing demand for Reservists and National Guardsmen, the Army is considering making this shift longer. [1] How large a role do Reservists and National Guardsmen play in the deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan? Today, the full-time troops rely very heavily on these Reservists and Guardsmen. Because the Total Force continues to shrink, Reservists and Guardsmen have been forced to make up for this discrepancy. [2] As of July 2004, there were 156,236 National Guardsmen and Reservists on active duty. Of these, 55,000 are estimated to be deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the surrounding regions. Somewhere around 40% of the U.S. military force in Iraq consists of Reservists and Guardsmen. [3] This is a significant increase from past deployments. In the past three years, more National Guard and Reserve soldiers have been called to active duty than have been cumulatively called to duty since the Cuban Missile Crisis--that includes the Vietnam War, Cuban Refugee Crisis, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, and the first Gulf War, combined. [4] As more Reservists and Guardsmen are increasingly deployed to relieve active duty combat troops, the role of these Reservists and Guardsmen can only grow. What are the major issues and debates surrounding Reservists and National Guardsmen? Lack of Support and Preparation for Long Deployments The Reserves and particularly the National Guard have never been used and deployed as extensively as they are now. These service-members had not anticipated such lengthy deployments in their life-planning process. As a result, both they and their families have been stretched thin. Families of Reservists and National Guardsmen do not have access to the same support network as full-time soldiers and their families who live on military bases. They do not have access to discount stores, commissaries, or the base network. While families could cope with short deployments, they are unable to do so with the long deployments that reservists and national guardsmen are currently facing. There is legislation that tries to offer Reservists and National Guardsmen a level of financial support, but flaws still remain that allow some troops to fall through the cracks. 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. However, this bill does not account for those whose jobs cannot be continued if they are disabled by battle wounds, such as policemen; nor does it aid small business owners, who have no protection against the loss of their place of employment. Budget Cuts & Equipment Shortages The Reserves and National Guard have long been under-funded when it comes to equipment. In 2004, there was an 11.3%, or $15.7 million, shortage in funding for the needed equipment. The same year, President Bush cut $280 million from the requested training budget for National Guards and Reservists. If this continues, training drills would have to cease by next spring. Training problems are already occurring; in May 2004, four soldiers testified to Congress that Reservists from urban areas were not being trained properly before being sent to Iraq. National Guardsmen and Reservists rarely have access to the most modern military equipment. It is unacceptable to send our troops into an armed conflict with such sub-standard equipment. [5] No Access to Healthcare When Not Deployed National Guardsmen and Reservists are not taken care of before their deployment. The Army denies these Guardsmen access to TRICARE, the Pentagon health insurance, claiming it is too expensive. As of July 2004, 20% of National Guardsmen lacked healthcare. Because they don't have healthcare, some of these troops haven't been to a doctor in years and are then expected to participate in combat abroad. We need to give these troops the option to buy into healthcare, if only for national security purposes. Keeping our troops healthy is not just a matter of fairness, its also a matter or preparedness. [6] Lower Re-Enlistment & Recruitment Rates Lawmakers from both sides of the political spectrum agree that National Guards and Reservists are being stretched beyond their means. Unexpectedly long deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan have led to lower than average re-enlistment rates and lower recruitment rates, as well. In 2004, most Reserve components fell below recruitment goals for that year. In order to be able to provide for present demands, we are sacrificing the future numbers of our troops. This may prove to be very dangerous for future military endeavors. [7] [1] http://www.slate.com/id/2112001/ [2] About.com [3] http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=123033, http://www.slate.com/id/2112001/ [4] http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=124344 [5] http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=124344 [6] http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=123033 [7] http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_reserves_070804,00.html For more information visit: http://optruth.org Operation Truth is a non-profit 501c(4), non-partisan veterans' organization that seeks to amplify the soldiers' voice in the American public dialogue. Paul Rieckhoff, a First Lieutenant in the Army Reserves, founded Operation Truth in June 2004, only months after he returned from a year-long tour in Iraq. As of January 2005, Operation Truth represents well over 300 OEF/OIF veterans, and has over 26,000 supporters. Would you like your CodePink event posted here? Submit your request to: Jan Cox Golovich at mrsjcg@yahoo.com CLICK HERE for a list of the Bay Area CodePINK Previous Actions. |
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