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Guard and Reserves Fighting Our Wars - Not Regulars
This week the Air Force announced an increase, while the Army, Navy, and Marine
Corps announced a decrease. The Coast Guard number remained unchanged. The net
collective result is 265 fewer reservists activated than last week.
At any given time, services may activate some units and
individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to
either increase or decrease. The total number currently on active duty from the
Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 95,831; Navy Reserve, 5,908; Air
National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 13,230; Marine Corps Reserve, 8,152; and
the Coast Guard Reserve, 906. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve
personnel who have been activated to 124,027, including both units and
individual augmentees.
We currently have about 140 thousand in Iraq and about 40 thousand (more going) in Afghanistan. Now you know who's fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan --- it's NOT the Regular Military folks. It's the Guard and Reserves.
I'm no expert on this but wouldn't you have thought that we would have sent the regulars first and have the guard take over the peaceful bases? After all, isn't that what the regulars signed up for in the first place - action?
Anyway, I recommend that if you plan on joining the military soon, whether Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force --- join the regular, not the national guard.
We currently have about 140 thousand in Iraq and about 40 thousand (more going) in Afghanistan. Now you know who's fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan --- it's NOT the Regular Military folks. It's the Guard and Reserves.
I'm no expert on this but wouldn't you have thought that we would have sent the regulars first and have the guard take over the peaceful bases? After all, isn't that what the regulars signed up for in the first place - action?
Anyway, I recommend that if you plan on joining the military soon, whether Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force --- join the regular, not the national guard.
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Question: Are you sure all the reservist activated are in Iraq or Afghanistan? It's quite an assumption just to use the numbers subtract one from the other and say more reservists and guard are in theater than regulars. Not saying you might not be right, but you need some more info to be sure.
FYI according to a 2007 DoD report the guard and reserve represented 24% of active duty troops in Iraq theater.
As to your other supposition about regulars first and guard and reserve later to handle peace keeping. That the regulars signed up for it the others didn't. Just not so. When you sign up for the Guard you are fully aware you could be deployed to a active combat situation. And the same holds true for the Army Reserver.
January 7, 2009 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink