Interesting Article

[RatherBHuntin]

PS - I forgot another political "wrinkle". ALL personnel that enter the federal military, regardless of branch or whether drafted (not any more), or volunteer, have a SIX YEAR COMMITMENT. MOST "Army" soldiers serve two years of active duty the four years as a "reservist". Navy personnel spend at least FOUR years on active duty and then have two more years as a "reservist". People that are 'rotated' out of active duty can CHOOSE to do their "reserve time" in the NG. This is how the federal government justifies "giving" money to states for their NG. Here's something that should muddy the waters: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Guard_Bureau
 
Paul

 
I can't speak for the other services, but the Army has an 8 year Mandatory Service Obligation (MSO) currently.  If you sign your name today, you commit to 8 years.  Though we have had 2+4 options in the past, we dont now.  That is 2 years Active, 4 years Reserve and then 2 more years Inactive Reserve(IRR).  IRR do not drill or receive any benefits.  The most common term of enlistment these days is 4 years active then 4 years inactive reserve with a fair amount of 6 Active and then only 2 IRR as well, really depends on what options you take and what specialty you go into (read how much training you are going to get).  I would say that most Soldiers who choose to do only their initial term of enlistment, do not commit to Active Reserves or National Guard afterwards.  My brother is Active Guard, been that for years after doing 4 years Regular Army, and has spent 2 years deployed to war zones while Guard and 6 months while Regular Army, I would dare say he would be extremely insulted by your opinions.  He may be the exception to many in the Guard, but regardless they sign up to do something that about 99% of the general population won't think twice about and many of which couldn't if they did want to.  And yes, he considers himself first and formost an employee of the State, which is just as it should be.

[gitano]

I was unaware of the 8-year commitment these days. I'm not surprised. Some aspects of military life have changed for the better, but everywhere the politicians have been able to, they have decreased soldier's, sailor's and airmen's benefits. They always have throughout American history.

It is difficult for me to imagine ANY member of the NG NOT being offended by my comments as read here. My response is: The PURPOSE of my comments was/is not to insult or offend, but I don't care if that is the response to my comments by some.

My comments are based on personal, first-hand experience with NG personnel: It was NG soldiers, acting on a GOVERNOR'S ORDERS, that SHOT AND KILLED UNARMED STUDENTS AT KENT STATE. I saw on TV during the "first" Gulf War where they paraded one after another NG "soldier" before the TV cameras with big crocodile tears running down their cheeks crying; "I didn't think I'd ever have to actually SERVE. I was just in the guard for the benefits." I'm not joking. Those exact words or very similar from MOUNTAINS of them as the US decided they were going to send NG overseas. I still can't comprehend how "they" got away with sending them to foreign soil!

Are there "good guys" (and gals) in the NG. Yeah. And there are good cops out there too. But too dam few of them, and I will make no apologies to those FEW "good" ones when they stand quietly by and watch the others commit crimes (cops) but refuse to cross the "thin BLUE line". I have a neighbor that just moved in kitty-corner from me that just got out of the Alaska NG. He was deployed to Iraq twice. (BUT, he pointed out that the NG was not allowed to even have weapons! They were "support" only!) He's no 'slacker', neither is he someone that would take orders to turn his rifle on American citizens. He HATED the NG, but stayed in "for the benefits" until he got a "good" union job. I've had a discussion with him on this very subject. He wasn't offended in that conversation and in fact agreed with my perspective.

I'm not sure your 99% figure is correct, but I won't argue it until I look up some figures on military service in the US. I am a vet. My Dad was a VN combat vet. My brother was a VN combat vet. The list goes on. I respect military service. I don't respect those that join the NG (or Coast Guard), to AVOID active duty service in one of the branches of the federal ARMED forces. I don't respect those that join the NG just for the benefits assuming, (until recently when the "all volunteer Army" wasn't providing enough soldiers), that there would be no 'risk' of actually having to pick up a rifle and SERVE. I have no respect for those in the NG that stand by SILENTLY while the NG trains for "Suppression of Urban Disturbance". And please don't tell me that training is a result of war in the Middle East. That training started IN THE LATE '70s under Carter. It is my unapologetic opinion that The National Guard and the State Police are the two greatest sources of REAL danger to The People of the United States that exists today. To the best of my knowledge, no unit of the federal armed forces has EVER taken up arms against The People of the United States. That is PATENTLY NOT TRUE of the National Guard, the State Troopers of MANY states, the FBI, "G-men" of the Treasury Department, the IRS, and even the dammed NATIONAL PARK SERVICE! No government agency or their employees that turn weapons on UNARMED American citizens on American soil AND KILLS THEM gets my respect or apology for mistrusting them.

Paul

[22hornet]

I saw something the other week that said about 40% of all US troop deployed overseas are National Guard. That is not an insignificant figure if true. And not an insignificant figure if the N.G. are not really supposed to be used overseas.

[sakorick]

I saw something the other week that said about 40% of all US troop deployed overseas are National Guard. That is not an insignificant figure if true. And not an insignificant figure if the N.G. are not really supposed to be used overseas.

Hornet, once mobilized the NG is just another Army unit. President has the authority under war powers act.....been going on for years....that's how he is cutting troop strength in the regular Army. Most NG units are support troops.....some aviation units and Arty otherwise engineer, supply and logistics units.