Interesting comment my dad had about the NG ...

[Madrone]

I was talking to my dad last weekend, and as always it eventually turned to politics. He made a point to me that after hearing seemed obvious, but it had never occurred to me before.

We were discussing the military and the troops' growing dissatisfaction with the Iraq debacle. My dad brought up the draft issue, then went on to make the point that after this mess is over the military will be screwed because very few people will make the mistake of joining the NG again - and since we depend on the NG as the bulk of our military troops the Republicans will be in for a RUDE awakening.

After listening to him, I think he's right. These guys in the NG are trying to get ahead, and make a little extra money for their families. They figure "what the heck?" - and sign up for the NG. It's no big deal - a few weekends in exchange for an extra couple of hundred dollars a month. Now, this wargasmic administration is showing these guys in living color that a few weekends here and there can translate into years away from their families, the loss of their jobs, and the republicans wonderful "support" of the troops when they are crapped on and have benefits cut. This is NOT what they were expecting, and after the "wargasm" wore off cold, hard reality has started to set in.

When these guys' time is up, I don't think it is likely they'll be signing up again. Also, anyone thinking about signing up that has paid any sort of attention at all to what's going on is likely to have second thoughts.

If this continues, and republicans continue to steal elections I think it is quite possible they may seal their fate with the military. And if THAT happens - we are looking at "hello DRAFT" in order to keep the war machine rolling, and we all know how that would go over.

[Ellen Forradalom]

1. Same with the Reserves

Reservists are outta there.

[Bandit]

6. Explain reserves for me if you can please

I was under the impression that reserves were something one became part of after leaving active duty. When I got out of the Army I had a couple years of reserve status but didn't have to do anything. No meetings or anything. Can one join the reserves and what type of training is given? I am just plain ignorant about this. You mentioned no one would be joining anymore so I question how it is done.

[atreides1]

7. Definition

Well there is active reserve, those are the guys that go for one weekend a month, and two weeks in during the summer.

Then there is the inactive reserve, which is what you were probably
part of. No meetings, no weekend drills, but you could have been recalled to active status to serve out the rest of your military service.

There is one other group, is called IRR, inactive ready reserve, this
group mainly consists of retirees and veterans who have served their
mandatory military requirement.

If you join the active reserve to go on active duty for training, after your BCT and AIT are done you are released from active duty and report to your unit, that you enlisted at.

You get the same type of training as the active duty army when you go to school.

I hope this answers your questions.

[Junkdrawer]

2. I'd say that's a lead pipe cinch. n/t

:(

[JHB]

3. Yup, there have been several articles making that point...

...(unfortunately I can't think of links off the top of my head).

It may be a conservative shibboleth that Clinton "decimated the military", but the real guy who's destroying our readiness is Bush, for this very reason... the Guardsmen and reservist are going to walk out in droves after this, and there's nothing to replace them. Rummy's even taking steps in his planned reorganization to account for this: shifting the NG to duties that stay stateside, thus muting resistance and making the regular army a plaything for executive adventureism...one of the things the current structure was designed to prevent after Vietnam.

[DagmarK]

4. Yep, hello DRAFT......and foreign mercenaries installed as citizens.......

Oh, I think the repukes wont' have a problem with this at all. They will get the military of their DREAMS: young kids who dont' know a thing about life and desperate foreigners making a sacrifice for the future of their family line -- the great white dream of American citizenship. And......those foreigners who bring their families and get citizenship? Shoot.....a nice little influx of slave labor when we become a real live 3rd world country!

Another benefit.....no more American individualistic soldiers who would have the GALL to tell reporters about how demoralized they are! I can hear Rummy now: Those damn Americans.....thinking they can just say anything to anyone! Arrrgh!

[Loonman]

5. The advantage of having a huge, volunteer deployable force

Is when there isn't a moron like Boosh in office, you don't have to use it; it works a a deterrent.

Nations who countered the US would always think twice because of America's huge resources of people and materials.

Now they know we're stretched thin, so it will only get worse.