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You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / Military / From the No Shit Department

From the No Shit Department

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This is no surprise to anyone:

Nearly 90 percent of Army National Guard units in the United States are rated “not ready” — largely as a result of shortfalls in billions of dollars’ worth of equipment — jeopardizing their capability to respond to crises at home and abroad, according to a congressional commission that released a preliminary report yesterday on the state of U.S. military reserve forces.

The report found that heavy deployments of the National Guard and reserves since 2001 for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for other anti-terrorism missions have deepened shortages, forced the cobbling together of units and hurt recruiting.

“We can’t sustain the [National Guard and reserves] on the course we’re on,” said Arnold L. Punaro, chairman of the 13-member Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, established by Congress in 2005. The independent commission, made up mainly of former senior military and civilian officials appointed by both parties, is tasked to study the mission, readiness and compensation of the reserve forces.

“The Department of Defense is not adequately equipping the National Guard for its domestic missions,” the commission’s report found. It faulted the Pentagon for a lack of budgeting for “civil support” in domestic emergencies, criticizing the “flawed assumption” that as long as the military is prepared to fight a major war, it is ready to respond to a disaster or emergency at home.

I would like to see official estimates, but I am guessing it will take on the order of 5-10 years to rebuild the Guard/Reserve after we finally (if ever) withdraw from Iraq. probably longer, since the Guard/reserve seems to always get shafted during peacetime.

Reader Interactions

34Comments

  1. 1.

    Mike

    Hmmm, sounds like you are denigrating the troops here by implying that they are not up to the job. Is that Darrell-Approved criticism?

  2. 2.

    LLeo

    I am quite concerned about the future of our military. I believe we are approaching post-Vietnam levels of degradation of our military. I’d expect it to take over a decade to rebuild the military from what Bush/Cheney has done to it.

    Barak Obama was asked if he would cut the military spending in his administration. He response was dead on, he said you’d see an increase in spending to get our military up to proper readiness.

    Fuck George Bush, Dick Cheney, and his incompetent posse.

  3. 3.

    The Other Steve

    This is the fault of Clinton, of course. Clinton destroyed the military back in the 1990s and we’re still living with that sad legacy.

    It’s sad, but President Bush really can’t do anything. Only Congress has the authority to better fund the military, and or increase their size and readiness.

    So this is all the fault of Clinton and Congress.

    Obviously.

  5. 5.

    Jill

    Is it Clinton’s fault that Bush chose to go to war with the “Clinton Army”? Bush walked willingly into this war. So, if Clinto screwed up the military why did Bush proceed with an unprovoked war?

  6. 6.

    jg

    So, if Clinto screwed up the military why did Bush proceed with an unprovoked war?

    Unprovoked? 15 saudis operating from a base in Afghanstan attacked us on 9/11 and you say we weren’t provoked by Iraq? you’re deranged.

  8. 8.

    Jill

    Where does Iraq come into the picture you just painted of Saudis operating in Afghanistan? Wow, utter ignorance. Did you know that Bush & Co. are now funnelling money to the Sunnis, the exact sect that attacked us on 9/11, not the Iraqis.

  10. 10.

    ThymeZone

    So, if Clinton screwed up the military why did Bush proceed with an unprovoked war?

    This might be one of the best questions ever posed on the subject.

  11. 11.

    jg

    Jill Says:

    Where does Iraq come into the picture you just painted of Saudis operating in Afghanistan? Wow, utter ignorance.

    I tried real hard but I couldn’t make it more absurd. I really thought you’d see the obvious spooficity in that statement. Read it again this time don’t take me seriously. I was just messing with your ‘unprovoked’ statement.

  12. 12.

    Barry

    Jill, I think that the Other Steve is being sarcastic. Of course, it’s hard to tell sarcasm from True Belief.

    John, I’d guess that it’ll take much, much longer to rebuild the Guard and Reserves. Not only because it’ll take a decade of increased spending, but because of the people. There’ll be a lot of people not re-upping, because even the current 24 active months every 5 years is just not doable; especially for people with children and none-too-secure jobs.

    For people leaving active duty, signing up in the Guard/Reserves comes under the same thing – after Bush, many will assume that a Guard/Reserve hitch means a year or two of active duty in the next few years. If you’re leaving active duty, and volunteering for that, why would you leave active duty?

  13. 13.

    jg

    Jill Says:

    jg, are we at war with Saudi Arabia?

    Sort of. They are funding the one group in Iraq we actually are in conflict with. the one the Bush administration says is being funded by Iran. Which of course makes no sense but it doesn’t have to make sense, Bush just has to say it for it to be true to some.

  15. 15.

    Darrell

    While this is bad news, it seems the problems are mostly due to a lack of equipment. From the article

    Nearly 90 percent of Army National Guard units in the United States are rated “not ready” — largely as a result of shortfalls in billions of dollars’ worth of equipment

    because

    National Guard units deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan have been required to leave large quantities of gear in the combat zone.

    More funding needed.

    As for Guard recruiting

    National Guard officials yesterday said recruiting has accelerated so much in recent months that they expect to expand the Guard even as the Bush administration proposes to shrink it.

    For the first time since 1993, the Guard exceeded a quarterly recruiting goal, signing up 13,466 recruits

  16. 16.

    Zifnab

    This is the fault of Clinton, of course. Clinton destroyed the military back in the 1990s and we’re still living with that sad legacy.

    It’s sad, but President Bush really can’t do anything. Only Congress has the authority to better fund the military, and or increase their size and readiness.

    So this is all the fault of Clinton and Congress.

    Obviously.

    Wait on second. President Bush didn’t acknowledge a civil war broke out until December. And guess what happened the month before? That’s right, in electing Democrats to Congress, the radical left-wing liberals sent a clear message to Al Qaeda that they were free to run the place. Since then, bombings have gone up, choppers have gone down, and Nancy Pelosi has done absolutely nothing to stop it.

    So before you start blaming Congress, remember which side of the aisle to point those fingers at. The Republicans didn’t get us into this mess.

  17. 17.

    Zifnab

    …they expect to expand the Guard even as the Bush administration proposes to shrink it.

    Hey Darrell, why would President Bush propose to shrink the National Guard in the middle of wartime?

  19. 19.

    Punchy

    It’s painfully obvious that the National Guard is just trying to sell a bunch of books…

  20. 20.

    Kirk Spencer

    Darrell, the reason the guard is exceeding its quarterly goal is that they moved the goalposts. Compare the goal to that of previous years, and you’ll see what I mean.

  22. 22.

    Tsulagi

    I am guessing it will take on the order of 5-10 years to rebuild the Guard/Reserve

    10 years sounds possible. Unless we return to the glory days of Pub control of both the presidency and Congress. Then the new armor and gear for the Guard/Reserve will be The Message. Problem instantly solved; good to go. Another corner turned.

  23. 23.

    David

    probably longer, since the Guard/reserve seems to always get shafted during peacetime.

    So the Guard and Reserves gets shafted during peacetime, and they’re sure as hell getting shafted now…wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that the government just likes giving Guardsmen and Reservists the shaft?

  24. 24.

    RSA

    Of course, it’s hard to tell sarcasm from True Belief.

    As I think almost everyone as discovered, if you try to say the most outrageously nonsensical thing about politics you can think of, some rightwing blowhard has already said it in all seriousness. Half the time it seems to have been Dick Cheney.

  25. 25.

    jenniebee

    wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that the government just likes giving Guardsmen and Reservists the shaft?

    I think that’s covered under “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”

  27. 27.

    dreggas

    Kirk Spencer Says:

    Darrell, the reason the guard is exceeding its quarterly goal is that they moved the goalposts. Compare the goal to that of previous years, and you’ll see what I mean.

    This is what pisses me off even more. There was a time when they wouldn’t let just anyone join because they had real standards. They had honor and integrity to preserve. Now they are giving deferments to criminals and gang members as well as people who barely pass the ASVAB. It’s nothing short of shameful.

  28. 28.

    Tsulagi

    as well as people who barely pass the ASVAB.

    Sometimes not even that. ASVAB minimums have gone down. No high school diploma? No problem, we got waivers for that too.

  29. 29.

    Perry Como

    This is what pisses me off even more. There was a time when they wouldn’t let just anyone join because they had real standards. They had honor and integrity to preserve. Now they are giving deferments to criminals and gang members as well as people who barely pass the ASVAB. It’s nothing short of shameful.

    Didn’t they also lower the amount of people they were expecting to recruit? Or was that just active duty?

  30. 30.

    Darrell

    Kirk Spencer Says:

    Darrell, the reason the guard is exceeding its quarterly goal is that they moved the goalposts. Compare the goal to that of previous years, and you’ll see what I mean

    Unsupported assertion alert! From the article:

    For the first time since 1993, the Guard exceeded a quarterly recruiting goal, signing up 13,466 recruits in the final three months of 2005, up from 12,605 the previous fall

  32. 32.

    David

    For the first time since 1993, the Guard exceeded a quarterly recruiting goal, signing up 13,466 recruits in the final three months of 2005, up from 12,605 the previous fall

    Where does that say that the goals didn’t change? Did 12,605 fail to meet a goal of 13,000 or 15,000?

  33. 33.

    croatoan

    Now they are giving deferments to criminals and gang members as well as people who barely pass the ASVAB.

    Thank God they’re still keeping the gays out. Especially them Arabic-speaking gays. What good could they possibly do in a war in the Mideast?

    From George W. Bush’s 2000 Campaign Brochure, “Opportunity, Security and Responsibility — A Fresh Start for America”

    A Dangerous World Requires A Strong Military.
    George W. Bush believes America’s military is challenged by aging weapons and failed intelligence. He will strengthen our military and rebuild America’s stature in the world.
    …
    He’ll end shortfalls in training, spare parts, and equipment and modernize weapons and equipment.
    Bush will defend Americans and our allies against missiles and blackmail by deploying an anti-ballistic missile defense.
    He will rebuild our intelligence services.
    As President Bush will order an immediate review of overseas deployments: no U.S. troops should be in harm’s way unless America’s interests are at stake, no U.S. troops will ever serve under UN command.

  34. 34.

    grumpy realist

    Considering how much $$$ we already dump into defense, I find it interesting that we don’t have enough funding and will have to increase spending to repair the Guard.

    At some point, the entire US budget will be made up of a) Defense spending, b) payment of the national debt, c) social security payments, and d) Medicare/Medicaid.

    Wonder which one of these will go?

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