Rumsfeld defends National Guard at border: will SHARPEN THEIR SKILLS

[Bluebear]

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Wednesday that using 6,000 National Guard troops to help secure the U.S. border with Mexico will not detract from the troops' ability to perform other missions at home and abroad. He said it would sharpen their skills.

The troops would be less than 2 percent of the National Guard's force of 400,000 and would mostly serve during their two- or three-week active duty training period, Rumsfeld told the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee.

"This will not only not adversely affect America's ability to conduct the war on terror or respond to other domestic emergencies, it will actually provide useful real-life training for the members of the National Guard," he added.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/3869984.html

[Horse with no Name]

1. I posted this and it sunk like a rock (so I will reply to you with it)

Most people that join the Guard do it because they need a little extra money, want to do their part serving their country, etc. Most have full time jobs and lives, etc. that they are willing to put on hold for short periods of time. These are the same people who didn't sign up to be military 24-7 for whatever reason--nor do they make the same rate of pay as active duty military.
The people that join the military do so because they are looking for a full -time job/career. They willingly sign up to devote the greater part of their time to serve. They don't have outside jobs. They get more benefits than guardsman.
So now, not only are our Guardsman asked to do their normal routine duties and be on hand for state emergencies--they are overused and abused in Iraq...so now when they finally get to come home and spend some time with their families...we are going to ship them to the Mexican border.
I don't know about you--but this is the ultimate in unfair. This isn't what these guys signed up for. They are losing their full-time jobs back home and when George Bush is finally done using them, they will have nothing left.
This just ain't right... :(

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. How, exactly, will standing around in the desert doing nothing

"sharpen their skills?"

That's lame, Don.

[NI4NI]

13. by arresting tired and thirsty defensless illegals

in the Arizona desert, their skills we be sharpened for combating rocket launchin', IED booby-trappin', machine gun carryin', suicide car bombin' insurgents and terrorists in the Iraqi desert?.....Sure makes sense to me!

[tabasco]

14. Just another Rummy lie and/or stupid idea.

An infantry battalion used for guard duty is not doing the training it needs to do to be a good infantry unit.

These guard duty cycles will replace other more important training.

[Justice]

3. Reminds me of Marie Ant. - Let them eat cake remark

great photo of Rummy! What is he doing, trying to gouge out his eyes?

[Bluebear]

4. Part of the "See no evil" trilogy. nt

[saltpoint]

5. And not only the skills-sharpening, but don't forget, guard

members can swap Sonoran recipes with folks on both sides of the border.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, thanks to Uncle Don.

[unhappycamper]

6. Well, fuck me in the heart rummy.

If three trips to Iraq aren't enough to sharpen my skills, we are all truly fucked. :sarcasm:

[madeline_con]

7. Keep pressing, Rummy. Drive them into your pea brain!!! n/t

[wtmusic]

8. It will train them to identify brown people

which could be very useful when they ship out to Baghdad

[Cha]

9. Or fucking

ruin their lives if bushfeld has anything to do with it.

[w8liftinglady]

10. for 2 week deployments-how effective

[mcscajun]

11. A little mathematical exercise.

Assume that they work in three eight-hour shifts for 24-hour coverage.

The border between the US and Mexico is 1,951 miles.

6,000 troops / 3 shifts a day = 2,000 troops per shift. slightly more than one Guardsman per mile. Oh yeah, that'll stop 'em. Besides, you know that stringing them along like that isn't what they have in mind, anyhow. They'll have installations and patrols. Wherever they Ain't, is where the new "informal border crossing" will be.

[tanyev]

12. Maybe George's unit will call him up.

He could use some skill sharpening.