Where are the National Guard ??

[kentuck]

Shouldn't they be filling these sandbags? Isn't that their primary mission - to protect our nation from disasters such as the floods in the Midwest? Does anyone have any idea where they might be??

[rox63]

1. In Iraq, Afghanistan, and filling in for border patrol

None of which is their purpose.

[Squatch]

12. Border patrol mission is no longer.

Operation Jump Start is over.

[LaurenG]

2. Ask george, he knows damn well what he's done with them. nt

[SpiralHawk]

6. "I guess they are Nation Building overseas for republicon oil profits. Smirk." - Commander AWOL

[islandmkl]

3. god knows they have plenty of sand in Iraq to work with....

[mnhtnbb]

4. Where Bushie boy wants them--fightin' his illegal war in Iraq.

[Tesha]

5. Busy building "democracies". (NT)

[CherokeeDem]

7. In harm's way....

instead of protecting and helping people here.

[hisownpetard]

8. Great point, well taken! K&R.

[deaniac21]

9. I wonder why they always train with weapons but not with shovels

and picks? Somebody needs to investigate this stuff.

[Squatch]

11. Because the NG constitutes a component of the ARMED forces

as defined in Titles 10 and 32 of United States Code.

[kentuck]

16. But aren't the Governors of each state...

in control of each National Guard unit? Do they have any say what the NG units in their respective states do?

[Squatch]

25. They are under "the control" of the Governor

until federalized under either Title 10 or 32 of United States Code. The National Guard can be federalized against the wishes of states' governors.

(It's more proper to say "the command" of the governor, because the governor is the Commander in Chief of the non-federalized National Guard in his or her state)

[Squatch]

10. Our primary mission is not filling sand bags, despite popular opinion.

[rox63]

14. But isn't responding to natural disasters & emergencies part of the NG primary mission? n/t

[Squatch]

24. Not explicitly.

The National Guard can be used in a manner consistent with Titles 10 and 32 of United States Code or a specific state's laws. This may or may not include responding to natural disasters, conducting expeditionary warfare in support of National Military Strategy, or myriad of other uses.

However, historically, the National Guard has primarily been used as a military fighting force. The first forces to storm the beach at Normandy, for instance, was A Co, 1-116 Infantry Battalion, 29th Infantry Division...a Virginia National Guard unit (19 men of that unit were killed on the beaches, and became known as the "Bedford Boys")

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kentuck]

17. No, that was not their sole motivation for joining the NG...

But neither was going to Iraq to fight in an illegal and unnecessary war.

[NashVegas]

15. Preparing the 21-Gun Salute

for Tim Russert?

[bdamomma]

18. we alll know they are out fighting for *'ies oil profit and greed.

and to hell with those Americans who need help.

[spinbaby]

19. Well, judging from last night's evening news

They're busy keeping people from visiting their houses.

[petersjo02]

20. In Iowa, 4,000 guardsmen (women) have been

activated to help and have been quietly doing their jobs for over a week now, first in Waterloo/Cedar Falls, moving on down the river to Vinton and Cedar Rapids, next Iowa City/Coralville, and continuing to follow the flooding south as the Cedar and Iowa rivers join near Columbus Junction and head to the Mississippi. Gov. Culver regularly includes the Iowa Nat. Guard commander/boss/general (whatever he is) in all his news conferences. Georgie boy will try to claim credit at the federal level, but the feds haven't been much help yet, although procedures are finally in place (supposedly) for victims to contact FEMA and SBA about grants and loans for renters, home owners, businesses.

[AngryAmish]

21. Shouldn't it be where is the National Guard?

Maybe where are the Illinois and Iowa National Guards?


I'm not sure.

[kentuck]

23. Possibly?

But the NG could be considered plural since they are part of each individual state and are different in each state.

[lovuian]

22. in Iraq stop lossed

thats where they are