National Guard to Be Called Upon to Help Tired Army

NBC Nightly News

Friday 22 September 2006

Brian Williams, anchor:

They are the people who help us at Home Depot. They deliver our mail,patrol our streets. They are our neighbors and friends and fellow citizens who make up the National Guard and ready reserve. They have suffered heavy casualties and have held up under a tremendous burden as this nation has fought wars on two fronts. And we learn today they're about to be asked to give even more.

The problem is most US Army units are right now not ready for combat as we see here on this broadcast night after night. It's not as if the fight is going away. Now we have learned the Pentagon may send more Guard soldiers into battle. We'll begin with this story here tonight with our Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski.

Jim, good evening.

Jim Miklaszewski reporting:

Good evening, Brian.

A senior military official tells NBC News that five years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan have stretched the Army to a dangerous breakpoint.

For the Army, the pace of combat has been relentless. Many soldiers are already on their third combat tour. Frequent deployments have cut training time at home in half, which has left two thirds of all Army combat units rated not ready for combat.

General Barry McCaffrey, Retired (NBC News Military Analyst): I think,arguably, it's the worst readiness condition the US Army has faced since the end of Vietnam.

Miklaszewski: So the Army's looking again to the National Guard for relief. A year ago, more than one third of US ground forces in Iraq were National Guard. Guard chief, Lieutenant General Steven Blum, is prepared for his soldiers to get the call again.

Lieutenant General Steven Blum: If you think the National Guard's busy today, I think we're going to look back and say 'These were the good old days' in about three years.

Miklaszewski: But the Guard is also under stress. Two hundred seventy thousand Guard soldiers-60 percent of the force-have already hit their limit for overseas combat. The Pentagon would have to change its policy,which now limits Guard combat tours to two out of every five years.

Gen. McCaffrey: More is being asked of them, particularly the National Guard and reserve components, than they signed up to do. And in the near-term, we think it's going to unravel.

Miklaszewski: Perhaps worse, most Guard equipment like humvees and trucks, has either been destroyed or left behind in Iraq. That makes it difficult for the Guard to train or fulfill its primary duty: respond to disasters here at home.

Lt. Gen. Blum: If you want the Guard to do a mission three years from now, no one should be surprised that they're ill-equipped or underequipped to do the job.

Miklaszewski: General Blum remains confident, however, if needed, the Guard will answer the call.

But uprooting Guard soldiers from their jobs and families and sending them off to war can be politically explosive. So military officials predict that any decision to mobilize the Guard won't happen until after the November elections. Brian:

Williams: Jim Miklaszewski at the Pentagon for us tonight. Jim, thanks for that.