Army National Guard: Citizen-soldiers protecting and defending the U.S.A.

Army, Oct 2002 by Schultz, Roger C

Well before our nation was attacked on September 11, the Army National Guard (ARNG) was deployed around the world on various missions, fulfilling our role in the national military strategy by supporting theater combatant commanders, conducting exercises and commanding the joint task force in Bosnia. On the home front, ARNG soldiers, at the direction of their governors and adjutants general, continue to provide assistance to victims of disaster and protection from our enemies. Now, as always, ARNG soldiers are standing ready to support their country, their state and their community.

When the events of September 11 shook the nation, our citizens found reassurance in the decisiveness of America's leaders in deploying the Guard. Within hours of the attacks on New York and the Pentagon, and the crash in Pennsylvania, Army National Guard soldiers were there-some in federal status, some in a state status, a capability unique to the National Guard. We are a force provider to both the President of the United States and to the state governors, constitutionally mandated as both a federal reserve of the Army and a state militia.

The first military support to the Pentagon came from Maryland's 115th Military Police Battalion. When the World Trade Center was attacked, Governor George Pataki's first orders were to his New York National Guardsmen. Even before the official call went out, New York Guard soldiers gathered at their armories-ready to respond. By the evening of September 11, some 1,500 New York City-based Guard personnel were on Ground Zero, with an additional 1,500 en route from upstate. President George W. Bush soon asked the governors to activate the National Guard to provide security to 444 airports in our nation. The Secretary of Defense ordered 35,000 additional Guard troops to federal duty to protect our nation's critical federal sites, such as military bases and ammunition storage sites.

By February 2002, ARNG Special Forces soldiers of the 19th and 20th Groups were battling al Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan where SFC Daniel Aaron Romero of the Colorado Army National Guard and Sgt. Gene Arden Vance Jr. of the West Virginia Army National Guard made the ultimate sacrifice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The Army National Guard's ability to accomplish these varied missions is a direct result of the commitment of our soldiers. Like the citizen-soldiers of the past, today's Guard members sacrifice much for their country, placing civilian careers and family lives on hold to deploy around the country and the world to fight our nation's wars and protect our homeland.

We employ some truly amazing people. One example of our great soldiers is gold-medal Olympian Spc. Jill Bakken of the Utah Army National Guard. From Spc. Bakken's gold medal to the bronze medals taken by Spc. Mike Kohn of the Virginia Army National Guard and Spc. Dan Steele of the Oregon Army National Guard, to the thousands of soldiers who ensured the safety of both Olympians and spectators, the pride and ability of the Guard was on display at the XIX Winter Olympiad.

The Army National Guard is made up of men and women from every walk of life. Since September 11, the soldiers of the Guard have received a great deal of attention, and rightly so. But behind them, supporting them in their efforts, are their families and employers. Often, their sacrifices go unnoticed and unacknowledged. These families and employers are also heroes. Without their support, our soldiers could not be ready to protect and defend our nation.

The men and women of the Army National Guard are second to none. When I travel around the country and the world, visiting some of the remote places in which our soldiers are serving, I watch them at work, and I listen to them. They have a myriad of concerns-family, finances and careers, among others. But above all is their rugged determination to do the job, to serve their country, to soldier well and honorably-this is what comes through the clearest.

We are a force of 350,833 and we comprise 34 percent of the Army's force structure. Of these, 27,094 soldiers serve full-time. Our number of full-time personnel has increased slightly, but it is still significantly below the required levels. It is important that we continue to address this deficiency, especially as we fight this long-term war against terrorism.

Our troops are deployed throughout the country and around the globe, defending freedom with their engagement in the varied and numerous operations, Supporting Operation Noble Eagle here on the home front are 1,727 ARNG soldiers. We are in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. We have a continued, even increasing, presence in peacekeeping operations in Southwest Asia with 506 soldiers involved in Operation Desert Spring. In Germany, Italy and Belgium we have 2,000 soldiers working on Task Force Santa Fe. We have taken over the Multinational Force and Observer mission in the Sinai, with 529 soldiers posted there.

Clearly, the Army National Guard remains fully engaged in peacekeeping operations around the globe. In April 2002, the 29th Infantry Division (Light) came home from Bosnia after their highly successful tour. The next Guard unit scheduled to command Task Force Eagle is the 28th Infantry Division from Pennsylvania. They will take command near the end of 2002 and complete their six-month tour in 2003.