MAIL CALL

Thank you for including "Buy-Back of Title 32 Service Time" as an item in the NGAUS Fiscal 2005 Legislative Objectives included in the April NATIONAL GUARD magazine. I have been trying to overcome this inequity lor over three years. Your initiative is accurate in that National Guardsmen are not able to have Title-32 active-duty time credited to their service computation date as a federal civil-service employee.

I am sure there are many former Guardsmen who are civil-service employees that are being treated unfairly because of this distinction. I do not think that our legislators intended to treat Guardsmen unfairly.

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Unfortunately the clerks in the Civilian Personnel Operating Centers interpret the rule to say that all Title 32 service is not creditable. However, the CSRS and FERS Handbook states, "While the weekly and biweekly training sessions are reserve duty and not creditable, the annual 15-day training camp or cruise which reservists are called upon to attend (and for which they receive pay and allowances) is active duty and therefore creditable."

The passage also states that, "Service in any of the reserve corps of the armed forces is creditable when an individual is called to active duty."

Again, thank you for your efforts.

Retired Lt. Col. Peter J. Connelly

Massachusetts Army National Guard

Unit Aims to Keep Supplies Flowing

I would like to update everyone on the current situation [in Iraq] and let everyone know that I am doing well and staying very busy with the lormation of a new unit [that includes Army Guardsmen].

Our [transportation] group has learned over the past lew months that the enemy activity against convoys must be met with force, which is why we are here. The formation of the 518th Combat Gun Truck Company is a plan that was initiated by Capt. Rob Landry, now its commander.

We are known as the U.S. Regulators," a title that was given to a group in the 1800s that was tasked to bring law and order to the wild west.

The number 518 came from his mother's birth date. She died a few years back after a hard fight with cancer. Landry told us that he wanted this unit to represent the tough, unselfish and never-quit attitude that his mother displayed for years fighting her war with cancer. he told us that never in all that time did she ever ask, "Why me?" Her only concern was her family and how they would carry on.

I have been selected from the lieutenants in the group to serve as the executive officer, second in command of the company. Our mission is to protect and secure convoys on the main supply routes all over Iraq and to ensure that our supply lines stay open and safe. I can honestly say that this is a privilege.

Let me state that we WILL secure the supply routes. We WILL secure the convoys moving all over Iraq. We WILL seek and destroy the enemy on the routes where they have used cowardly tactics to kill so many good soldiers.

I want everyone to support this unit and would enjoy some letters and care packages sent to these brave soldiers in the unit who have voluntarily left much easier positions to risk EVERYTHING to protect the lives of others.

1st Lt. James McCormick

Ohio Army National Guard

Editor's Note: The author's address is 518th GT (Prov.), Camp Navistap; APO-AE 09317. He deployed as a member of 1487th Transportation Company. The 518th is a hand-picked, multicomponent unit that also includes Army Guardsmen from Kentucky and North Carolina. NATIONAL GUARD welcomes letters from wherever Guardsmen are serving.