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KJAM reports that the 147th Field Artillery and 147th Forward Support Company have been activated for another year in Iraq and Afghanistan. 460-plus soldiers from Sisseton, Aberdeen, Webster, Watertown, Salem, Sioux Falls, and Yankton will deploy, some for the fourth time in seven years, to Iraq and Afghanistan next April.
I know our National Guard men and and women signed on to do a job, they're proud to do it, and they do it well. But did anyone in the Guard really sign on for four deployments in seven years? Is there really no way to deploy the 1.4 million active duty personnel of the regular armed forces that would keep our Guards closer to home?
Just what is the proper role of the National Guard? How much should we expect of our part-time soldiers and their families? Readers with military experience, I defer to your wisdom on this one. Relying so heavily on the National Guard to fight Osama et al. seems like a bad idea... but those of you who have been there—and are going there again—the comments are open for your perspective.
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I find it unbelievable that the 147th is being called up for the FOURTH TIME. Living in an area where many of those guardsmen are from, I find it almost offensive that several troops in other states haven't been called up even once, yet our friends, co-workers, neighbors and family members serving in the National Guard are on deck for their fourth tours. It's not right.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what benefits are offered to them but 4 times in 7 years... those brave soldiers should be honored for their sacrfice. From Good Health Insurance for their families to free lifetime hunting and fishing licencses whtatever we can do for them. The brave soldiers will have served longer then almost any WWII soldier, Korean, or most Vietnams Vets will have served. I hope everyone no matter your stance on these wars can take a minute to pray for the safe return of these soldiers and do what every we can do to support the families left behind. Thank you to all of the soldiers from the
ReplyDelete147th for the sacrificies above and beyond what any Guard Unit should have ever had to experience.
These soldiers are true American Heroes not some baseball player or some rapper or singer.