thedrifter
01-24-06, 07:12 AM
Measure: Bring Guard home
By Walter Rubel SANTA FE BUREAU CHIEF
January 24, 2006
SANTA FE -- On the same day Gov. Bill Richardson ordered flags flown at half-staff in honor of a New Mexico soldier who died in Iraq, a state senator has introduced a memorial that, theoretically, could dramatically reduce our state's role in that conflict.
Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, introduced a memorial Monday calling on Richardson to exercise his authority as commander in chief of the New Mexico National Guard to recall troops from active duty in Iraq.
But Guard officials say active duty troops are subject only to the president as commander in chief of U.S. armed forces.
"We are subsidizing what I think is an occupation with our National Guard units," he said. "We've never made a decision to be an army of occupation, and we're just trying to clean up the mess that's been created there."
The New Mexico National Guard now has about 500 troops serving overseas, said Thomas Koch, public information officer for the state National Guard.
Ortiz y Pino said he didn't know if Richardson has the authority to recall New Mexico troops.
"It's a memorial, not a law," he said. "But it would be an indication to the governor that maybe this is something he ought to be exploring with the administration in Washington.
But Lt. Col. Kimberly Lalley, spokeswoman for the New Mexico National Guard, said the decision to bring troops home isn't Richardson's.
"Once a member of the National Guard has been called to active duty, they come under federal military code," Lalley said. "When that happens, the only person who has the authority to call them back is the president."
Senate Republican Caucus Chairwoman Diana Duran, R-Alamogordo, said she didn't think the memorial was an appropriate message to send to New Mexico troops serving in Iraq.
"What we should be doing is introducing a memorial saying that we support our troops, we support our Congress and we support our president, and will do whatever we can to show our support," Duran said.
Ortiz y Pino said the state National Guard was meant to be used in a crisis situation. That definition no longer applies in Iraq, he said.
"Maybe, initially, there was a need for them," he said. "But after three years, and facing the possibility of a protracted occupation, we definitely need to start thinking in terms of not using National Guardsmen and women for this job but regular Army troops."
Ortiz y Pino said those who sign up for the regular Army expect that they will be called up for active duty, and are prepared for it. The expectation for those who join the National Guard is much different, he said.
He said having so many Guardsmen overseas has lessened the Guard's ability to respond to emergencies here in New Mexico.
"It's been three years, and we're still rotating National Guard units in there as if it weren't going to be totally disruptive to their lives and their families' lives," he said. "None of them are complaining. That's not the point. The point is that this is an inappropriate use of the National Guard."
Col. Jim Morgan, deputy adjutant to Brig. Gen. Kenny Montoya, commander of the New Mexico National Guard, said the Guard is in the process of bringing troops home.
"It's the first time in a long time that the brunt is not on the National Guard," Morgan said. "We've deployed large numbers of New Mexicans, and we're now in the process of recovering those."
Morgan didn't immediately have exact numbers, but said there weren't many Las Cruces troops on deployment. The number is expected to drop even more when 42 Las Crucens, members of the Albuquerque-based 126th Military Police Company, come home in late February or early March.
Lalley said New Mexico is not expected to deploy large numbers of Guard members for at least two years. She added that since U.S. soldiers began fighting in Iraq, only one New Mexico National Guard member has been killed.
Sgt. Marshal A. Westbrook, 43, of Farmington, a member of the 126th Military Police Company, died Oct. 1 in Baghdad after being struck in the head by shrapnel from an explosive device.
Ortiz y Pino noted that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said it could be a 10-year occupation in Iraq. He said the army should develop special units to handle the occupation, instead of relying so heavily on the National Guard.
Duran said she thought the memorial was a "strange request" for a state Legislature to make to national leaders.
"I just don't think that's appropriate," she said.
Sgt. Clifton Yazzie, 23, a member of the Navajo tribe from Fruitland, was serving in his second tour of duty with the 101st Airborne in Iraq when he was killed Friday. Of the 20 New Mexicans to die while on deployment, 19 were active-duty military at the time of their deaths.
Sun-News Reporter Steve Ramirez contributed to this story.
Walter Rubel can be reached at wrubel@lcsun-news.com
Ellie
By Walter Rubel SANTA FE BUREAU CHIEF
January 24, 2006
SANTA FE -- On the same day Gov. Bill Richardson ordered flags flown at half-staff in honor of a New Mexico soldier who died in Iraq, a state senator has introduced a memorial that, theoretically, could dramatically reduce our state's role in that conflict.
Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, introduced a memorial Monday calling on Richardson to exercise his authority as commander in chief of the New Mexico National Guard to recall troops from active duty in Iraq.
But Guard officials say active duty troops are subject only to the president as commander in chief of U.S. armed forces.
"We are subsidizing what I think is an occupation with our National Guard units," he said. "We've never made a decision to be an army of occupation, and we're just trying to clean up the mess that's been created there."
The New Mexico National Guard now has about 500 troops serving overseas, said Thomas Koch, public information officer for the state National Guard.
Ortiz y Pino said he didn't know if Richardson has the authority to recall New Mexico troops.
"It's a memorial, not a law," he said. "But it would be an indication to the governor that maybe this is something he ought to be exploring with the administration in Washington.
But Lt. Col. Kimberly Lalley, spokeswoman for the New Mexico National Guard, said the decision to bring troops home isn't Richardson's.
"Once a member of the National Guard has been called to active duty, they come under federal military code," Lalley said. "When that happens, the only person who has the authority to call them back is the president."
Senate Republican Caucus Chairwoman Diana Duran, R-Alamogordo, said she didn't think the memorial was an appropriate message to send to New Mexico troops serving in Iraq.
"What we should be doing is introducing a memorial saying that we support our troops, we support our Congress and we support our president, and will do whatever we can to show our support," Duran said.
Ortiz y Pino said the state National Guard was meant to be used in a crisis situation. That definition no longer applies in Iraq, he said.
"Maybe, initially, there was a need for them," he said. "But after three years, and facing the possibility of a protracted occupation, we definitely need to start thinking in terms of not using National Guardsmen and women for this job but regular Army troops."
Ortiz y Pino said those who sign up for the regular Army expect that they will be called up for active duty, and are prepared for it. The expectation for those who join the National Guard is much different, he said.
He said having so many Guardsmen overseas has lessened the Guard's ability to respond to emergencies here in New Mexico.
"It's been three years, and we're still rotating National Guard units in there as if it weren't going to be totally disruptive to their lives and their families' lives," he said. "None of them are complaining. That's not the point. The point is that this is an inappropriate use of the National Guard."
Col. Jim Morgan, deputy adjutant to Brig. Gen. Kenny Montoya, commander of the New Mexico National Guard, said the Guard is in the process of bringing troops home.
"It's the first time in a long time that the brunt is not on the National Guard," Morgan said. "We've deployed large numbers of New Mexicans, and we're now in the process of recovering those."
Morgan didn't immediately have exact numbers, but said there weren't many Las Cruces troops on deployment. The number is expected to drop even more when 42 Las Crucens, members of the Albuquerque-based 126th Military Police Company, come home in late February or early March.
Lalley said New Mexico is not expected to deploy large numbers of Guard members for at least two years. She added that since U.S. soldiers began fighting in Iraq, only one New Mexico National Guard member has been killed.
Sgt. Marshal A. Westbrook, 43, of Farmington, a member of the 126th Military Police Company, died Oct. 1 in Baghdad after being struck in the head by shrapnel from an explosive device.
Ortiz y Pino noted that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said it could be a 10-year occupation in Iraq. He said the army should develop special units to handle the occupation, instead of relying so heavily on the National Guard.
Duran said she thought the memorial was a "strange request" for a state Legislature to make to national leaders.
"I just don't think that's appropriate," she said.
Sgt. Clifton Yazzie, 23, a member of the Navajo tribe from Fruitland, was serving in his second tour of duty with the 101st Airborne in Iraq when he was killed Friday. Of the 20 New Mexicans to die while on deployment, 19 were active-duty military at the time of their deaths.
Sun-News Reporter Steve Ramirez contributed to this story.
Walter Rubel can be reached at wrubel@lcsun-news.com
Ellie