thedrifter
01-14-07, 08:25 AM
Posted on Sun, Jan. 14, 2007
Reserve, Guard tours won't be extended
Defense Secretary Robert Gates announces policy changes that would shorten mobilization time
By KEVIN HOWE
Herald Staff Writer
Reserve and National Guard troops apparently won't find their tours in Iraq or Afghanistan extended to meet President Bush's plans to increase the number of personnel assigned to Iraq, military officials said Friday.
"The troop surge will be accomplished essentially by retaining active component units in theater longer than scheduled, while maintaining the projected arrival schedule of new units," said Patricia Ryan, spokeswoman for the Army Reserve's 63rd Regional Readiness Command in Los Alamitos, which is responsible for reserve units in California, Nevada and Arizona.
At this time, she said, no units of the command not already directed to mobilize this year are expected to deploy, nor are any already in combat zones expected to stay longer than scheduled. No Army Reserve units in the command, Ryan said, are earmarked for the troop increase.
The California National Guard has just more than 1,800 troops on active federal duty, said Lt. Scott Ghiringhelli, spokesman at Guard headquarters in Sacramento. Of those, he said, about 1,200 are serving overseas, 400 are training for deployment or being demobilized, and the remainder are serving in other areas of the United States.
His unit, the 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion, which has detachments stationed at Fort Ord, is due to send some troops to Iraq at the end of the year, he said.
So far, he said, the Guard does not know how Bush's "surge" plan will affect it.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Friday that he is recommending an increase in the Army and Marine Corps of 92,000 troops during the next five years -- 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines -- making permanent an already authorized temporary increase of 30,000 soldiers and 5,000 Marines. At the end, the Army would have a troop level of 547,000 and the Marine Corps, 202,000.
Gates announced policy changes that would shorten the maximum mobilization time for Guard and Reserve troops from 24 months to 12 months, and deploy reservists by units rather than as individuals.
Meanwhile, according to the Pentagon, all services except the Navy Reserve met or exceeded their recruiting goals last month.
The Defense Department reported that the active and the Reserve ground combat forces exceeded their goals, with the Army bringing in 861 recruits, 123 percent of its 700-recruit target, and the Marine Corps 1,761 new recruits, 110 percent of it 1,603-recruit target.
The Army National Guard reported 5,035 recruits, 119 percent of its 4,233 target. The Army Reserve signed up 1,257 recruits, 102 percent of its 1,233 target. The Marine Corps Reserve recruited 493,104 percent of its targeted 472 recruits.
The active Air Force and Navy each met their recruiting goals of 2,330 Air Force and 2,071 Navy.
The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve exceeded recruiting goals, while the Navy Reserve recruited 80 percent of its goal.
Enlistments in the Air Guard were 827 of 789 targeted, and the Air Force Reserve 596 of 565 targeted, 105 percent of goal.
The Navy Reserve fell short of its goal of 679 recruits, bringing in 540 sailors, according to the Defense Department.
Kevin Howe can be reached at 646-4416 or khowe@montereyherald.com.
Ellie
Reserve, Guard tours won't be extended
Defense Secretary Robert Gates announces policy changes that would shorten mobilization time
By KEVIN HOWE
Herald Staff Writer
Reserve and National Guard troops apparently won't find their tours in Iraq or Afghanistan extended to meet President Bush's plans to increase the number of personnel assigned to Iraq, military officials said Friday.
"The troop surge will be accomplished essentially by retaining active component units in theater longer than scheduled, while maintaining the projected arrival schedule of new units," said Patricia Ryan, spokeswoman for the Army Reserve's 63rd Regional Readiness Command in Los Alamitos, which is responsible for reserve units in California, Nevada and Arizona.
At this time, she said, no units of the command not already directed to mobilize this year are expected to deploy, nor are any already in combat zones expected to stay longer than scheduled. No Army Reserve units in the command, Ryan said, are earmarked for the troop increase.
The California National Guard has just more than 1,800 troops on active federal duty, said Lt. Scott Ghiringhelli, spokesman at Guard headquarters in Sacramento. Of those, he said, about 1,200 are serving overseas, 400 are training for deployment or being demobilized, and the remainder are serving in other areas of the United States.
His unit, the 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion, which has detachments stationed at Fort Ord, is due to send some troops to Iraq at the end of the year, he said.
So far, he said, the Guard does not know how Bush's "surge" plan will affect it.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Friday that he is recommending an increase in the Army and Marine Corps of 92,000 troops during the next five years -- 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines -- making permanent an already authorized temporary increase of 30,000 soldiers and 5,000 Marines. At the end, the Army would have a troop level of 547,000 and the Marine Corps, 202,000.
Gates announced policy changes that would shorten the maximum mobilization time for Guard and Reserve troops from 24 months to 12 months, and deploy reservists by units rather than as individuals.
Meanwhile, according to the Pentagon, all services except the Navy Reserve met or exceeded their recruiting goals last month.
The Defense Department reported that the active and the Reserve ground combat forces exceeded their goals, with the Army bringing in 861 recruits, 123 percent of its 700-recruit target, and the Marine Corps 1,761 new recruits, 110 percent of it 1,603-recruit target.
The Army National Guard reported 5,035 recruits, 119 percent of its 4,233 target. The Army Reserve signed up 1,257 recruits, 102 percent of its 1,233 target. The Marine Corps Reserve recruited 493,104 percent of its targeted 472 recruits.
The active Air Force and Navy each met their recruiting goals of 2,330 Air Force and 2,071 Navy.
The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve exceeded recruiting goals, while the Navy Reserve recruited 80 percent of its goal.
Enlistments in the Air Guard were 827 of 789 targeted, and the Air Force Reserve 596 of 565 targeted, 105 percent of goal.
The Navy Reserve fell short of its goal of 679 recruits, bringing in 540 sailors, according to the Defense Department.
Kevin Howe can be reached at 646-4416 or khowe@montereyherald.com.
Ellie