Rarely used reservists may go to Iraq

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Registered: 03-18-2000
Rarely used reservists may go to Iraq
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Thu, 06-24-2004 - 10:32am

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/24/pentagon.troops/index.html


A group of Army Reserve soldiers rarely tapped for duty could soon be heading to Iraq, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.


The troops, part of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), could be called to fill holes in units deploying to Iraq as part of the upcoming rotation of troops later this year.


As many as 6,500 IRR troops could be called and would be chosen because of critical skills needed in Iraq, such as Military Police, infantry or engineers, Pentagon officials said.


A decision by the Pentagon to call up these troops is expected within the next week, according to officials.


The Pentagon has a pool of about 118,000 Army IRR troops, consisting of people with past military service who have a remaining mandatory service obligation. The category is distinct from regular Reserve troops because they do not perform any military service during the year, yet are still eligible to be called to service.


About 2,000 IRR troops already serve at some capacity with Operation Iraqi Freedom, though many of them volunteered for service, according to Pentagon officials.


The last time a significant number of IRR troops were called to duty was for the Gulf War in 1991, according to Pentagon officials.


The move reflects the continued shortage of troops available to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to fight the ongoing war on terrorism as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom.


Lt. Gen. Frank Hagenbeck, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel, said earlier this month of the Army's troop strength, "We are stretched but we have what we need."


Pentagon officials have echoed that statement explaining that while the military is reaching deep into its resources, war planners have long had contingency plans such as this for when troops are really needed.

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Registered: 03-18-2000
Fri, 06-25-2004 - 11:58am
Interesting.
cl-Libraone~

 


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Registered: 03-18-2000
Wed, 07-14-2004 - 9:07am

How To Meet The Troop Need? Don't Ask.


With a troop shortage, the military's policy on gays makes things more difficult.


http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040719-662775,00.html


So urgent is the Army's need for more troops in Iraq and Afghanistan that it recently summoned 5,600 ex-active duty soldiers back into uniform. But the need might not have been so great if the Army hadn't cashiered 6,300 troops for being gay over the past six years. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) in Washington released data last week showing that of the gay troops removed, 3,100 held jobs that are currently in demand. Those kicked out included truck drivers, medics, radio operators and combat engineers — the same kinds of soldiers the Pentagon is now seeking. SLDN, a gay advocacy group, says it got the breakdown from a military source it would not identify. An Army spokesman declined to comment on the numbers except to say the service is merely carrying out the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, which allows the service to discharge soldiers who reveal they are gay.


One specialty seems particularly depleted. Seven of the gay soldiers kicked out were musicians. Now the Army says it needs to fill 15 musician slots, including two trumpeters, four clarinetists, three saxophonists and a euphonium player. "Is there not a way to do without the euphonium player?" Representative Vic Snyder asked General Richard Cody, the Army's No. 2 officer. Cody insisted, "Bands are being stressed quite a bit," since they perform at burial services for troops killed in combat as well as for the growing number of World War II veterans passing on.

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