Indiana Guard unit may head to Iraq early

[struggle4progress]

The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Feb 23, 2007 18:02:48 EST

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana National Guard is notifying soldiers in the 76th Infantry Brigade that they may be called to serve in Iraq in the first half of next year, earlier than previously announced ...

Every unit in the 76th Infantry Brigade has already seen duty in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The soldiers had been told they would not be deployed again until at least 2010. Last month, the Defense Department moved the deployment up a year. On Wednesday night, Guard officials said deployment could be as early as the first half of 2008 ...

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/02/apINguarddeploy070223/

[struggle4progress]

1. Some question decision to mobilize Guard troops to Iraq

Feb 23, 2007 05:04 PM

Tom Walker/Eyewitness News

Indiana National Guard troops may be mobilized to Iraq next year in numbers not seen since World War Two ...

"The active duty units are short on equipment, which means the Guard's going to be even shorter," said Lawrence Korb, a military manpower expert with the Center for American Progress. "So it's really going to be difficult to ensure that the Guard people you send over there are really fully trained and equipped for the mission." ...

In the face of growing complaints about the strain on families, the Pentagon has pledged to limit guard deployments to no more than a year. With the surge of troops to Iraq, Guard commanders say it's getting harder to see how that promise can be met.

If ordered to Iraq, it would be the first time all 3,500 members of the 76th Infantry Brigade have shipped out to a war zone. They have all seen duty in Iraq or Afghanistan at different times.

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=6134031&nav=9Tai