[68skylark]

I hate stories like this because I've been willing to volunteer for an overseas tour for a couple of years now, and all I get is "Wait -- be patient," while the paperwork moves slower than a glacier. And I'm not the only one.

If there's such a godd***ed shortage of troops, why are so many willing volunteers passed over so far? I smell hype from the MSM -- not a real crisis. They want to make Americans worried, and give hope to our enemies.

[verity]

IP on AP.

[MEG33]

Imagine that!/sarcasm..Thank you trying to serve.

[Roses0508]

My son - Army Reserve - has volunteered for overseas assignment 3 times. Currently he is on active duty at Fort Hood. He feels useless though - thinks he should be overseas where he can do the job he is trained for.

[7.62 x 51mm]

I did 3 tours in Nam, with 5th SF. I'd re-enlist in an heartbeat, but at 55, the local Army Recruiter says I'm past the age requirements. He took my app and copy of DD214, anyway.

[mdittmar]

Another ap(old media) story that doesn't understand how the military works.

[Tacos]

Another link recently talks about shortages, at:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1325187/posts

Also, USA Today has this related topic:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-01-23-navy-air-recruits_x.htm

...

[NorCalRepub]

I agree but if you are waiting to go overseas and they keep telling you "NO", why on earth are they bringing back troops whose enlistments have been up for awile or officers who have already resigned after 8 years or so. I know they can do this and I'm not flaming anyone but i'm curious as to why this is happening IF there are those waiting to go. Does it have to do with specialties???????

[Grampa Dave]

We have had two young men in the California National Guard tell us that they have volunteered to go to Iraq and were told no or wait.

[marmar]

Myself and another medic reservist have been trying to get orders for months. I finally got some but not overseas and not as a medic. I would love to go over, I have learned that as far as AF reserve medics go I would prefer to deploy with them. They are usually not worried about what is going on at home and have time to focus on the patients. Plus the fact that they have so much more hands on knowledge. This is just what I have experienced in my deployments.

[Tacos]

Here's a general "FYI" on the current reservist/guard levels deployed (it originally had and extra 100,000 ("111,928") for the USAF, which I knew was wrong based on previous numbers reported...correcting it made the total number deployed accurate):

As of January 19, 2004, DoD reports that 192,507 members of the National Guard and Reserve who have been mobilized. This includes:

162,857 Army National Guard and Army Reserve
3,567 Naval Reserve
11,928 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve
13,188 Marine Corps Reserve
967 Coast Guard Reserve