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Inequity Within Reserves At Issue
The Washington Times ^ | 1/13/2004 | Guy Taylor

Posted on 01/13/2004 3:48:41 AM PST by American_Centurion

Edited on 07/12/2004 4:12:31 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

The Pentagon is reshaping the role reservists play in the war on terror to address what senior defense officials call a "poor balance" between the military's citizen soldiers and active-duty troops.

About 37 percent of the nation's total reserve component is currently mobilized. Under the Pentagon's "stop loss, stop move" policy, many of them are prohibited from rotating out of service when their commitment ends.


(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: callups; gwot; iraq; iraqifreedom; military; reserves; reservists; rotation
This is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. The Active component has been placing different rules on reservists forever, you can't sustain a ready force if you don't treat them fairly. We need to maintain high retention throughout the GWOT, this is a major burr under the saddle.
1 posted on 01/13/2004 3:48:41 AM PST by American_Centurion
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To: American_Centurion
It is tough to have any sympathy for reservist that are asked to fulfill their commitments..They love the benefits, now it is time to "pay the piper"....
2 posted on 01/13/2004 3:55:09 AM PST by dakine
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To: dakine
Most reservists won't wine about fulfilling their commitments.

There is a problem with inequity. If you ask someone to risk their life you should treat them just as you do anyone else whom you ask to risk their life.

Volunteering is only half the issue, retention is the other half, with out equality why re-up?
3 posted on 01/13/2004 3:57:31 AM PST by American_Centurion
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To: American_Centurion
Re-up, heck, I bet the majority of reservist that are asked to serve full-time won't re-up anyways, it doesn't fit into their "schedule"....
4 posted on 01/13/2004 4:00:10 AM PST by dakine
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To: dakine
Wrong. At least half of the drilling reservists are prior service active component. They are at least half way to 20 years and many will stay much longer.

The other half are the ones we should be concerned with, they are E-4 and below, they will fill the junior leadership ranks for the next decade (the ones who stay) and now many of them have valuble OCONUS experience and many of them have combat experience. This is not the time to wash our hands of "weekend warriors".
5 posted on 01/13/2004 4:06:12 AM PST by American_Centurion
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To: American_Centurion
What does the tax free thing in that story mean? I never saw a paycheck my husband got that did not have tax taken out of it in all those years he was in service. We did get a brake on capital gains on a house. We had 3 years to re-buy.
6 posted on 01/13/2004 4:11:18 AM PST by sawyer
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To: sawyer
I never saw a paycheck my husband got that did not have tax taken out of it in all those years he was in service.

It's tax free when serving in this war zone.

7 posted on 01/13/2004 4:16:53 AM PST by Non-Sequitur
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To: sawyer
It's exclusive to a combat zone.
8 posted on 01/13/2004 4:20:28 AM PST by American_Centurion
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To: dakine
It is tough to have any sympathy for reservist that are asked to fulfill their commitments..They love the benefits, now it is time to "pay the piper"....

It is not about fulfilling commitments, it is about being treated the same as the active duty for doing the same job.

9 posted on 01/13/2004 4:57:46 AM PST by 2banana
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To: dakine; All
"20+ years still active USAF, E-7, vote in Michigan."

Just what I thought…a pompous active duty a$$hole.

I'm a TSgt in the Ohio Air National Guard and was called to active duty to serve in Kuwait for 4 months in 99' because our active duty counterparts couldn't maintain proper readiness levels. Furthermore, my unit has consistently won the Air Force's Outstanding Unit award year after year beating out our active duty counterparts.

Don't give me any of your crap about not "fitting our schedule" or "not fulfilling our commitments." We are often called up to fill in where active duty forces can't complete the mission.

We found the active duty mentality in Kuwait to be pathetic. Instead of making things better they just wanted to "do their time" and leave the AOR. We made major improvements to the site and are very proud of what we accomplished.

And as far as equity! The unit that was in Kuwait before us was an Air Guard Unit. They served 6 months. We then took over for 4 months. An active duty unit strolled in after us for a paltry 90 days!
10 posted on 01/13/2004 6:05:15 AM PST by TSgt (I am proudly featured on U.S. Rep Rob Portman's homepage: http://www.house.gov/portman/)
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To: MikeWUSAF
hahaha, you were in Kuwait in '99? I was at Al Jaber in '99, nice vacation.

As far as being pompous, I guess that is a compliment....
11 posted on 01/13/2004 6:25:38 AM PST by dakine
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To: dakine
I was at Ali Al Salem doing your job.

Pompous a compliment? Only for an uneducated crusty old MSgt that thinks more highly of himself than the folks serving in the same branch. It's a good thing I don't work with you, I'd run circles around you when it comes to work.

I can hold a civilian job and still do your job…

Next time, think before you speak. You obviously don't know a thing about the Guard and Reserve forces and the sacrifices we make to make up for Active Duty shortfalls.
12 posted on 01/13/2004 8:27:27 AM PST by TSgt (I am proudly featured on U.S. Rep Rob Portman's homepage: http://www.house.gov/portman/)
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To: MikeWUSAF
Dude, do you read what you write?

Crusty old?

Run circles?...I am on my second straight special duty assignment..

What combat comm units have you served in?
How many MSMs have you earned? Bronze Stars?...hmmmm?

I have yet to make any sacrifices, when I do, I'll be sure and to "wear it on my sleeve"...once I pass my GED...
13 posted on 01/13/2004 8:39:44 AM PST by dakine
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To: dakine
2 Air Force Commendation Medals, and was promoted to TSgt in a little over 8 years thank you.
14 posted on 01/13/2004 9:51:14 AM PST by TSgt (I am proudly featured on U.S. Rep Rob Portman's homepage: http://www.house.gov/portman/)
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To: MikeWUSAF
No combat comm units?...Yep, you have me circled...

No MSMs? hmmmm...

No Bronze Stars? hmmmm...

Congrats on AFCMs....PCS medals..

I scored 94.7, 91 correct out of 96, on PFE when promoted to TSgt, point being test is not hard...
15 posted on 01/13/2004 10:23:00 AM PST by dakine
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To: dakine
GTACS, Expeditionary Medal and was awarded AFCM's for service in the AOR where I fixed 2 vans of GTACS equipment that 2 years worth of Active Duty rotations couldn't fix!

It doesn't matter what I have or what you have. What matters is that you have a very warped view of the Guard and Reserve.
16 posted on 01/13/2004 10:38:44 AM PST by TSgt (I am proudly featured on U.S. Rep Rob Portman's homepage: http://www.house.gov/portman/)
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To: MikeWUSAF
Correct you are, it does not matter what either of us have...

My view of Guard and Reserve is "warped" by 22 years of experience, 1st Gulf War, and assignments at the Pentagon and HQ ANG...

No hard feelings...
17 posted on 01/13/2004 10:48:10 AM PST by dakine
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