...I'm okay with being REALITY-based.




Tuesday, June 29, 2004
      ( 6:50 AM )
 
The Go-Ahead

We talked a few weeks ago about the rumors surrounding the government calling up the IRR - the Individual Ready Reserve - in order to swell ranks of servicemen in Iraq and Afghanistan. Well, it's not a rumor anymore.

The move -- involving the seldom-tapped Individual Ready Reserve -- represents the latest evidence of the strain being placed on the U.S. military, particularly the Army, by operations in those two countries.

Roughly 5,600 soldiers from the ready reserve will be notified of possible deployment this year, including some soldiers who will be notified within a month, said an Army official speaking on condition of anonymity.

[...]

"Sometimes there's a misperception by some of the individuals ... that 'I've done my obligation, I've been in the Army, thank you very much, and I'm done'. But you're not done," the official said.

The Pentagon had originally planned to reduce the number of American troops in Iraq to approximately 110,000 by now, but continuing security problems compelled officials to maintain a level of about 138,000 troops. Officials have said they planned to maintain that number through the end of 2005.

We've also heard that the Oregon National Guard presence in Iraq (near the largest in the country) will be DOUBLED by the end of this summer. What's wrong with this picture?


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