Killing the National Guard and Reserve: Watch for a Reduced Reserve Component Force

Are they trying to kill the National Guard and Reserve? It appears so! Let me explain. After I got things underway this morning I logged on to the Internet to check my email, a common practice millions of people in the world do everyday. I was intent, to see what was new in the news as well as get messages from my friends. There among the many emails received was an email from Military.com.

The email carried the Associated Press headline - Reserve - National Guard Time Limit Lifted. Now I am certain that many people who saw this headline just gave the usual "hmmm" and continued on to other things without giving it too much thought. It was important to me, however, because I have spent 28 of the last 40 years either on active duty with the Army, in the Army Reserve, or in the Army National Guard. Having retired just 5 months ago my memories are still fresh and very vivid of military service and the commitment that goes with it.

Many citizen soldiers of the Reserve and the National Guard are there because they feel a commitment, as well as a deep sense of patriotism and pride in service to this county that has been so good to them. Those in my age bracket grew up in post-war America and had a deep and genuine sense of God and County instilled in us by our parents and communities. We were taught that if you have something worth keeping you should be willing to fight and die for it. We believe the American way of life is something worth keeping. The problem seems to be that there are many politicians who do not believe the way we do. The lack of patriotic action to go along with all the pretty words they say leaves us in a sad state of affairs.