European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 25, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Keeping up America s guard m6 on the firing Range. Say spec. Jeff Cleveland i d go into Battle with these Guys in a heartbeat con i cd lion Pago 13 we re on Iho spearhead of an invasion says i crr he boil n Templo or. Chief of the Nasonal guard Dureau. Iho Liaison Wilh the a cleanse department baby we be come a Long halt a million National guard troops have trained overseas in inc past Low years at an average of 40.000 1o 50,000 a year Many participating with the regular Aimy in such a erases As re forge in Europe and team spirit in South Korea they arc doing such thin res As building roads and supplying medical care in cell Al America and Hying airlifts to the South pole a Loam of selected volunteers Iron the Gator brigade went through a French commando school in Martinique this summer. During a reformer exercise a signal brigade irom Florida opened a Trie of military communications across Belgium described As the first time Hal Hod Boon done since world War ii a Florida special of ices battalion staged a nighttime Paja Chule drop Inlo West Germany. And never has inc National guard had Mote soldiers to into combat including would War i. When 379.000 guardsmen hit Iho trenches. Of world War ii. When 300,000 served today s guard manpower is Al a record level almost at full strength. Wilh 460,000 in 2 043 units in the army National guard and 115.000 in 642 air National guard units. Thai s about 100.000 More than even during the Vietnam wat when Many Young men joined Iho guard to avoid she draft. T he fact that sen. Dan Quayle of Indiana the. Republican vice presidential candidate served in the guard during that period Drew some political Fife including allegations which he denied hat his Page 14 the stars and stripes Way Inlo she guard was eased by family influence. Today s Young men and women who wore Only children Whan the viol Nam War was going on arc joining Iho guard Lor a number of reasons including an apparent resurgence of patriotism the adv lure of travel to foreign countries and to fallen their wallets. Under the 19b7 Montgomery go Bill guardsmen air now eligible Lor tree College tuition Otter they sign up Lor Ethl years and Complete their initial six months of Basic training they can get up to $140 a month or up to 36 months full Sime education. They also got year round commissary privileges not just Lor the periods they Are in training a private makes $89.52 Lor Fine weekend. To example and a Sial sergeant gets $nj37. A National guardsman must train a minimum of 39 Days a year including an annual a Day period and one weekend a month and Wilh today s global exercises Many Volunteer Lor extra duly. On average. Guard optic gals say. Enlisted personnel train about 49 Days a year and Ollices 79 Days a year we Are doing exciting in mrs that we did nol do Heloise says a Gen. Robert c thrasher and ulant general of California Whoso 26-Yeai old son pined the guard and a College Roth program partly because of the free tuition payments also. 1 think patriotism is returning to a degree. To my son. Viol Nam is kind of a Shadow in the past. Something thai happened in history " president Lyndon Johnson decided against Large scale mobilization of Iho guard Lor Vietnam. Of the 3,4 million sent to Southeast Asia in that War Only 22,745 were guardsmen Johnson feared it would Lead to More Public pressure to bring the boys Home if entire Hometown units were sent to War. Once derided As weekend warriors and armed Wilh Somo limes defective hand me Down weapons today s guardsman frequently trains alongside his regular army counterpart Wilh lop of Tho line weaponry total army stitch i u of n 50.000 no duo 10d.3dii t cd still commit i Kaleil Tail intr Suptil Mil mrw breakdown of . Army National guard and army Reserve forces. Tuesday of
