National Guard Unit Split on Border Plan

AP on Yahoo ^ | 5/20/06 | Lynn Brezosky - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WESLACO, Texas - In the Rio Grande Valley, an area known for both blended cultures and intense U.S. patriotism, National Guard soldiers recently back from Afghanistan are taking stock of President Bush's plan to use their ranks to patrol the Mexican border.

Bush has promised that 6,000 National Guard troops would help out to secure the border. The deployment would last two years, with no clear end date, according to a Pentagon memo obtained Friday by The Associated Press.

"This is one battalion that can always be counted on," said Maj. Albert Lara. "Military service is a big tradition in Hispanic communities."

But not all his soldiers were as eager to get right back to work building triple-layer fencing and handling other logistical duties.

"Today's a last day for a very long time," 24-year-old Spc. Joe Pena said, his companions nodding in shared relief on Friday when they marked the official end of their yearlong deployment. "We're not looking to wear this uniform much longer."

Pena says he disagrees with having the National Guard patrolling the border.

"It's not the right thing to patrol the border, 'cause that's not what they're for," he said. "You're taking people from high-stress areas; you're putting them somewhere they don't belong. People are going to be getting killed. It could be detrimental."

But Lara said the Guard is ready for such duty.

"Our training prepares us to do a lot of things, whatever the case may be. We've proved we can adapt," he said. "That's what makes us better than active duty — we bring our civilian skills. Yes, we have a military mind, but we also have a civilian mind."

The Pentagon's one-page "initial guidance" memo to Guard leaders in border states does not address the cost of the mission or when soldiers would be deployed. But high-ranking officials in the California National Guard said they were told Friday that deployments would not begin before early June.

While the document says troops would remain under governors' command, it also indicates a high degree of federal control. It states that the National Guard Bureau's Army and Air Directories "will serve as the states' focal points for force-planning, training, organizing and equipping their forces."

Guardsmen in "all other states, territories and the District of Columbia" will serve a supportive role, according to the memo.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano said they would support deployment to the border. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he has not decided whether to participate, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has criticized the plan.

Among Guardsmen in Weslaco, some said they were ready to sign on.

"As a matter of fact, I volunteered yesterday," said Spc. David Garza, 41. "I don't want to sound corny or anything, but I do believe in serving your country. ... Here we've got a security thing going on the border and here's an opportunity to do it again."

Garza said their time in Afghanistan was busy. They spent 12- and 16-hour days assisting combat infantry and going out on patrols. Being divorced, with teenage sons and a job that would wait for him, he said he might be more available than others to serve.

The recent deployment could be a plus, he said.

"Every infantry soldier you have here is fit," he said. "Some would say let's not wear them out. But some would say this is the perfect unit."

Pena and a group of younger soldiers said they joined the Guard for the educational benefits and chuckled at the Guard's mantra of "one weekend a month."

"It was a long weekend in Afghanistan," 20-year-old Abel Samaniego said.

Narciso Zapata, 25, has spent the past three years serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the first year with the Army. He got married five days before he was deployed.

"Three tours, three years," he said. "I'm glad to be back. I think it'd be nice to spend time at home, spend a little time with my wife."

He said he didn't agree with sending the Guard to the border but would go if asked.

"I think the federal agencies are doing an excellent job," he said. "I just don't see the need for it. I think a lot of it has to be political."

[Pukin Dog]

Leave it to the AP to garner opinions from those who shouldn't have them in the first place, positive or negative.

I long for the day when people who wear the uniform understand that if their leaders wanted their opinions, they would provide one to them.

[mtbopfuyn]

"It's not the right thing to patrol the border, 'cause that's not what they're for," he said. "You're taking people from high-stress areas; you're putting them somewhere they don't belong. People are going to be getting killed. It could be detrimental."

1) Okey dokey, just exactly what does he think the National Guard's duties should be other than to guard the nation.

2) Taking people from high-stress and putting them where they don't belong - Huh?

3) Yes, people are going to get killed because the Mexican army, the coyotes, and armed illegals will be using unarmed NG as target practice.

[mtbopfuyn]

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has criticized the plan.

Nasty little RAT who welcomes illegals. Remember, two years ago he aided and abetted the Texas RATS who ran away from their duty to the citizens of Texas.

[bordergal]

I think he's saying after being in combat overseas, there is some some risk involved in redeploying these guys as police volunteer types.

If someone shoots at you in Iraq, you shoot back. The rules of engagement on the border are going to be totally different (and stupid IMHO).

[operation clinton cleanup]

"That's what makes us better than active duty — we bring our civilian skills. Yes, we have a military mind, but we also have a civilian mind."

Guess he was harnessing the great powers of his civilian mind when he came up with logic.

[VeniVidiVici]

Don't the states have independent militias that could be used for this?

[ansel12]

"Don't the states have independent militias that could be used for this?"



During the Reagan years the Texas state guard were being attacked, because one ex-Green Beret commander was leading his unit in armed military training.

[Peach]

The president has supported building a wall for over a year now, so if anyone has problems with the fact that a wall hasn't been built, take it up with Congress. He supported Sensenbrenner's suggestion to build a 700 mile wall, but Congress rejected it. Bush even signed legislation which funded the wall.

http://www.colum.edu/students/reservoir/studentlife/february2006/week1/borderfence0206.htm
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/5/3/115432.shtml

As an aside, although there are complaints that under this administration, employer fines have decreased for hiring illegal immigration, what seems to have gone unnoticed by the border hysterics is that it's because what was once a fine is now a CRIME.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/15/AR2006041501049_pf.html

Some of the Governors don't want a fence. Why don't you attack them?
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48017

And it is within the power of each Governor to call up the National Guard to defend the borders. But some Governors are opposed to that idea too.

And for those who are saying the war in Iraq is making it impossible for our National Guard to protect the country here, there are over 300,000 National Guardsmen and only 30,000 are in Iraq or Afghanistan.

[NormsRevenge]

Good points, Peach.

Congre$$ does hold the pursestrings,, and Governors can declare emergencies and call up their guard.

If Congre$$ had wished , they could have said we want 2,000 new Border Patrol a couple years ago but yielded to a much lower number for expediency's sake.

I doubt the President would have vetoed the larger number even tho the administration was partly culpable for the lower number being the final one as I recall the events of then. (Besides when was the last time the President vetoed anything?) ;-)

Here in California, we have a flopper in office who doesn't know what will get him the most votes so he wobbles all over the place and hides hebind the feds skirts while he yanks on it at the same time of rmore money.... Ironiclally, He actually had an opportunity to put his whole-hearted support behind a California State Border Police initiative and instead chose to pay lip service and that is about all to it. It never got enough signatures to get on the ballot.

Now, here we are in an election year which just makes this whole mess worse and congresscritters even more likely to sway and get tossed to and fro by mobs in the street rather than polls which are actually supportive of more being done to rein in the flow of illegals.


And to top it off, we already have a plethora of legislation that is not being enforced anywhere near as stringently as it should have been or is today.

[Spice]

National Guardsman Pena doesn't think it's right to guard the border? Since when is a soldier asked for his opinion on what he might be ordered to do? Could Mr. Pena's ethnicity have something to do with his opinion? This is a real good time for this country to start asking some hard questions and get rid of this dual-citizenship garbage and to also question the validity of having non-citizens in our military. Many non-citizens have served proudly in our military and some even died for our country but, if it comes down to hard choice, will a non-citizen soldier side with his own countrymen or with the United States? Do we have to worry if someone in the military is of, in this case, Mexican heritage are we going to have to worry "which side" he really wants to be on?

We have Mexican-Americans Atty. General Gonzalez not wanting a fence. We have Gov. Bill Richardson not wanting the National Guard on the border. I really wonder sometimes when it comes down to it, just with whom their loyalty truly lies. They all seem to want to protect "their people" rather than looking at the best protection of the USA as a whole.