Our National Guard forces are currently at 460,000. Less than 20% are currently overseas in Afganistan and Iraq. 6000 troops are nothing!
"6000 troops are nothing!"
It's not 6000. With 3 week tours and one week overlap, there will be 150,000 Guard personnel sent to the border the first year alone.
They will have only one productive (and misplaced) week of effort when you exclude travel, in-briefings, training, set-ups, etc.
Since this is domestic tasking, prior and recent service in Iraq does not mean anything.
It is a waste of time, money, and skills, and will have a negative impact on recruiting.
Remember, The Guard Bureau leadership in Washington are Title 10 active duty personnel who report to the SecDef and DoD, and are somewhat indifferent to what the little Guardsman in Dubuque who owns a gas station or is a cop on a 10 man force has to go through with each call up. They are looking for their next 4 year tour or promotion, and have to do it the comapny way.