Put aside the President and Rummy for a moment and think about what kind of message he just sent to the troops
He called them broken
Thursday, January 6, 2005
General Says Army Reserve Is Becoming a 'Broken' Force
The head of the Army Reserve has sent a sharply worded memo to other military leaders expressing "deepening concern" about the continued readiness of his troops, who have been used heavily in Iraq and Afghanistan, and warning that his branch of 200,000 soldiers "is rapidly degenerating into a 'broken' force."
In the memo, dated Dec. 20, Lt. Gen. James R. "Ron" Helmly lashed out at what he said were outdated and "dysfunctional" policies on mobilizing and managing the force. He complained that his repeated requests to adjust the policies to current realities have been rebuffed by Pentagon authorities.
Top general: Army 'will break' without more troops
"At this pace ... we will break the active component" unless more reserves can be called up to help, Schoomaker said in prepared remarks.