Laurie, it should be a no brainer to recognize this: the National Guard in Iraq and the National Guard in the Pratt, Kansas - Dodge City, Kansas region could and should be BOTH well supplied. This isn’t making a disaster political; this cruel and hard reality crashing down around us.
Why does the National Guard have a hard time getting equipment? Do you have a theory?
This may suprise you: I’d be willing to listen to amd discuss your theory.
Lori,
I guess you missed it all, didn’t you?
The NATIONAL GUARD is having NO PROBLEMS supplying what’s needed in Iraq.
This is why I despise liberals. You politicize everything.
As a former member of the Kansas Army National Guard and the United States Army Reserve in the 1970s, I know that the Guard units are often equipped based upon their last mobilization and subsequent to active duty units.
For example, while the end of the Vietnam War was winding down, my unit (overall) had been activated to Fort Carson to replace a deployed unit. They returned with some upgraded equipment to replace equipment that was WWII vintage. The portion that was attached to the 5th Mech. unit and sent to southeast Asia, could bring little back in the way of major equipment.
Units not facing activation were not equipped with new equipment until all needs for ready reserve units were met.
The role of the Guard in stopping looters is not critically effected by what vintage of rifle they carry. Tents, though warn and old, still work for shelter.
The Governor got lazy in the spoken word and set people to thinking that somehow newer equipment might be a mollifier to a large scale disaster and it really is not.
When a tornado hits, so much is completely wiped out of reach for every person effected that no Guard activation, no FEMA team, no help from neighboring fire and police or charity can begin to fill the void without the element of time impacting the distress.
While a news and opinion forum sensitive to politicians' every statement and always ready to lambast them for it, it sometimes seems we are not focused on the true, underlying, human cost. That is unfortunate for our hearts are with you as well as our donations.
I was in Indiana yesterday and hear a Greensburg here is collecting resources to help their fellow Greensburg, Kansas countrymen.
Our prayers are with you.