“Why, why are our national guards being used outside of our country?”
Everyone take a breath and step back.
These training exercises are completely legit and everyday, as budgets allow.
In 1986 I was regular Army, attached to the Wisconsin Army National Guard and we went on a REFORGER exercise (REturn the FORces to GERmany). National Guard units have deals/compacts/treaties (?) with various countries in Europe. We’re given a window of time (sometimes only 30 days!) and we need to be packed up and ready to go and on the ground over there with manpower, equipment and weapons to show them that they are our Allies and that we CAN get to them quickly if they need our assistance.
It was a blast. A once in a lifetime experience. :)
This is nothing more than that. They’ll be bringing back all of the equipment; we’re not GIVING it to them!
I’m just shaking my head at the sheer hysteria and fever dreams of some FReepers these days.
The military is an institution much bigger than a single presidential administration and survived far worse.
I spent 3 years in Italy, 4 in Germany. EVERY year we had major deployments of Air Guard and Air Force Reserve to various exercises.
Usually, they’d want to know if we could take them to Oktoberfest!
Ah, so this is a record ANG “movement”, but FAR from the largest exercise the US has conducted in Europe with other assets, right?
Thanks for the insight & sensible post, BTW.
We have a bunch of posters on here who are nuttier than the Norks. Sheesh.