Spread Thin
by Steve Mastro
Governors Tell Pentagon They Need Their Guardsmen Back
The nation's governors, meeting in convention in Seattle, have complained to the Pentagon about shortages of needed personnel in their states because of the extended call-up of the National Guard.
Many of the nation's governors say the call-up of National Guardsmen in their states is leaving them short-handed. Many western states use guardsmen to help fight wildfires, but Oregon has lost half its firefighters to the war in Iraq. In Idaho, 62 percent of National Guard firefighters are gone.
There are other concerns, too. Arizona is short of prison guards, Tennessee has lost police officers, Virginia needs guardsmen during hurricane emergencies, and Missouri needs them for floods.
