Deploying the Guard on the Mexican Border is Wrong!!!

by Del Wasso

There is a reason why President Bush wants to deploy the National Guard on our southern border, rather than deploying the Regular Army, or simply increasing the personnel who serve with the Border Patrol...

There is a reason as to why Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo characterized any potential Guard deployment to our border with Mexico, when he said, "We train National Guard all over the country, and there is no reason why we shouldn't be conducting that training on our borders,'' despite the fact that this ''training'' would include un-planned live-fire exercises with Mexican Coyotes, and drug smugglers...

Soldiers in the Regular Army receive more benefits (Veterans Administration housing, and business loans, a beefed-up GI Bill college program, as well as family medical care, etc) than either Reserve component, or National Guard, troops.

Deploying the various states' Guard units would enable the Bush administration to place America's Citizen Soldiers into harm's way, for two week tours, without having to honor these dedicated warriors with all of those benefits that Congress has seen fit to bestow upon those who serve their nation, full time.

Soldiers serving in the Reserve, and National Guard, must be on Active Duty for 90+ days to be considered for those benefits which Active Duty soldiers receive as a matter of course.

The President's planned deployment would not give these Guardsmen the 90+ days they would need to qualify for these Active Duty benefits.

In other words, George Bush plans to endanger the lives of those men and women who have volunteered for the Guard, by placing them into the line of fire, without actually owning up to the dangerous service that they would be asked to perform.

The President's plan is, therefore, shameful, and a complete disgrace.

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