Differences in Guard weapons raise concern

[CommunityEditor]

National Guardsmen in Ohio and other states are not being trained with the same rifles, Humvees, night-vision goggles and other equipment they will use in Iraq and Afghanistan until just before they are deployed, raising concerns about the soldiers’ confidence to deal with the dangers.

“It’s about soldiers feeling as confident as they can when they go on these very dangerous missions,” Wayda said.

He said the soldiers are also forced to train with less powerful night-vision goggles and machine guns with different optics, which are crucial in learning how to pick out targets and shoot the guns.

In addition, the Ohio Guard does not have armored Humvees like the ones used in Iraq. So the soldiers must train in Humvees with different centers of gravity and different braking and handling characteristics, he said.

“The biggest problem is you learn a set of skills that are not exactly transferable,” he said.

“But I have not heard it voiced as a concern by any commanders,” said Maj. Kenneth Nava, Guard spokesman.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Carl Ey said all guardsmen have the proper, mission-appropriate equipment when they are deployed and they are trained on up-armor Humvees before going into combat areas. He said any Guard commanders who feel their units don’t have the right equipment or training are required to inform their superiors before deployment.

Before they are deployed, the Guardsmen train on the new equipment at pre-mobilizations stations in the United States. It is there, Wayda and Altebaumer say, that the soldiers must learn how to shoot the new weapons and master the new equipment.

“We call that just-in-time equipping and training,” Wayda said. “The situation doesn’t give them the best opportunity for success.”

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland twice has asked President Bush for his assurances that Guard troops are receiving adequate training and equipment before being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.


Full article: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/20...ipment_070531/

[CommunityEditor]

Update: Equipment levels worst ever (http://www.militarytimes.com/news/20...erence_070606/)


About half of all National Guard equipment is being used in the Middle East, and the Guard’s senior uniformed officer said Tuesday that could hurt the organization’s overall readiness at home.

National Guard units have 53 percent of the equipment they need to handle state emergencies, said Lt. General H. Steven Blum. It falls to 49 percent once Guard equipment needed for war — such as weapons — is factored in, he said.