Washington – After six years at war, some Army National Guard units are still struggling with less than half the equipment they need to do their jobs at home, the top Guard general said Wednesday. He said it will take an extra $13 billion over the next five years to get them 90 percent of what they need.
Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard, told reporters that while Guard units heading to Iraq and Afghanistan have all the equipment they need, those at home have as little as one- third of the needed trucks, radios and other gear.
Blum said all units at home are short at least 30 percent of the equipment they need. The low end is 33 percent, and 50 percent is the average, he said.
Blum also joined other military leaders in criticizing congressional efforts to legislate the length of troop deployments or rest times. While the thought is well-intentioned, he said, it would be “unhelpful,” and the unintended effects could make things worse rather than better.
In a wide-ranging discussion, Blum also said the Guard often finds itself in a “bidding war” to keep special operations soldiers from leaving to join more lucrative security firms such as Blackwater USA.
The Guard has two Special Forces units, including about 5,000 soldiers headquartered in Alabama and Utah, and Blum said they are “constantly being recruited” by security companies.
Blum maintained, however, that one of his main concerns is the need to fully equip the Guard so state units can meet any emergencies – from hurricanes and tornadoes to terrorist attacks.
Blum has sounded the same alarm on Capitol Hill for several years, warning that Guard units sapped by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan often end up with equipment worn out by war or in many cases, simply left on battlefields.
In addition to the $21 billion already budgeted for the next five years, Blum said the Army Guard will need another $13.1 billion for equipment and the Air Guard will need about $8.8 billion.
