LINCOLN, Neb.—A military official says soldier numbers are up for the Army National Guard in Nebraska despite longer deployments and the stress of war.
Nearly five years after the start of the Iraq war, 233 Nebraska guardsmen are there, and the guard has roughly 700 more soldiers in Nebraska than it did in 2000.
But Brig. Gen. Timothy Kadavy said multiple deployments for stretches as long as 22 months have strained soldiers and their families—and they may not be able to sustain them.
“Eighteen- to 22-month deployments are too long to be away from families and employers,” he said.
The Nebraska Guard is increasing its training capacity in hopes that deployed troops will be able to go without extensive training at other bases when they are called on. The goal is to get soldiers back home exactly one year after they are deployed.
“We’re at war,” Kadavy said. “And we’re pretty resilient.”
Kadavy said the numbers have jumped from 3,000 soldiers to 3,685 this decade, and he hopes Nebraska’s guard will grow to 4,000.
Roughly 80 percent of Nebraska Guard troops have been deployed at one point since Sept. 11, 2001.
Kadavy was assigned to the post as military commander of the Army Guard and Air Guard by Gov. Dave Heineman. He assumed command Nov. 3.
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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star,
