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Personally I feel like anytime the Reservists are activated the government should subsidise their pay to make their military pay equal their current civilian pay level. I know it's a volunteer military but this country wastes a lot of money and if they are going to waste it, I'd rather it be to support our military and thier families.

Whether you or I agree with the war or not or current polcies. Thank you to those that serve.

The Lost Manatee wrote:As for the majority of troops in WWII being reservist, well, only in the sense that all the draftees became reservist when they left active duty. The majority of troops were either volunteers or draftees. This is not to diminish the sacrifice that reserve units made during the war it is just to clarify that they were not the majority.

I also believe that the fact that such as large percentage of the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are Guard and Reserve units, that it shows that we have a need to increase the size of the active duty military.

There is a difference between regular army and reserves on active duty but it is a fine point not worth discussing. The end state is the same, that there are a lot of reservists and national guardsmen on the frontlines.

At the end of Desert Storm the army had, I believe, 18 active duty divisions. We now have 10. The deficit was reduced on the backs of the military and now we are reaping what we sowed. But this is not a new phenomenon. If you look back throughout our history, after every victory there was a huge drawdown in forces and at the beginnings of the 90's we had two major victories, the ending of the cold war and Gulf I.

The next conflict catches us with our pants down and then we ramp up.

Thanks to those who are sacrificing, both overseas and back home.

The fact that Reserve and Guard units have been so heavily tasked during the current conflict in Iraq is in itself a sad commentary on planning at upper levels.

As an aside, while I think there will eventually be a troop reduction in Iraq (for political reasons back home more than achieving a stable regime), I think there will be a significant U.S. military presence in Iraq going forward to safeguard U.S. access to Iraq's OIL. Kinda like the U.S. presence in South Korea.

Again, thanking all those serving far from home right now and their families back home. These folks should get paid a lot more for what they put on the line (and frequently lose).

SchoolGirlHeart wrote:

captenuta wrote:I don't understand these people who enlist and don't expect to be called up to serve.

I don't think there are too many of those folks left around any more.....

yes there are.. I talk to them weekly

This is very sad news....