The Official Website of Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo

National Guard Chief: New Reality for Citizen Soldiers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—March 28, 2007– Washington, D.C. –

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo yesterday participated in a hearing before the Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Readiness at which the senior leadership of the National Guard Bureau (NGB) provided testimony on the readiness of the Army and Air Force National Guard. Congresswoman Bordallo commented on the increased use of National Guard units as a part of the active component of the U.S. Armed Services and asked Lt. General H. Steven Blum, Chief of the NGB, whether the Guard can expect their current operational tempo to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future and whether budget requests for Guard equipment, training and military construction will increase as a result.

“I am a strong supporter of our country’s armed services. I am a particularly strong supporter of our country’s National Guard,” Bordallo said to LTG Blum. Bordallo went on to say that, “It seems that the men and women of our National Guard do more with less each year.”

LTG Blum began his response by telling members of the Subcommittee of the particularly distinguished service rendered by the citizen soldiers and airmen of Guam on the island, on the mainland, and overseas. LTG Blum continued by saying that he believes that the increased reliance in the National Guard will not be a short-term anomaly but is a new reality for the Guard and U.S. military as a whole. LTG Blum expressed his confidence in the Guard’s performance toward making the transition from a strategic reserve to an operational force and toward fulfilling those responsibilities. LTG Blum noted, however, that the distribution of resources to the National Guard, along with policies and federal laws governing Guard components must undergo some revision and updates in order to better reflect this change.

Of budget resources accorded to the Guard and of some laws and regulations governing Guard activities, LTG Blum said that they do not adequately address all of the operational needs of the National Guard. LTG Blum suggested that Congress review these issues in partnership with the Departments of Defense, Army and Air Force. LTG Blum added that, aside from being tasked with the duties normally assigned to active duty components, the National Guard is still heavily relied upon to respond to emergency situations in domestically.

The National Guard can be activated for three different categories: Federal service in the full-time active component; federal service under command of a state or territorial governor; and “State Active Duty” under the control of the governor, paid for by the state or territory. Congresswoman Bordallo stated that in recent years, the National Guard has been tasked with performing duties normally reserved for active duty components, such as complex counterinsurgency, stability and reconstruction missions, which has presented significant budget, readiness, and general infrastructure challenges.

Click here for an audio file of Congresswoman Bordallo’s question to LTG Blum and his response are attached.

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Contact: Joseph E. Duenas in Washington, D.C. at 202-225-1188 or Cathy Gault at 671-477-4272/4

joseph.duenas@mail.house.gov or cathy.gault@mail.house.gov

www.house.gov/bordallo

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