Transcripts

Text transcript of 7/24/09 radio actuality.

This is Congressman Ike Skelton.

When floods and tornados or hurricanes strike, Americans depend on their neighbors in the National Guard to keep them safe and help with disaster response. In virtually any type of national emergency, the National Guard is a critical part of our disaster recovery team.

And, our National Guard members also play a large role in our efforts overseas. Guard units from all over our country have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan taking a great deal of their equipment with them and often leaving that equipment behind for following units when it's time to come home.

Because I want to make sure our National Guard will always be able to help Americans in time of need, I've asked the Chief of the National Guard Bureau for an up-to-date assessment of the Guard's readiness and ability to respond to emergency events here at home in America. As our mission changes in Iraq and our forces and equipment leave that country, I think it's very important for defense planners to consider our home domestic needs. If it makes sense, some of that equipment should return to the United States to fill the stocks of our National Guard units.

The redeployment of forces and equipment is an enormous undertaking, the likes of which we have not seen since the end of the Vietnam War. We must properly manage our redeployment from Iraq, and I'll work to ensure the National Guard's needs at home are not neglected.

This is Congressman Ike Skelton.