1990 Desert Shield All Over Again

The local press is out to sample the can-do attitude maintained by VFW members in Oregon and the new airlift wing commander at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Out to the VFW to see what local members have to say:

January 8th 2020 KTVL News 10

Veterans near Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base reflect on rising tensions with Iran

“…Karen Johnson a retired U.S. Army Colonel who served in Operation Desert Storm…”

Johnson said the threat of an attack on U.S. soil is always looming and said: “this is what we train for.”

“It’s an ever-present danger, not just for what happened yesterday, look at the world trade centers, I was there before it was bombed, so it’s been ongoing, they tried to attack that years ago, I believe it was in the 1980s and we intercepted that,” she said.

“Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Oregon Air National Guard’s 173d Fighter Wing which is a part of the air education and training command that supports training for F-15 jets for the air national guard and the u-s air force.”

A training base:

Though they do occasionally deploy individuals in support of combat operations around the globe, Jennifer D Shirar, a spokeswoman for the base, said there are no current plans to deploy pilots or any support personnel. She added that the base is currently focused on “their F-15 training mission.”

“Duane Whitehead, a former Combat Engineer who served in the Vietnam War, and is quartermaster at the V.F.W. Post 1383 and V.F.W. District 5, said he also feels that Kingsley Field provides security for all in the area.”

“I feel Klamath Falls is secure because of the 173rd Air force, they’re always on their striker training sessions, they always keep training in everything incase we do go to war,” he said.

Over to Joint Base Lewis–McChord:

January 10th 2020 KOMO News

JBLM’s new airlift wing commander preps troops for Middle East

Troop movements are highlighted:

“A few days ago, the Pentagon ordered 3,500 members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, North Carolina to head to the Middle East as tensions continue to boil with Iran and Iraq. Many of the C-17s based at McChord were directly involved.”

Away from the VFW halls, change of command ceremonies and TV news studios, regular people may reflect on what has changed since 1990.

There has been much Dept. of Defense action in the Middle East since 1990.

Desert Storm did not serve to prevent 911.

National Guard units are doing multiple tours in distant lands, absent any military emergency, draft, or declaration of war:

Typical state governors will say that their national guard troops are overseas defending American rights and freedoms:

January 4th 2020 WCHS

West Virginia National Guard members return home

“The 821st Horizontal Construction Company returned home after a nine-month deployment to the Middle East.”

“During their deployment, the soldiers carried out various missions and tasks in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.”

“West Virginia Governor Jim Justice was on hand to greet the soldiers as they returned.”

“On behalf of all West Virginians, Cathy and I want to welcome home all the brave men and women who have been overseas defending freedom,” Justice said in a news release.

Defending Freedom?

More discussion please.

Any members of the press available to show up and ask why the people of West Virginia needed services in the Middle East, absent any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war?

Love to see newspeople ask:

Governor Justice,

While the troops were away, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.

Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?

December 21st 2019 KOMO News

Legal age to buy cigarettes, vapes raised to 21 nationwide

“Signed into law by President Donald Trump Friday as part of the new $1.4 trillion spending bill, a new measure prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.”

An early memory of TV news hype

I was at Camp Pendleton in 1990 when the Desert Shield buildup began to develop.

One day after work, I went home and watched the local TV news.

A TV news reporter was on the beach at Camp Pendleton where things were loud & noisy. He spoke loudly into the microphone and announced:

“These Marines are training for The Gulf!”

This sort of routine training had been going on at Camp Pendleton for decades. It had nothing to do with recent developments overseas.

Now, it’s 2020

Regular people might have their own concerns, related to:

A Department of Defense track record for winning undeclared wars that goes back to 1949.

A Dept. of Defense that was nowhere to be found on 911.

We haven’t won a war since.

The National Guard needs more people to stay:

January 8, 2020 The Telegraph

National Guard offering $20K bonus to soldiers and lump sum salary payouts for re-enlistments

“But while the Illinois National Guard is enjoying success in recruiting and retention, the Army National Guard as a whole is struggling to reach that same success, according to Donald.”

Unlike active duty folks, these guys need to have a regular job and place to live back home when not helping DOD squander credibility in distant lands:

July 26, 2019 Chicago Tribune

Hundreds of Illinois National Guard members set to deploy this weekend for Afghanistan — the largest call-up in a decade

“’Daddy, are you going to send me things from Afghanistan?’” O’Neill said his son asked. “And I’m like, ‘Of course, bud. I’ll send you stuff.’”

“O’Neill, a father of four who lives in suburban La Grange, is among an estimated 400 members of the Illinois Army National Guard who will be leaving this weekend to begin a more than yearlong deployment to Afghanistan…”

“O’Neill’s family sold their home in Chicago’s western suburbs to downsize to a one-bedroom apartment to be closer to relatives who can provide support to his wife and children while he is away.”

“While the troops should be credited for fulfilling a patriotic duty, they face a daunting task because of how few American servicemen and women are serving in a country with a population of more than 34 million, Pape said.”

Sign up to serve the people of Illinois, then head for Afghanistan. Can’t blame people for questioning this scenario. Might want to validate the use of National Guard troops in distant lands.

Regular people might ask:

Are giant flag rituals at football games enough to sustain all this?

The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.

In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our physical security. That’s as good as it gets.

In terms of American rights and freedoms- The Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.

More here:

Both Major Parties & Several Presidents

A Formal Congressional Declaration of War

West Virginia Freedom Found In The Middle East?

Fox & Friends Think Tank Update

Indoctrination Levels Are Up

Freedom Comes And Goes – Joint Chiefs of Staff Play No Part