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Report: Alaska National Guard Mismanaged Under Palin

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Tue Oct 14, 2008 at 11:27:45 AM EST
Tags: Sarah Palin (all tags)
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Remember when John McCain and Sarah Palin touted her supervisory role over the Alaska National Guard as evidence of her foreign policy experience?

A year long investigation by the non-partisan group Veterans for America has concluded with a lengthy report.

The report offers a scathing critique of the Guard's alleged lack of assistance -- particularly with health care -- for soldiers returning from overseas deployments. It asserts the Guard was sent to fight without proper systems in place to handle its returning vets and urges deployments to cease until the situation is fixed.

"As a result of inadequate leadership from the Governor of Alaska, among others, the Alaska National Guard has an inadequate understanding of the full range of post-combat issues," the report says.

The Alaska National Guard disputes the findings and calls the report a political hatchet job. The 8 page summary with preliminary findings is here. The full report should be released sometime today.

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    Report: Alaska National Guard Mismanaged Under Palin | 4 comments (4 topical)

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    true enough eric. (5.00 / 0) (#2)
    by cpinva on Tue Oct 14, 2008 at 03:12:30 PM EST
    that said, gov. palin's claims of military leadership, based on her being the head of the state national guard (a force of approx. 5,000), stand in even starker contrast to reality.

    To be fair (none / 0) (#1)
    by eric on Tue Oct 14, 2008 at 11:36:00 AM EST
    we do have to recognize that the administration has effectively "federalized" the National Guard and treats them like regular Army.  Actually, worse than regular Army.

    States aren't used to dealing with the National Guard fighting, really fighting, overseas.

    Very true, but... (none / 0) (#3)
    by stevea66 on Tue Oct 14, 2008 at 08:45:30 PM EST
    this also strengthens the argument that she had no real command experience with the National Guard.  She had a guy (can't recall the name) who made all of her decisions for her.

    Parent
    The Guard has been harmed so much (none / 0) (#4)
    by Cream City on Tue Oct 14, 2008 at 09:13:55 PM EST
    in so many states, like mine, too.  I have read similar critiques, just not full reports, about it in my state.  The Guard has had to come back without so much equipment that had to be left behind in Iraq, it has lost crucial personnel (in training, in processing the paperwork for returnees, etc.).  

    If we have another NOLA, we will see again how much the Guard has been harmed in its homefront tasks and readiness.  That is the larger picture that deserves attention.  It is hurting everywhere.

    Report: Alaska National Guard Mismanaged Under Palin | 4 comments (4 topical)

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