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Asbestos Exposure & The Military: The National Guard

In 1903, soldiers in citizen "militia" who assisted the Army were given the name of the National Guard. Since then, the National Guard has grown to 27 Divisions-25 Infantry and two armored-with almost a half million currently serving in its ranks. The two components are the Army National Guard (more than 325,000 members) and the Air National Guard (around 106,000 personnel). The National Guard Bureau is a subdivision under the Department of Defense, with a four-star General of the Army or Air Force in command. It is authorized by the U.S. Constitution of the United States, with the motto, "Always Ready, Always There". Almost half of America's 43 presidents have served in the National Guard-19 in the Army Guard and one (George W. Bush) in the Air Guard.

Operation

The Army National Guard is trained and equipped identically to the U.S. Army, just as the Air National Guard is part of the US Air Force. Both reserve unit personnel must meet the same standards as those who serve full time.

National Guardsmen can receive the same United States military awards and utilize the same terminology, refer to the same ranks, and apply the same insignia. As of August 2007, National Guardsmen have 24 months between deployments of no more than 24 months, although this policy may differ by states, and some personnel even serve in more of a full-time capacity, with the Active Guard and Reserve. The National Guard can be mobilized by presidential order or by any governor during a state of emergency in the area in which they serve. Individual mobilizations are not enacted except for Temporary Duty Assignments.

Contributions

National Guardsmen achievements are known internationally for their peacekeeping missions in Haiti, Somalia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Kosovo, and Bosnia. They have assisted in recovery efforts after natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, provided security for stateside Olympic Games, and responded to anti-Vietnam War protests, such as the Ohio Army National Guard did at Kent State University in 1970. The National Guard has also been mobilized during times of chaos and rioting: In 1963, the New York National Guard served during race riots, and the California Army National Guard assisted during the Watts Riots during the following year; both restored order and provided security. When LA Riots erupted in 1992, the California National Guard again maintained a presence to discourage violence while re-establishing peace. The blizzards of 2007 found National Guardsmen from 8 states delivering food and necessities to stranded people, shoveling snow, feeding starving cattle, and rescuing drivers. In the Iraq War, personnel from the National Guard accounted for 43% of the forces, and in the Afghanistan War, members accounted for 55%. These statistics also claimed that those 183,366 National Guard reservists left behind 300,000 dependents.

The Future

Currently the Army National Guard is undergoing a re-organization. They are in the planning stage of creating 28 brigade combat teams and 78 support brigades. This will be an addendum to the U.S. Army's transformation plan. The result will be smaller units; brigades will have 3,000-4,000 soldiers instead of 15,000 soldiers, which should allow for improved communication and cohesiveness.

Former President Andrew Jackson insisted that independent militia, in conjunction with regular army personnel, could be effective when employed as a team. The War of 1812 proved that, especially on the defensive, organization and co-operation were key to achieving success. Those who currently serve, or who have served, in the U.S. National Guard, should take pride in knowing that they've shown President Jackson to be correct; when called to duty, Guardsmen are "aways ready and always there". Regardless of where they may be needed, and regardless of the numbers of dependents left at home, they've continued to put their lives on hold in order to travel to wherever help is needed. Doing so is a very unique and self-sacrificing act, one that may not be acknowledged often enough, let alone commended. Unfortunately, that very same selflessness that puts a National Guardsman's life in danger also may have placed his health at risk.

Responding to emergency calls, National Guard personnel often find themselves in perilous situations of the aftermath of bombs, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes and floods. They thus must enter buildings that are heavily damaged or destroyed, on search and rescue missions. Even with protective gear, Guardsmen may inadvertently inhale or swallow microscopic amounts of asbestos dust and fibers that escaped when asbestos sealant was damaged in the tragedy. Once inside the Guardsman's lungs or stomach, the tiny particles can become wedged in tissues and remain there for decades, all the while causing physical reactions that can eventually result in serious conditions. Diseases involving the lungs and gastrointestinal tract, asbestosis, mesothelioma, and various cancers are all possible due to asbestos exposure 40 or 50 years ago; in fact, their long latency periods mean that asbestos exposure problems are only now beginning to appear. It is therefore very important that any National Guardsman who has noticed unusual symptoms see their doctor as soon as possible, and contact us for additonal information.

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