The Daily Illini December 6, 2002
Troops consider holiday deployment
By Leah George-baskin The Daily Illini
With the increase of overseas military activity, the possibility of troops being deployed over the holiday season has become more of a concern.
Troops don't know when they will be shipped out because the decision is dictated on world events, said Lt. Col. Vince Savoia, National Guard spokesman. But the Army tries to put the situation into perspective as best they can and work around the holidays.
Patrick Garrett, defense analyst at GlobalSecurities.org, said deployments can be strange because the military tries to work around things like holidays, but national defense takes a higher priority.
Tim Franklin, Department of Military Affairs spokesman, said soldiers are not warned about deployment ahead of time, but they should be aware that their units are subject to mobilization at any time.
When a mobilization order is given, there is a specific timeline that varies from situation to situation that specifies the dates of when and where to report, Franklin said.
"Nothing is ever standardized," Franklin said.
Savoia said soldiers train for various types of warfare.
"We foresee and prepare as best we can," he said.
But there has been different emphasis on re-examining chemical and biological defense procedures, Garrett said. He said troops are specifically practicing how equipment operates in different environments.
Sgt. 1st Class Cory Bryan, station commander at the Champaign Recruiting Station, located at 1615 Springfield Ave. in Champaign, said as far as the training from the Army's standpoint, all the bases are covered.
With the fear of being shipped overseas more imminent, Bryan said a person has more options when they sign up for the armed forces.
One option can be to sign up for a guaranteed station of choice, where they stay until, if and when their unit is assigned somewhere. In that case, they must go.
"For the most part a soldier does decide if they go overseas," Bryan said. "But it also depends on what job you have. Infantry for example is a guarantee to be deployed."
Bryan said the Army tries to end tours in time for holidays or postpone them until after, but what other people do in the world and needs of the country come first.
"The focus of the Army is family first in everything we do," Bryan said. "When a soldier gets trained, there is also training available for the wife and family."
Different training also occurs when a unit becomes mobilized, Franklin said.
"There is different training depending on where a unit is being deployed," Franklin said. "For example, units going to Europe have to receive European Drivers Education, units sometimes need to have some foreign language so as to be able to read road signs, a few years ago when units went to Bosnia, soldiers had to receive bomb awareness training."
As far as specific training for Iraq, Franklin said he does not have any information on how units are being trained.
While Stacey Reiger, Illinois National Guard spokeswoman, said no troops have been deployed from the local area and there is no indication of troops in the area being called up. However, there is never a guarantee if or when a unit is going to be called into action.
Garrett said there are only 200 to 250 Illinois National Guard and Reserves deployed. Most are helping with Homeland Security projects, like improving security in airports.
Reiger said there are 13,000 soldiers and airmen in the Army and National Guard for the state of Illinois.
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