MUTA 6

Twice The Citizen
Unfortunatly today several National Guardsmen from Pennsylvania were killed in Iraq. A week ago several Marine Reservist from Ohio. These are certainly unfortunate events and I sympathise with their Families and their Brothers In Arms. Today on ABC World News that pretty lady, Elizabeth Vargas announced them as someone who didn't expect to be there. I doubt that. Often the Media petray's Gaurdsmen as Volunteers for Natural Disasters. Not nesascarily so. Though going to War is more so in the back of someones mind, certainly no one goes to a Tactical or Support Unit, such as a Postal Unit, thinking it could not happen. Before Iraq and Afghanistan Reserve and National Guard Units were pulling much of the Peace Keeping Duty in The Balkans. The Desert Sheild/ Desert Storm events are within the memory's of each Service Member alive today. Gaurdsmen and Reservist are not stupid. Though we expect to be in a fight where the Nation depends on us (Iraq is arguable) we know fully with the Downsizing of the 90's and fewer of us knowing a failure to reform that the Pentagon was becoming more and more reliable in the Reserve Coponant. We're "Twice The Citizen".

Investment Or Not
Armor Units didn't expect to patrol on foot due to a lack of Infantry. Most units didn't expect to be rushed through gambits or redeploy so quickly. The assymetrical nature of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan certainly threw many for a loop. For years with a few adjustments Training was directed at a more conventional enemy. In 1998 as I was going through my Infantry Phase of Advanced Non Commisioned Officers Course(ANCOC) the Instruction was based on a book from 1988. Yeah, some high tech toy's were being handed out, but, everything pretty much remained the same. As well, despite the new relaiance on the Reserve Componant little more was being invested into them as far as deployment plans.

Drills
Drills are no longer Drills. We are supposed to call them Battle Drills. No one does but your Commander. Drills are still Drills. Up unitl this time nothing has realy changed about them. I suspect that is about to change for me. Drills are made up of Unit Training Assymbaly's, UTA. A UTA is half a day, say at least four hours. That UTA counts as a full day of Active Duty on Drill Status. So, 8-10 hours of Drill counts as two day's. That makes MUTA's, M being for Multiple. A Saturday and Sunday is typicaly a MUTA 4, Friday Night a MUTA 5, Friday Day, MUTA 6. One UTA is one Retirement Point, MUTA 2, two points, etc. Soldiers are paid by deviding their base pay(E Grade and Number of years of Service) by 30 timed by the number of Training Assymbaly's. For Example a MUTA 4 is equal to the pay of four day's of active duty. You get four day's pay for two day's.
A note on that. last month when I took a one day trip to Ft. Jackson SC I was paid for one day of Active Duty. After taxes, my gas, and my room(wich was cheap) I only cleared about $25.

Hotlumbia
It's time for Drill and we are pulling a MUTA 6. Friday Morning me and my Buddy's will be there standing tall(and looking good!) This Drill will be spent on the Firing Range under the unforgiving South Carolina Sun. Not knowing the orcast for there, tempatures are often pushing 100 degree's this time of year. When I was there last month the Heat Index was 103. Ol' Hill Billy me will come back complaining of the heat.
This is the last time I will post until next week. Tommorow night I will be riding south with the Big MC( a buddy of mine) catching up on our month and so on. I'm telling you this for a reason.

Assigned Reading
I most often link something from Defense and National Interest, It's good stuff in my opinion. With the Internet and other Media Outlets there is no shortage of people giving their opinion. In some cases spewing out Group think. Iraq being a very hot topic, this article is about as real as expectations a we can get. I warn you, it's a long read for some. About four pages of print. I do suggest you read it though. As a note to it, as Willaim Christie see's Iraq becoming a place for terrorist camps and Raids being conducted by Spec Op's, that was the strategy I discussed with Twister in October 2001, as Afghanistan is concerned. Allow the targets to have a safe haven giving them a sense of confidence where they can become vulnerable to raids by Special Forces, Rangers and Black Op Groups occasioanly large enough to be supported by the 82nd Airborne and Marine Expeditionary Forces. Like a Cat toying a mouse.

4GW Militia?
Have something that you could contibute to Civil Defense? Retired Military? Ham Radio? Organastional skills? Maybe this article and this one too may intersst you. It would probably never happen until Al Qauda or MS-13 cause us trouble.

Like I say, I'm going to be away so you have a few day's to read this.

Appalachian Intellectual...tired of typing....