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By BONNIE ADAMS badams@leader.net
Thursday, March 20, 2003 Page: 5A
PITTSTON TWP. – The two dozen Naval Reservists called to active duty moved
slowly through a line leading to the airport security screeners.
The men’s wives and children on the other side of a rope barrier moved
along with them. They talked and embraced until the last possible moment. Each
man then went into a secure area to await the departing plane.
That farewell scene at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in
February could become commonplace for local reservists and National Guardsmen
called to active duty for a war with Iraq.
Pennsylvania National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Chris Cleaver said the
mission and vision of the reserve forces is for them to take part in every
aspect of war, just like their active duty counterparts. The same job
specialties that exist in the active duty are mirrored in the National Guard
and Reserves.
“We feel that we’re engaged in every level, from the fighter pilot to the
cook,” Cleaver said. “The stake is equal for everybody.”
Cleaver said Pennsylvania Army and Air National Guardsmen have been more
involved in combat support roles up to this point. That includes military
occupational specialities such as communications, transportation and
logistics.
After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush had the authority to
call 1 million reservists to active duty for up to two continuous years. There
are about 1.2 million reservists in the United States.
Shortly after the terrorist attacks, the president asked the nation’s
governors to call up the National Guard to assist with airport security. The
guardsmen and state police were stationed at the local airport and 15 other
commercial airports statewide.
Maj. Steve Zarnowski of the 55th Brigade in Scranton said the soldiers
volunteered for the duty and some had left college and taken leaves from their
civilian jobs to carry out the mission.
The total number of National Guard reserve personnel nationwide on active
duty in support of the partial reserve mobilization totals 188,592, according
to a Department of Defense Web site.
Some local guardsmen and reservists have volunteered for active duty
service. Others like the Seabees with a mobile construction battalion at the
Naval Reserve Center in Avoca and the Army Reserve’s 320th Military Police
Battalion based in Ashley have been activated.
Lt. Cmdr. T.J. Bartley, commander of the Naval Reserve Center, said five
Naval Reservists with a fleet hospital detachment mobilized on March 7. He
said they will work at Bethesda Naval Hospital to backfill for active duty
sailors who have deployed.
“Reservists are paid to train and to be available. The sailors of Naval
Reserve Center Avoca have trained and they are available,” said Bartley.
The local Army Reserve military police deployed last month in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom. The unit was training at Fort Dix, N.J., and
expected to ship out to the Middle East within a month. The 320th, which
includes 30 soldiers from Luzerne County, specializes in running enemy
prisoner of war and refugee camps.
There are about 15 Pennsylvania Army or Air National Guard units from
throughout the state that have members on active duty in the Persian Gulf.
Other units are in Kosovo, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
About 100 National Guardsmen from C Battery, 1st Battalion, 109th Field
Artillery returned on Feb. 28 after serving seven months in Germany.
Cleaver said those soldiers could be activated again in wartime, but the
philosophy in the past has been to avoid immediately activating soldiers who
have just completed a tour of active duty.
“There is no magic list out there. We do not see any advanced notice of
units that may or may not be deployed,” Cleaver said.
Bonnie Adams, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7241.