[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 21, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4171-S4172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IRAQ AND THE NATIONAL GUARD

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I will take my leader time to comment on 
the privilege I had last week of spending some time with hundreds of 
South Dakota Guard members and their families.
  I wanted to say a few words today about the selfless and courageous 
sacrifice of the South Dakota Guard and, indeed, all of our soldiers 
who are placing their lives on the line so that the

[[Page S4172]]

children of Iraq can inherit a nation safer, stronger, and freer than 
that of their parents.
  Too often, the contributions of our Guard members and reservists have 
gone unrecognized. But today, the brace soldiers in our Guard and 
Reserve have become indispensable to protecting our national security.
  With the end of the Cold War and the decision to draw down active 
duty forces, the Nation has dramatically increased its reliance on 
reservists. Guard and Reserve soldiers have been called up to active 
duty more frequently, and have been taken away from their families and 
communities for longer periods of time, than perhaps at any other time 
in our history. As a result, the line between active and reserve duty 
has become blurred.
  The service of the South Dakota National Guard and Reserve provides a 
perfect illustration. Two-thirds of South Dakota's National Guard 
members have been called up since September 11. On a per capita basis, 
South Dakota has had more of its Guard members activated than any other 
State. These call-ups have fallen heavily on South Dakota's Army Guard 
units. According to Governor Michael Rounds, nearly 8 of every 10 South 
Dakota Army Guard members have already been called up for active duty.
  The South Dakota National Guard has six units and 1,200 soldiers in 
the Iraq theater, including the 740th Transportation Company, the 842nd 
Engineer Company, the 2nd Battalion of the 147th Field Artillery, the 
153rd Engineer Battalion, the 1742nd Transportation Company, and the 
216th Engineer Detachment. These soldiers have the gratitude and 
admiration of our State and our Nation.
  Late last week, we were reminded of the dangers they face each and 
every day. As I noted on the floor Monday, Army Specialist Dennis 
Morgan, a member of the South Dakota National Guard, was one of the 12 
American soldiers killed in Iraq this past weekend. Specialist Morgan 
was the sixth South Dakota soldier to die in this war, and the first 
member of the South Dakota National Guard. While South Dakotans' 
thoughts and prayers are with Specialist Morgan's family and, indeed, 
the families of all of those who have lost loved ones in Iraq, we also 
pray for the safety of the soldiers who remain in Iraq.

  Two South Dakota units have received the most public attention as of 
late--the 740th Transportation Company of Milbank and Brookings and the 
842nd Engineer Company of Spearfish, Belle Fourche, and Sturgis.
  Unfortunately for the soldiers of these units and their families, the 
reason these units are in the news is not a happy one. Last week, 
nearly 300 soldiers from the 740th Transportation Company and the 842nd 
Engineer Company learned that they would not be coming home when they 
complete their year-long tour of duty.
  According to Jay Brozik, husband of 1LT Sally Brozik who serves in 
the 740th, members of this unit had been informed they would be heading 
home soon. Their personal belongings had been packed for the trip home. 
The troops had completed the medical briefing required prior to leaving 
the Iraq theater. Their equipment had been transferred to a replacement 
unit. Their families were eagerly awaiting a joyous return.
  All that came to a crashing halt late last week, when the Department 
of Defense announced that the tours of duty for this unit had been 
extended at least three months longer than promised.
  The story is similar for the 842nd Engineering Company and about 
20,000 other active and reserve troops who were in formed that the 
administration had broken its commitment of one-year, ``boots on the 
ground'' in Iraq.
  Although I am confident all involved will continue to serve their 
country in the same exemplary fashion they have to date, the 
administration's decision was difficult to bear for the soldiers and 
families involved. In the words of Spearfish Mayor Jerry Krambeck, ``I 
don't know what I can say without putting tears in my eyes. All I can 
do is continue as we are and continue to support the families even more 
at this point.''
  Jay Brozick said, ``I was thinking my wife would be back for our 
son's birthday, May 4. Now it's changed everything.'' And Ryan Lovrien 
spoke of his girlfriend, SGT April Semmler of the 740th: ``[April] had 
mentioned hoping after a year to be home and spend time with the family 
in the summertime and just be out of there. Now they're going to do 
three or four months.''

  Mr. President, the cost of failure in Iraq is beyond comprehension. 
Given the stakes involved for the people of Iraq, the region, and the 
world, we have no choice but to maintain our commitment and do all we 
can to bring about a safe, secure, and democratic Iraq. But we do face 
a choice about how we fulfill this commitment.
  I urge the President to redouble his efforts to expand the 
international presence on the ground. We have the finest forces in the 
world. Breaking our commitment to these forces is not only unfair, it 
is shortsighted. Already we see soldiers re-enlisting at lower rates 
than in the past. Considering that the demands placed on our already 
overextended forces are unlikely to fall in the future, failure to at 
least sustain current force levels would undermine our national 
security.
  Mr. President, I know the Senate joins me in commending the service 
of the men and women in the South Dakota Guard and indeed all of our 
troops involved in the current conflict in Iraq. I particularly want to 
express my appreciation for the sacrifices made by the troops of the 
740th and the 842nd and their families. They came when they were 
called, performed as requested, and, under any circumstances, will 
continue to perform magnificently.
  But the burden should be shared--so that we can sustain our current 
forces and give those who've already sacrificed so much a well-deserved 
rest.
  I yield the floor.

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