[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 54 (Thursday, April 3, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E507-E508]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               OPPOSITION TO NATIONAL GUARD SPENDING CUTS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BRUCE L. BRALEY

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 3, 2014

  Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, the following in individuals 
indicated that they do not support the Pentagon making cuts to the 
National Guard to reduce spending:


                         doug betts--albion, IA

       I am not in favor of cutting funding for our military at 
     all. I believe we should keep a strong defense, but also keep 
     that defense close to home and only on foreign soils when 
     needed to protect US citizens and strategic interests. 
     Specifically, I'm not in favor of deploying large numbers of 
     our Iowa Guard troops overseas, as then they are not here to 
     help in case of an emergency like a natural disaster.
       If defense must be cut, down-sizing bases in foreign 
     countries and other foreign aid should be the first 
     consideration.


                   Ken Willoughby--Melcher Dallas, IA

       No way! With climatic events etc., etc. it's the last place 
     they should cut. There are dozens of areas to make cuts other 
     than the guard.
       After using the guard for overseas wartime service then 
     making cuts after all they've sacrificed is ridiculous!!


                        John Irwin--Grinnell, IA

       I don't think we should cut any defense spending other than 
     the gaft industries charge for items purchased by the govt.


                    Franklin Curtis--Iowa Falls, IA

       The guard is needed as a backup to local emergency and 
     national disaster assistance to law enforcement and first 
     responders. Reduction in some active duty and equipment 
     storage of un-needed aircraft is a better plan.


                      Betty Reynolds--Le Grand, IA

       This country has been depending on the National Guard to 
     fight in the war. My son has been over twice. Some families 
     may depend on the extra income from the Guard also. Thank you 
     for sticking up for them.


                     Debra Downs--Marshalltown, IA

       Cut the waste--not the people.


                   Sandra Patterson--Marshalltown, IA

       How about cutting government corruption instead?


                     Roger Lakey--Marshalltown, IA

       States needs the Guard for natural disasters and state 
     functions. Like the floods of 2008 in Iowa; who would be 
     called up for duty if we were to cut the Guard? Iowa has no 
     active duty base or fort in the state so the Guard is our 
     only state military asset.


                     Pedro Aquero--Marshalltown, IA

       We need the troops to keep our DEMOCRACY safe. If you need 
     more comments and exact comments I can explain.


                        Steven Aikin--Rhodes, IA

       I was in the Guard and Guard units are essential in 
     deployments.


                    Dianna Butcher--State Center, IA

       I do believe it is wrong to cut funding for the National 
     Guard. I would rather see our troops brought home and the 
     money used to keep our national borders secured. We need the 
     young men and women to assist in times of disaster within our 
     own State... Maybe it is time that monetary support for the 
     Iowa National Guard comes from the Iowa state budget to keep 
     them available. In any event we need to maintain our National 
     defenses, not lessen them.

[[Page E508]]

                    Phyllis Stadtlander--Waukee, IA

       Please use my tax dollars to preserve the National Guard. 
     It is a safety net for the safety for my family. Thank you 
     very much for your work on our behalf.


                     Mike Vandelune--Urbandale, IA

       The military needs to be treated as a business. You have a 
     workforce (active duty) for your basic manufacturing or 
     business needs. Then when you have a unexpected need, you 
     bring on the part-time (National Guard) workforce. The last 
     thing you want is to not have what you need for a workforce 
     when there is an emergency.


                    Jim Mayland--Buffalo Center, IA

       I am commander of the local VFW Post. I have seen some 
     waste in the military and I think that is where the cuts 
     should come not in reducing the National Guard.


                         Ross Kuper--Osage, IA

       Do not make cuts to the military in any way shape. They 
     need to have the best care provided to the service person and 
     their families. We need the best military in the world.


                    Randy Martin--Rockwell City, IA

       I do not want to see the country go back to the era where 
     our military was cut so low that we were open to terrorist 
     attacks. Remind them of 911.


                     Anna Fremont--Cedar Falls, IA

       Besides we all know we will need the guard in active duty 
     when all this snow melts and we are flooded again. Then what?


                     Diane Siebel--Cedar Falls, IA

       Absolutely not!


                      Kathy Doyle--Cedar Falls, IA

       My husband is active duty National Guard/Army. He would 
     lose his position and now he's currently at the Arizona 
     border patrol as a pilot. If we lose that we lose our careers 
     our income and insurance and that would mean that the 
     unemployment rate will go sky high. I am totally against this 
     and not happy about it either.


                     Ralph Prunty--Cedar Falls, IA

       Redefine and reduce the scope of the NSC and Keep the 
     National Guard.


                      Carl Meyer--Cedar Falls, IA

       The National Guard is not only capable of being deployed to 
     places like Afghanistan but also is used for all kinds of 
     national disasters. The Guard numbers are right where we need 
     them.


                        Robert Yuska--Hudson, IA

       They protect our state in disasters as well as protecting 
     our nation in emergencies.


                     Debra Noesen--Independence, IA

       I'm sick & tired of hearing about cuts to our military when 
     the cuts should be made in our Congress & Senate, that's 
     where the waste is. By the time Congress gets done with this, 
     we will have no security in this country. I served in the US 
     Women's Army Corp and am still extremely proud of my service 
     but I'm fed up with the way the military and veterans are 
     treated in this country.


                     Dan Callahan--Independence, IA

       Our aviation assets are better than the Army's. Our 
     soldiers bring a wealth of experience from their civilian 
     jobs that make our units far more flexible than active units. 
     Paying so much for weapons systems that don't work and being 
     unable to retain and train our soldiers is silly. Active duty 
     generals and lobbyists are frightened by how effective our 
     Guard units are at a much lower cost than a similar active 
     unit. They worry about protecting their jobs, not the 
     effectiveness of the fighting force.


                        Ted Lanske--Waverly, IA

       The last time we had troop cuts this low was right after 
     WWII and for the same reason. Guess what, Korean conflict 
     came along. We are about to make the same stupid political 
     mistake and history will repeat itself. Drones cannot fight 
     hill to hill, valley to valley, nor door to door.


                   Kathleen Schuhmacher--Waverly, IA

       We are weakening our defense system in the United States. 
     Please do what you can to maintain (at least) what we already 
     have in place.


                       Joseph Seitz--Waterloo, IA

       As you say, they could make cuts to military weapon 
     development and to cut waste. It's nice that the Secretary of 
     Defense wants to make cuts but maybe the cuts need to be 
     toward that first before reducing our National Guard.


                        Chip Wood--Waterloo, IA

       Much more savings achieved cutting regular forces.


                      Angie Gilbert--Waterloo, IA

       My husband is in the Iowa National Guard and was deployed 
     to Afghanistan in 2010. He works very hard to do a great job 
     at any task he is appointed to and is always ready to do 
     whatever he is asked to serve our state and our country. 
     These men and women do a great service and deserve great 
     respect. I believe budget cuts could be made elsewhere.


                     Brenda Douglass--Waterloo, IA

       My son is a member of the Iowa National Guard. He takes his 
     job as an Army National Guard soldier very seriously and has 
     great pride in being ready to serve his country when needed.


                       Nancy Stirm--Waterloo, IA

       Our National Guard does so much more than protect our 
     country. Let's keep them available to all needs of the state 
     and country.


                      Cindy Bengston--Waterloo, IA

       Thank you Rep. Braley!


                       Sandie Deahl--Waterloo, IA

       I believe funding within the Iowa National Guard should be 
     redistributed. Outdated or mostly vacant posts should be 
     closed or sold. Funding previously spent on maintenance 
     should be used for recruitment/training of recruits. Please 
     give Tim Orr a call, he represents the National Guard well 
     and has quite a few good ideas about future direction(s) of 
     the guard.


                      Tiona Johnston--Waterloo, IA

       I do not believe that we should cut any of our military. My 
     oldest son is in the Reserves. I also believe that someone 
     should be FIGHTING for our Veterans' rights.

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