McCain: Guard has risen to post-9/11 challenges

[unhappycamper]

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at the National Guard Association of the United States convention in Baltimore on Sept. 21.


McCain: Guard has risen to post-9/11 challenges
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Sep 21, 2008 17:41:00 EDT

BALTIMORE — Republican presidential candidate John McCain pledged Sunday to prevent parochialism from putting the National Guard in a back seat on military issues, to expand health care benefits for Guard members and their families and to punish employers who discriminate in hiring and reemploying reservists after a deployment.

Speaking at the National Guard Association of the United States convention, Arizona Sen. McCain used the opportunity to highlight that fact that he — a retired Navy officer — understands the evolving role of the Guard and what the Guard really needs.

“Before 9/11, I do not think a lot of us understood the potential of the National Guard,” McCain said. “My friends, we understand it now.

“We place great demands on the National Guard. At times, the Guard’s responsibilities exceed even the demands we put on our active-duty forces. And our government has certain obligations that it has not always kept.”

McCain pledged to provide additional manpower and equipment to the Guard so that units were better prepared to respond when called, to have policies that made it possible to serve in the Guard and to have a civilian career that survives interruptions of mobilization and to improve health care benefits for Guard and reserve members and their families.


Article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/military_mccain_guard_092108/%2e

[zbdent]

1. They're really trying hard to push that halo effect ...