One-third of Reservists Fail to Report for Duty, Bush Touts "All Volunteer Army"

More than one-third of U.S. soldiers ordered to report in a call up of the Individual Ready Reserve have failed to comply with orders to report for duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to the U.S. Army. The Pentagon said the number was about what they expected.



The Individual Ready Reserve is a supplemental pool consisting of about 118,000 soldiers who have completed active duty but remain under a contractual obligation to serve when called. The IRR was last tapped in 1991, when 20,000 troops were called up for Operation Desert Storm. Most members of the IRR are veterans who have completed their regular enlistment but have specialized training in critical areas like military policing, engineering, logistics, medicine, transportation or ... well, just about anything the Army needs to get done. When called they are put on active duty for a minimum of 12 months, leaving behind families, careers and communities.



In other news:

A Marine killed in western Iraq earlier this week was identified as Sgt. Douglas E. Bascom, 25, of Colorado Springs, who, according to the Pentagon, was the first member of the Individual Ready Reserve to be killed in Iraq.



Meanwhile on the campaign trail, George W. Bush continued to insist that he has no plans to reinstate the military draft, boasting that America's "all volunteer Army" will continue to fight his War on Terror.

So now go across the street to your neighbor's. You know, the one who's not answering his door anymore. Ask him how he feels about being a member of the All Volunteer Army fighting Bush's War on Terror. And ask him why in the world he's still got that goofy Bush/Cheney sign in the yard.



China View - Over 800 US ex-soldiers fail to report for duty