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KUWAIT -- The Tom Hall, Assistant Secretary of Defense, Reserve Affairs, visited Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers in Kuwait, June 13.
Hall toured various facilities at Camps Patriot and Arifjan and met with Soldiers from the 37th and 45th Brigade Combat Teams. He was accompanied by Maj. Gen. James Nuttall, deputy director Army National Guard, and Marine Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Stuadt, Reserve affairs senior enlisted advisor.
Hall discussed the onoing change and current state of the Reserve and National Guard with leaders and Soldiers and mentioned that today's Reserve Soldiers are wholly different from those of past decades.
"It's probably been the most dramatic changes in the Guard and Reserve in the last century," Hall said. "Really it's changed from a strategic Reserve ... to what we call an operational Reserve."
Hall explained that during and after the Cold War, the Reserve was posturing for a big war. During those years, the Reserve was thought to have time to mobilize and train up. Today however, units may not necessarily have that same amount of time.
"We realized that it's a different world," he said.
According to Hall, today's Guard and Reserve Soldiers are a lot more mobile, better trained and are able to respond more quickly. They are also being better compensated for their sacrifices. He stated that within the past six years, there have been over 160 changes to the law that help benefit National Guardsmen and Reserve Soldiers.
He noted changes to medical care that allow Reserve Soldiers to be covered under Tri-Care. Talks are underway in Congress to change the G.I. Bill, Hall said.
Hall visited troops at Camp Patriot and visited facilities such as the MWR center and the gym. Hall said he was impressed at the amenities afforded the service members stationed there.
After his brief walking tour, he sat down for lunch with Reserve Soldiers. Hall and the members of his party asked the Soldiers at the dining facility questions about their unit's mobilization, training, mission and quality of life in Kuwait.
"I really didn't expect this to happen today," said Pfc. Joe Vanbuskirk, A Battery, 1st Bn., 34th Field Artillery Regt. "It was a privilege to be the one that represents the battalion."
Hall asked Vanbuskirk, a native of Marion, Ohio, about his Family and how they were adjusting to his deployment. Vanbuskirk said it was nice to know someone cared about Soldiers.
Stuadt said the purpose of the conversations was to gauge how the Soldiers felt about the training they received and how pertinent it was to their current mission in Kuwait.
Hall continued with his tour of Kuwait at Camp Arifjan where he received a briefing from the 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment command staff. Hall was briefed on the battalion's role in the U.S. Army Central area of operation.
After his briefing, Hall met with Soldiers of the battalion during dinner.
After the dinner, Hall addressed the Soldiers and thanked them for their hard work and sacrifices, as well as their Families. He also mentioned some of the changes that the Reserve and Guard components have undergone.
"It is no longer your grandfather's or grandmother's Reserve," Hall said. "The weekend Warrior is dead."
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2008 07:07 |
| Story ID: | 20867 |
| Location: | KW |
| Web Views: | 439 |
| Downloads: | 415 |
This work, Secretary Hall visits Reserve, National Guard troops in Kuwait, by Giancarlo Casem, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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