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    Communities and their guard

    Communities and their guard

    Photo By Staff Sgt. Cory Grogan | Lt. Col. Bill James, Task Force Atlas commander for the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat...... read more read more

    AL ASAD, IRAQ

    10.14.2009

    Story by Spc. Cory Grogan 

    41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team

    AL ASAD, Iraq — Lt. Col. Brian James believes that having a strong relationship between community members and their National Guard makes those communities a better place to live.

    James has spent many years working with the businesses, universities, and school districts in the Portland and Vancouver, Ore., community as an Active Guard/Reserve or AGR. In his time working for the Oregon Army National Guard, he said he has seen a lot of civilians come into the Guard, and has put many people into the Guard himself.

    James said that "putting civilians in boots," has been good for the community and that employers have learned that they are able to trust citizen Soldiers.

    As an AGR, James works with the civilian sector to help Soldiers balance their civilian and military careers, and he has a working relationship with many employers and business people in his community.

    "As an employer you get a quality individual with a work ethic that is sometimes hard to find these days. You get a citizen Soldier who has good base values; you don't have to worry about people not being clean and ready to go to work. I think that's one of the skills we give back to the community as a citizen Soldier."

    James said the relationship with the community he works with is the highest he has ever seen it.

    "After 9/11, people have really been able to see everything the Guard has done with multiple deployments, national and state missions. We've come a long way," said James.

    James believes that it has been necessary and important for the Guard to play larger roles in protecting the Nation, and that having community support is a critical aspect of the Guard's mission success.

    He stated that while employers along with guardmembers and their families sacrifice because of their service, it is still worth supporting because it creates a stronger work force, better community, and safer country.

    In order for us to be successful as a nation, during times of conflict, it is important to have the Guard involved with federal missions along with state missions, James said.

    "We have to rally the families, schools and churches to get the community support needed to protect the country and our state."

    James doesn't believe the active component would be able to accomplish the mission by themselves right now, and he said that community support helps win the war abroad.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 10.14.2009
    Date Posted: 10.14.2009 07:14
    Story ID: 40086
    Location: AL ASAD, IQ

    Web Views: 289
    Downloads: 263

    PUBLIC DOMAIN