General says Iraq war taking toll on Alabama Guard [View All]

General says Iraq war taking toll on Alabama Guard

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Nationally, what's supposed to be a 350,000-member organization has fallen short by more than 7,000 soldiers. Similarly, the Alabama National Guard is losing more than it's recruiting, Bowen said.

The state is authorized to employ 14,500 Army National Guard members, but has only about 79 percent of those positions filled, with 11,849 personnel. The Guard lost 2,161 soldiers last year, while filling only 1,595 of the vacated positions in a drive with a goal of 1,600.

The Alabama Guard, long a leader nationally, still is the sixth largest - trailing only the far more populous states of California, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio, in that order.
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