Vt. Guard fights back deployment questions

Vt. Guard fights back deployment questions
By Dave Gram - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Feb 10, 2009 21:35:28 EST

MONTPELIER, Vt. — It was billed as a hearing to air the concerns of Vermont National Guard families about a deployment of about 1,800 Guard troops to Afghanistan beginning late this year.

But Tuesday’s session before the House General, Housing and Military Affairs Committee turned out to be more a briefing from top Guard officials about programs in place to help soldiers’ families and employers during an expected yearlong deployment of nearly half of Vermont’s 4,000 National Guard members.

Adjutant General Michael Dubie began by quoting from Gov. Erastus Fairbanks’ telegram to President Abraham Lincoln responding to Lincoln’s call to raise an army to fight the Civil War: “Vermont will do its full duty.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here to report to you tonight that with the upcoming mission to Afghanistan, Vermont will do its full duty,” Dubie said.

The only military family member to testify was Kathleen Daye of Waterbury, whose father, mother and uncles served in World War II and whose cousin volunteered to go to Vietnam.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_vt_guard_021009/%2e