National Guard Shortages Leave U.S. Ill Prepared for Disasters

The massive tornado and storm track, packing 205 mph winds that leveled about 95% of Greensburg, Kansas, is the beginning of what is expected to be a fierce tropical season in the United States. The storms killed at least twelve people and now the state is struggling to recover since it only has about 40% of its allocated equipment from the Kansas National Guard. Governor Kathleen Sebelius has warned officials for months that Kansas is not prepared for catastrophe because much of their first responder equipment and personnel of the Guard has been sent to Iraq. Normally, the state would have more than 30 large trucks to clear debris and they now have less than 15. Kansas should have 170 vehicles to transport people and supplies, but has fewer than 30. These tactical vehicles are in high demand in Iraq because they are the most advanced equipment the Kansas Guard has. The state is now desperate to hire private contractors to clear debris.

According to an investigation by the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO), this is not just a Kansas problem. The National Guard has shipped more than 100,000 pieces of equipment overseas, leaving the United States with about 35% of the supplies it will need to respond to natural disasters or homeland security catastrophes. Governors across the U.S. are scrambling to develop contingency plans for disaster readiness. Some state officials are preparing to borrow supplies from other states if needed. Governor Charlie Crist in Florida is preparing a memorandum of understanding between the Army and the National Guard that would expedite his use of Army Reserve equipment without the red-tape bureaucratic process through the president.

In January, Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates warning that the Nebraska National Guard has an $80 million equipment shortage. He pleaded with Gates that because Nebraska is short by 7,500 pieces of equipment, the president must address the issue in his budget. In Florida, Senator Bill Nelson says the Florida National Guard has about 53% of the equipment it usually has for responding to a storm or domestic catastrophe. They have about 600 to 700 soldiers deployed in Iraq.

The GAO investigation also uncovered that Texas, California and Louisiana have about half of what they need in their Army National Guard resources. Governor Martin O'Malley of Maryland is faced with shortages due to the ongoing deployment of 1,300 Maryland National Guardsmen to Iraq. The governor said in a report to the Baltimore Sun that, "They're just simply not there to do their homeland security job because they've been deployed to do the job in Iraq, and it's a big problem." The governor points out that if a Category II hurricane were to hit Maryland, they would need 335 Humvees to provide essential services; it now has 279 instead of the usual 781.

The Army has pledged to increase National Guard spending by $23 billion through 2011, but it is estimated that it will take up to 6 years to replenish equipment and personnel levels in state Guard facilities.

Sources:
www.senate.gov
www.kansascity.com
www.kcbs.com
www.cnn.com
www.baltimoresun.com
www.usatoday.com