The National Guard, South Dakota

In an on going series of posts we have called for Rep. Vito Fossella to call for the return of the National Guard to their home states along with their equipment in order to better support our country and communities. Since we have been covering various stories showing the toll sending them and their equipment to Iraq has had at home.

South Dakota
via the Souix City Journal;

The South Dakota National Guard only has 54 percent of its equipment available, according to a spokesman, Maj. Orson Ward.

Ward said $22 million worth of equipment was left behind in Iraq and Afghanistan, contributing to a total drain of more than $100 million in equipment for the state Guard.

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Responding to disasters is not the only reason to have equipment available. "For us it's a big deal because what that means is, we do not have that stuff on hand to train on," Ward said.

Support America, bring our National Guard home.