[Jcordell]

I believe it was under President Teddy Roosevelt that the National Guard structure was reorganized and became more dependent on Federal dollars. It wasn't an instant process and took decades. Actually it's still going on. Why did Teddy Roosevelt instigate such a change of the system? Well it's my understanding that he was unimpressed with what he saw in the Spanish-American War in 1898. Some of the state militia units called to active service were top notch, but many left much to be desired. They varied wildly in their training and quality of supply. There was no standard of training, organization etc.

It was a mess and Roosevelt understood that the United States needed the organized militia units to supplement the regualars. A century ago the regular army was tiny. Actually many have said that the federal goverment screwed up in Vietnam because only a handfull of guard and reserve units were called up to active duty. The Regular Army was stretched and there was no sense of involvement for the general populace. It's been said that the heavy use of the National Guard and Reserve forces have kept the discontent with the War on Terror to a low level because so many people have friends and family members who are currently on active duty. Small and mid-size America feels like there is more at stake. There is alot to be said for that. One block from my house is a National Guard armory. In 2004 that battalion was in Iraq. The first casulty in that unit (a supply and support unit) was a nineteen year old teenage girl. She was killed by a roadside bomb. She graduated from the local high school and her family lives in town. There is a memorial to her outside of that armory now. It's very real. So I would say that "they" are correct in this respect.

Truth be told all the branches need the reserve and guard units when there is a long-term conflict. Always have. The past eight years have shown that the Regualars can't go it alone. For many reasons the United States isn't ready to have a full-time military force of 3,0000,0000. So while I like your concept of the Guard being held as a home defense organization I don't see it happening anytime soon.

You are right about guerilla forces. I'm 41 now and I have a bad back. I work out and I'm in pretty good condition, but my days of busting through the woods with a eighty pound rucksack, a rifle and 300 rounds of 5.56 mm NATO are over. Twenty - two years ago I was up for the task. But even back then fifteen hours of patrolling with a full load in bad weather was exhausting both physically and mentally. And that was in peacetime with the knowledge that in six or seven days I would be back in civilization with hot showers and a soft bed. I wasn't looking at years and years of the same thing with the added stress of combat. It's a demanding thing and very few are up for it. And though some of the logistics might be different the same goes for the "Urban" guerilla.

The whole issue is complicated and a whole lot more messy than the movies would have you believe. Actually anytime you throw in Humans and violence everything goes downhill very quickly and I speak from personal experience.