nj to deploy largest number of nat'l guard since wwii

from axcessnews: New Jersey voters are puzzled, they were under the impression that the Bush administration was going to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq beginning in December, but now over half of New Jersey's National Guard are to be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan next year - the largest number since World War II...

Three thousand New Jersey National Guardsmen received their orders this weekend, which amounts to a full brigade...


Governor Corzine is expected to give details on the state's National Guard deployment this afternoon...

corzine blasts troop deployment: it's an 'overuse'
from ap: New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine says an impending large deployment of state National Guard troops represents an overuse of the citizen soldiers that undermines their purpose...

"The fact that we continue to have the kind of overuse of our National Guard is just a mistake," said Corzine, who voted against the Iraq war when he was a U.S. senator.

Corzine called the soldiers "incredible patriots" who will "show up and serve with honor and go forward."

But he noted the deployments are "very harsh on the families" and said their continued use in the war hampers the National Guard.

"I think it is undermining of the basic purpose of the National Guard, which is to protect local and state elements and floods and fires and whatever problems that we can have," Corzine said, "and reduces our ability and it strains us on equipment." ...

Corzine said that "reflects, I think, a mismanagement of how we have prosecuted the war."