Iowa Governor Terry Branstad testified this week before the National Commission on the Future of the Army…….
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Branstad says billions of dollars have spent in the past decade to ensure guard units are capable of carrying out military missions around the globe. And the governor says that money would be wasted if the military’s top brass decides to restrict the guard mostly to missions in the U.S….
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Branstad is co-chairman of the Council of Governors that advises the Pentagon on Guard-related issues
The panel expects to make its final recommendations in February. In the past 13 years, more than 17-thousand Iowa National Guard soldiers have been deployed outside the country. Nearly half of current Iowa Guard soldiers have combat experience.