National Guard Out in Force

Nearly 800 Missouri National Guardsmen have been deployed on various security missions since terrorists struck America September 11th. Both Army and Air National Guard Units have been activated. The latest deployment involves a military police unit based in St. Clair that has been assigned security detail at the two nuclear power facilities in the state. Adjutant General Dennis Shull says 7,000 guardsmen stand ready to respond to any worst-case scenario. But Shull admits the guard can’t keep doing these extra duties indefinitely. He says that if the Guard is going to become more and more engaged in homeland defense missions, the federal government will have to be willing to provide more resources to the Guard.