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American Morning

Reservists in Armed Forces Could be Looking at Change of Plans

Aired August 26, 2002 - 09:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Reservists in the U.S. armed forces could be looking at a pretty drastic change of plans.
Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, has details for us this morning.

Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, the military, another signal that things are far from over. The Pentagon has now notified Congress that up to 14,000 thousand Air Force Reservists and National Guard troops may be kept on duty an extra 12 months. When these people were called up last year, there was a two-year authorization, but generally, Reservists and National Guard are only kept to active duty for about 12 months. Now Congress has been notified that that is going to be extended for another 12 months, for the full two years. These Air Force, National Guard and Reserve troops are considered essential. They are troops that provide communications, security, and support those combat air patrols over the United States.

So the Pentagon is saying they just cannot release them yet to go home to their jobs and their families. All told, since September, 74,000 Guard and Reservists have been called to duty across all of the military services -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Barbara, why might that call to keep the reservists who've already been called, why keep them longer rather than bringing up new Reservists and give the people who've been doing their service a break?

STARR: Well, these are -- you know, there aren't just that many of them. These are considered really mission-critical essential skills. As I say, security, communications and supporting those combat air patrols over the United States.

And one can only suppose the Pentagon is keeping the rest of its reserve forces in reserve in case something else breaks out.

KAGAN: That's true. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thank you so much.

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