Recall doesn't surprise Guard member

Officer Borchert

saw it coming

months ago

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A local Minnesota Army National Guard member isn't surprised that he'll be recalled to active duty next month, to augment security at U.S. Military facilities in Europe.

New Ulm Police Officer Dave Borchert saw it coming months ago when he wrote his will and received lots of medical shots during his monthly National Guard drills.

Borchert and the 1st Batallion, 125th Artillery units from New Ulm, Anoka, Pipestone, Luverne, Jackson, Fairmont, St. James and St. Peter; Company B, 682nd Engineer Battalion from Hutchinson and the 34th Division Artillery based on Brooklyn Park comprise more than 500 soldiers. They will be activated for six months in late July, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, an ongoing mission to combat world terrorism.

The Minnesota National Guard will be relieving units from the Puerto Rico National Guard. Troops are expected to return home at the end of March 2004.

Security work is nothing new to Borchert. He's been a New Ulm police officer for four years. He'll leave his wife and four-year-old son at home, but he's prepared himself and them for that as best as he can.

"You realize when you're in the Guard and Reserves that you can get called to active duty. That's what you're there for," Borchert said. "We're an artillery unit and this is what we do."

He admitted he will take a bit of a pay cut going full-time with the Guard and may have to dip into his financial reserves to make up the difference, but he doesn't expect a severe financial hardship.

He might like to stay with his Guard friends in Europe -- but realizes the likelihood of them being split up in places like England, Italy, Germany and Turkey after training before they leave the country.

The mobilization is geared to provide necessary forces to ensure security for troops, their dependents and U.S. military installations. The European security mission has been assigned since Sept. 11, 2001.

Deploying personnel are in addition to the 800 members of the Minnesota National Guard already deployed in the Global War on Terror. In addition, the Minnesota Army National Guard will deploy more than 1,100 soldiers next month to conduct peace keeping operations in Bosnia.

Besides normal training, soldiers going to Europe will do specific training to help insure success. Training will include force protection, threat briefings, personnel and vehicle searches, risk assessment and mitigation and check point procedures, among others.

Currently, there are 220,000 Guard and Reservists serving on active duty in the United States and abroad. Members are covered by the military's medical system while on military orders.

Families of the mobilized soldiers will be covered by TRICARE health insurance which is similar to civilian health care coverage. The program has been in place for more than three years and is used daily throughout the country by active forces.

The Guard Family Network, a volunteer group supported by the Minnesota National Guard, will assist families of soldiers being mobilized and deployed.

The Minnesota National Guard has staffed Family Assistance Centers around the state. The centers will be staffed full-time by National Guard members to assist families with emergencies and routine questions during deployment.

Each unit that deploys will have a Family Readiness Group made up of families of the soldiers in that area. The groups will meet periodically to discuss issues and network with other families in the same situation.

Although a significant number of troops are deployed, the Minnesota Army National Guard has no plans to close any facility and will continue business as usual in all training and community centers.