The Little Unit That Couldn't

The 48th Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the Georgia National Guard appears to exemplify all that can go wrong with the Total Force policy. Some $40 million a year was spent to train and equip the 48th, which was considered a crack Guard unit. In the event of war, it was scheduled to augment the regular Army's 24th Mechanized Infantry Division. Said General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of the 24th before he was tapped to lead Desert Storm: "I expect them to fight alongside us. They are, in fact, combat ready."

But when the 24th Division was rushed to the gulf last...

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