Minnesota National Guard draws longest extension

It’s the families, stupid

Bluestem Prairie ferreted out the following from an L.A. Times article:

Under Bush’s plan, the Minnesota National Guard drew the longest extension of any combat team in Iraq. Many soldiers heard the news first not from their commanders, but from their relatives, who received an e-mail alert on Wednesday evening, a few hours after Bush discussed the buildup in a speech to the nation.

more insideSome might say this looks like a “punishment” for the Democratic victories in the state last November. Not according to Minnesota National Guard Public Affairs Officer Lt. Col. Kevin Olson:

The 1st Brigade, which consists of the Minnesota National Guard and a number of other National Guard units, were selected because of their agility and their ability to get the job done right…. Our citizen-Soldiers are perfectly magnificent.

Magnificent or not, it’s tough on the 3,000 or so Minnesota families that are affected. Olson agrees: “We acknowledge that it is a sacrifice for our families and places a great deal of burden on them.”

It may also be a problem for the Republican Party, which, according to Matthew Borghese, “may want to rethink choosing Minneapolis, Minnesota as the home for its 2008 national convention, after the Pentagon announces that the North Star State’s forces will be one of the first to serve a longer tour in Iraq.”