News Summary

The state's two U.S senators are questioning whether Ohio National Guard troops would be properly outfitted and trained for a possible new deployment to Iraq, echoing concerns raised by Gov. Ted Strickland.

"It is my understanding that the Ohio National Guard is being asked to train their men and women without the facilities or equipment necessary to do it right," Republican Sen. George Voinovich said in a statement.

Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown put out his own release also taking issue with the call-up.

"Our citizen soldiers are paying far too high a price for the president's misguided policy in Iraq," Brown said.

The Defense Department this week notified National Guard troops in Ohio, Arkansas, Indiana and Oklahoma to prepare for possible mobilization to Iraq as early as December. They would serve as replacement forces in the war's regular troop rotation, and it would be the second tour for several thousand of the guard members.

Thomas Hall, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, said the four brigades would be given about nine months to prepare.

In interviews Tuesday followed by a letter to President Bush, Gov. Strickland said he wanted assurances that the soldiers would have adequate training and the most up-to-date body armor, night-vision goggles and other equipment.

The Democratic governor also questioned whether it was fair to redeploy the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Columbus, which is being called up for the second time in two years and wasn't supposed to be mobilized again until 2009.

Two of the 37th units are located in Springfield: the Headquarters of the 37th Brigade Special Troops Battalion and Company C for the battalion. Fifty-nine soldiers belong to Company C and 188 belong to the Headquarters.

In his statement, Voinovich raised a similar complaint and said he planned to contact Defense Secretary Robert Gates about the redeployment of Guard troops from all four states.