Minnesota Guard tours extended

The same evening that President Bush outlined his new plan for the war in Iraq, Minnesota National Guard leadership found out its role in the next phase of war: Some 2,600 Minnesota Soldiers now serving in Iraq will have their service there extended.

"The Minnesota National Guard has learned that the Minnesota National Guard's 1st Brigade Combat Team will be extended in Iraq," Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, Minnesota National Guard spokesman, said Wednesday. "At this time, it is unclear on the duration of the extension or the mission."

Bush's address came hours after the death of Minnesota National Guard Sgt. James M. Wosika Jr., 24, was announced. The St. Paul native died in a roadside bombing Tuesday while on foot patrol in Fallujah. He was the 10th Minnesota guardsman to die in Iraq and the seventh since June.

The 2,600 Minnesota National Guard members affected by the service extension constituted the state's largest deployment of citizen-Soldiers since World War II. Their 1st Brigade Combat Team deployed to Iraq last spring and was scheduled to return this spring.

Overall, about 3,000 Minnesota Guard Soldiers and airmen are deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In military circles around the Twin Cities — and beyond — reactions to Bush's speech, which called for an Iraq troop increase of 21,500, were mixed Wednesday night.

Nancy Finley, of Hastings, has a 24-year-old son serving in Iraq. James Finley was scheduled to return home in March, but his National Guard unit out of New Ulm is affected by the extension. Even with the news, Nancy Finley said she still supported the new war plan.

"It sounded like he is working with a lot of top people," she said of Bush. "As much as I want my son home, as much as I want all of them home, I just still support (the president) completely."

As for the extension, she said she has become accustomed to the way the military handles its business.

"We just kind of say the Army does what the Army does," she said. "As a mom and as Jamie's family, we just keep on praying for him and keep on being here for him. We just keep on hoping that he gets home safe and sound. But we want that for all of them."

Sgt. Corey Strand, a Wisconsin native serving in Iraq, watched the president's speech in Baghdad when it aired at 5 a.m. local time as part of her job in Army public affairs.

"I was happy that he took responsibility for the war," she said, "and I'm a little concerned about sending more troops open-ended. I think we need to have a more definite timeline."

She has served four months out of her 12-month tour so far, and said it can be demoralizing for Soldiers to find out that their tours have been extended.

"You're making plans — I'm going to do this when I get home, I'm going to do that. But you just have to Soldier on," she said.

Judson Meyer, a sergeant with the Minnesota National Guard, finished a 12-month tour in Iraq in December 2005. He is now running the Uptown Bar & Grill in Waverly. He said he feels safe he won't be called up to serve. He also said he supports Bush's new strategy.

"He did the leader thing. He stood up for what has gone wrong," he said from his bar. "He still believes in the cause, but also understands that there are a lot of people pulling away their support. He kind of wanted to pull them back in."

Meyer's mother, Dennie Meyer, is the president of the north metro chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America, a military family support organization. She was going to watch the Bush speech from her home in Coon Rapids.

"We're all waiting to find out what's going to happen to our children," she said before listening to the president. "We support our troops and we support our kids."

At the Twin Star VFW Post in St. Paul, Randy Freeman turned down the jukebox to watch the address. His son has served three tours in the Mideast, he said, and was recalled just last month. The Minnesota National Guard member plans to fight the redeployment.

"How many times does he have to go?" asked Freeman, an Army veteran who now works as a support service specialist with Army recruiting. "I have a problem with that. He's not going back. Period."

The president's announcement was met with more curses than cheers at the post. Roy Wright, an Army veteran from the Vietnam era, was the one guy cheering.

"I'm for it all the way. We need more troops," he said. "… We've got to win. We've got to win."

By John Brewer
651-228-2093
01/11/07