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<\/a><\/p>\nThe author preparing for Kuwait duty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/b>LC NATIONAL GUARD UNIT MEMBER REMEMBERS ACTIVATION DURING 1990 PERSIAN GULF WAR<\/p>\n
By Jonathan Fontenot<\/p>\n
In 1990, 11 years before the ongoing war on terror started in 2001, we were involved in another conflict in the Middle East \u2014 one where the battle was between actual nations, not ideologies, as it is today.<\/p>\n
Iraq invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, and within five days, the U.S. sent a small force to begin a defensive operation known as \u201cDesert Shield,\u201d intent on stopping the Iraqis from advancing into Saudi Arabia. Two naval groups soon followed into the Persian Gulf. The buildup then converted from a defensive posture to a possible offensive campaign. Forces continued to build in the region.<\/p>\n
Lake Charles was home to an infantry unit of the Louisiana National Guard \u2014 Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry. Several other companies from the same battalion were in the nearby towns: Jennings \u2014 Delta Company, Leesville \u2014 Alpha Company, Dequincy \u2014 Echo Company and DeRidder \u2014 Delta Company.\u00a0 Much of the Guard was occupied by college students, as the Guard had offered a generous student loan payback incentive.<\/p>\n
For several generations, unlike now, the Guard was only used for statewide emergencies, and usually on a voluntary basis, such as the Lake Charles flood of 1989, the takeover of the Oakdale prison by Cuban refugees, and Hurricane Andrew. In fact, the last time anyone could recall that the Guard had last been activated (mandatory participation) was for the New Orleans Police Strike of 1979, 21 years earlier.<\/p>\n
But, since we were an infantry unit, and a ground war was on the horizon, we felt we might be used in some capacity. However, few of us were mentally prepared for full-blown activation. We received official notice of activation in November, 1990. The community was very supportive; most guardsmen were assured that their jobs would be there when the conflict was over, many students were allowed to pull out of school, and McNeese even allowed us to keep whatever grade we had as our final grade!<\/p>\n
Activation was an experience \u2014 at first, we would meet at the armories in our towns, and were allowed to go home at night.\u00a0 But soon we had to stay at the armory, and our families could only contact us by speaking over the barbed wire erected around the perimeter of the armory.<\/p>\n
Our first stop was a place with which we were familiar \u2014 Ft. Polk, where most of our training was conducted. But we drove 18 hours to Ft. Hood \u2014 a base outside of Killeen, Texas. We were sent there to train, but also to occupy the base, as it was home to the Second Armored Division, which had already been deployed to the Persian Gulf area.<\/p>\n
Conditions at Ft. Hood were terrible. A General in command of the base insisted that we train 12-14 hours a day, seven days a week \u2014 for months. Morale was low; some troops attempted suicide; some succeeded.<\/p>\n
The most desperate act was undertaken by a group of National Guard soldiers from Shreveport (the 1st Battalion), who rented a bus so they could go AWOL en masse.<\/p>\n
Some of our Lake Charles troops tried the same thing, but the attempt was foiled. Most of us were embarrassed \u2014 partly because we had gotten the nickname \u201cAWOL Brigade,\u201d and also because Paul Harvey mentioned the story on his national program. Still, it brought attention to how we were being treated.<\/p>\n
Morale was boosted when Governor Roemer announced he would get us home for Christmas \u201ccome hell or high water.\u201d We drove home on Dec. 23-24, and were allowed to spend Christmas Day with our families. However, on Dec. 26, we had to meet at Chennault to be flown back to Ft. Hood. Many of our families still remember that feeling \u2014 watching us leave on big camouflage planes. It was bittersweet. We\u2019d had two days of relaxation, but it only made going back that much harder.<\/p>\n
We were all trying to gather info about the war, and the sole source of info was the one all-news cable channel, CNN. President Bush had given Iraq until Jan. 15 to withdraw. The world held its breath. Jan. 15 came and went. So did Jan. 16. No news. Then, on Jan. 17 (a date I vividly remember, because it was my birthday, and mom and dad had sent me a package from Harry and David), the president addressed the world, and stated that, as he spoke, an air campaign was being launched.<\/p>\n
We watched the war unfold. The images are seared into our memories: briefings with Gen. Schwarzkopf, hearing him say he kept two books by his bedside: the Bible, and Desert Warfare by Erwin Rommel; the grainy video of buildings being bombed; and, when the ground war started, the massive surrender of Iraqi troops. We were briefed that Israel had been bombed in an attempt to disrupt the coalition of the Arab nations. Also, one Scud missile hit a barracks holding U.S. troops, killing 28 soldiers.<\/p>\n
Pretty soon, Iraq was pushed out of Kuwait, and the war was over. There would be no need for us to go overseas. We returned to Ft. Polk, and eventually to Lake Charles. Support for the troops was exceptional \u2014 not only for how they performed, but also because the nation had been eager to exorcise the ghosts of the Vietnam War. Whether you were for or against Desert Storm, you could still support the troops.<\/p>\n