Missouri Guard units not among those called

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- No Missouri forces are among the 29 National Guard and Air Force Reserve units mobilized for America's war on terrorism.

Lt. Tamara Spicer of the Missouri National Guard said all information regarding activation of Guard and reserve units will come from the U.S. Department of Defense.

"We have gotten guidance that we are not to discuss any aspect of the mobilization, even the concept of Guard units not being mobilized," Spicer said.

A listing of the units called to active duty is posted on the defense department's Web site at www.defenselink.mil. If other units are activated, they too will be listed on the site.

"That will be the only place to release units that will be activated," Spicer said.

President Bush on Thursday ordered the mobilization of 29 units from 24 states and the District of Columbia. Those units consist of 5,131 members.

Two Air National Guard units in states bordering Missouri are among those activated. They are the 183rd Fighter Wing at Springfield, Ill., and the 134th Air Control Squadron in Wichita, Kan.

Army and Air National Guard units in Missouri combined have approximately 11,000 members. Nationally, about 1.3 million men and women serve in military reserve forces, making up about one-half the strength of the armed forces, said the defense department.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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