http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12688693



All Things Considered, August 10, 2007 · Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for Iraq and Afghanistan, says he is concerned about the toll the war in Iraq and extended deployments are taking on U.S. forces.

The man who is widely known as the "war czar" also says that from a military standpoint, a return to a draft should be part of the discussion.

On the ground in Iraq, Lute tells Michele Norris that there has been "demonstrable progress" on the security front. But on the political front, the Iraqi government is lagging behind, though he does cite progress at local and provincial levels.

How heavy a toll is the war taking on American forces? Do you agree with other military leaders who have expressed worries that U.S. forces are near the breaking point?

As an Army officer, this is a matter of real concern to me. Ultimately, the American army, and any other all-volunteer force, rests with the support and the morale and the willingness to serve demonstrated by our — especially our young men and women in uniform. And I am concerned that those men and women and the families they represent are under stress as a result of repeated deployments.

There's both a personal dimension of this, where this kind of stress plays out across dinner tables and in living room conversations within these families, and ultimately, the health of the all-volunteer force is going to rest on those sorts of personal family decisions. And when the system is under stress, it's right to be concerned about some of the future decisions these young men and women may make. I think our military leaders are right to be focused on that.

There's also a professional and broader strategic argument to this, and that is that when our forces are as engaged as they have been over the last several years, particularly in Iraq, that we're concerned as military professionals that we also keep a very sharp edge honed for other contingencies outside of Iraq.

When military leaders, though, talk about the breaking point, what are they talking about? What's the real worry there?

I think that most who have talked about the stress on the force are concerned that in today's all-volunteer force, especially with the sort of quality individuals that we're interested in attracting to the all-volunteer force, that we're actually competing in the marketplace — in the labor marketplace — for a very narrow slice of high school graduates without records with the law who come to us with a clean bill of health and the potential to serve this country in some very demanding missions.

So when you're competing in that marketplace, I think the concern is that these people are challenged and feel the respect to the nation and feel a calling to something beyond themselves, beyond just a personal calling, and that these things remain in place and, therefore, make the all-volunteer force viable in the long run.

You know, given the stress on the military and the concern about these extended deployments for an all-volunteer military, can you foresee, in the future, a return to the draft?

You know, that's a national policy decision point that we have not yet reached, Michele, because the —

But does it make sense militarily?

I think it makes sense to certainly consider it, and I can tell you, this has always been an option on the table, but ultimately, this is a policy matter between meeting the demands for the nation's security by one means or another. Today, the current means of the all-volunteer force is serving us exceptionally well. It would be a major policy shift — not actually a military, but a political policy shift to move to some other course.

Do you agree with that assessment that there is a real pressure point in the spring — that that's when the Pentagon will face some tough decisions about either extended deployments or reducing the time spent at home?

Yes, I do agree that come the spring, some variables will have to change — either the degree to which the American ground forces, the Marines and the Army in particular, are deployed around the world to include Iraq, or the length of time they're deployed in one tour, or the length of time they enjoy at home. Those are, essentially, the three variables.

It's interesting, because we often hear the president back away from discussions of any kind of timetable, because he says that it would show our cards to our enemies. But it seems that they would know this also, that the current force strength has its limits.

Well, remember that I said that there are three variables. So there's not a hard and fast stop to any level of commitment of American forces.

Now your title is assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for Iraq and Afghanistan. Could you explain exactly what you do?

What I do is work alongside Steve Hadley, the president's national security adviser, giving full-time attention to the issues surrounding our policy and the execution of those policies in Iraq and Afghanistan and essentially give Steve Hadley a teammate who can attend full time to the demands of those two missions.

How often do you talk directly to President Bush?

Daily.

And when — are you the point person there that gives the president the daily war briefing on progress in Iraq and Afghanistan?

I have daily contacts with the president alongside Steve Hadley, and of course that relationship is very important because, while I'm responsible for – as the point man on Iraq and Afghanistan in advising the president, Steve and I have to make sure that Iraq and Afghanistan are placed appropriately in the regional context.

I'm just curious – what do you think of the term war czar?

It's actually an unfortunate term because it doesn't describe my job at all.

But it's often how people describe you.

That may be, but it wouldn't be my choice of how I describe the job. What I'm trying to do here is actually facilitate the very hard work that's taking place on the ground and link it to the very hard work that's being done here in Washington across the departments of the executive branch with the priorities of what's required on the ground reflected in the efforts here in Washington. I'm in charge of about 15 people. Now that's not exactly very czar-like, but what I am able to do is make sure that efforts are aligned properly.

Well, you know what they say in Washington sometimes — that power is concentrated.

[Chuckles.] Well, I have 15 very qualified people, and we're working very hard to do our best to contribute to this effort.

They don't want a return to the draft because that will be the day the jig is up. All the ChickenHawks will be turned out of office so fast their heads will spin and they will never be elected to anything again.

Indeed. And you'll see the 17-25 year olds taking an active interest in policy once again.

And to quote a person placed high in the current administration:

BALOOOOONEY

So, you don’t like your new “war” zar?

To tell the truth War sucks for sure. But I have a lot of Bros that I served with over there. They are my age but have never left the service.....If the Army let old guys like me in they wouldn't need a draft!

Is this a family photo of your tourist trip to Iraq Marine? You know the place that is doing so great? And where we are winning hearts and minds? Or did you mean where you want to go to collect brains and heart organs as trophies? Please clarify.

I can relate. Back in 2005 I requested reinstatement in the Corps. Got a nice letter from the folks at Henderson Hall telling me thanks but no thanks. They were right though, at 54 I'd a been a liability instead of an asset.

I moped around feeling sort of useless for a while but the thought of serving never left me. This past Spring I discovered where I can still play a useful role by being in the Texas State Guard. I've already been called into active duty once to lend a hand in case hurricane Dean had hit Texas.

And now it looks like I'm due to stand to for a real Homeland Security assignment, a thing called Operation Wrangler. The Adjutant General of Texas Military Forces tasked the Texas State Guard to provide 40 troops with a security clearance of Secret or higher to report for active duty for the period 13 Nov 07 thru 04 Dec 07. The word I got is they want to pull from the South, Central, and West Texas regiments first. Considering the 19th regiment in Dallas is fairly typical and we got two people with a Secret or higher security clearance I bet those first three regiment have a bit a trouble fulfilling the manpower request. That means the Panhandle and the two regiments in the DFW area will have to provide all their qualified personnel too.

I don't have a clue what I'll be doing except they said this task isn't one of the armed patrols at the border checkpoints. Probably be processing forms and paperwork which isn't all that glamorous but it's a necessary duty.

I don't know how many times I've heard Soldiers in my regiment say if they got orders to go to Iraq they'd do it in a heartbeat. What those young ones are doing in Iraq is a noble endeavor and 30 years from now they can look back upon what they accomplished with real pride. I still wish I could be a real part of it but in lieu I am proud to be doing a Homeland Security assignment.

I am still working on joining you..... My car is taking a long time to get running so I can be reliable at getting to Pasadena for drills. I have licence now! AND my wifes permission of course.
GOTTA DO SOMETHING!

Speaking of military things, I ran into a guy that I used to jump with at that SOC site. He got his Ranger tab at 40 yrs old!

I am glad that the Guard wants me....

Since you are prior service you ought to enter the Guard at one rank higher than what you left Federal Service. Don't settle for less.

You will need your DD214, and also the Guard (to keep people from entering with a phonied up DD214{Geez, do people really do this?}) will ask you to apply for a copy which is sent directly to the State Guard Hdqtrs in Austin. You'll also need a couple of photographs but wait to do them, they are very picky about just how you are posing for the pictures, I had to do mine 6 times before I got them right. There is a bunch of other paperwork which includes a criminal background check.

Be Patient! My CO was turning flips to get me in but Austin just fiddled around until they were good and ready to process the paperwork. I've learned Hdqtrs in Austin must still be using the same processes and procedures which existed towards the end of the 19th century in the Army. I'm still waiting on a mileage reimbursement check from my trip to Laredo in August.

Another tip, the State Guard utilizes their member's personal assets extensively, I had to drive my old truck all the way to Laredo and our Comm detachment uses our own radios(right now we are having a big fuss with the 1st Battalion people because they went out and bought UHF radios. UHF works good in built up areas and penetrates into buildings best but overall range is extremely limited, Regiment is on VHF with the backbone being 2 meter 50 to 200 watt ham rigs, we think 2nd Battalion is using GMR radios which suck even worst. To put an end to a long story in an emergency regiment can communicate with Hdqtrs but have to rely to a few intelligent people at the battalion level who use 2 meter who then passes the word to the rest of their people(if they are in range with the mickey mouse radios they use). Getting a coherant Comm plan going is a constant source of frustration for us in C4I.

If your car is less than perfectly reliable beware of deploying on a mission with it, one of the Cpls in 2nd Battalion deployed in his raggedy old Toyota truck and he ended up by himself on guard duty in Bastrop while the rest of the regiment moved on to Laredo. The movement from DFW to Bastrop was limited to 50mph because his truck kept overheating.

Bring a few friends into the Guard too. Texans helping Texans is the Guard motto.

Congrats on being accepted Big Tom...
Marine can show ya the ropes, I'm sure.

Service is a honorable desire,
honorable service is patriotic.

I always wondered about guys
who wanted to go to war (since WWII)
...but once in the field...that faded away,
I figured they were educated by fire and
chastened by honor. Careful what ya wish for.

Salutes to both of ya. Carry the colors high.