"We spend more time thinking about how to attack North Korea than protecting the homeland."

-Arnold L Punaro, chairman of the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, "Mass. Guard Lacks Vital Resources, " Boston Globe, Feb. 1

SWIFT REJECTION

"Several recommendations in the final report of the National Guard and Reserve Commission released [Jan. 31], if implemented, would undermine the National Guard and hamper the Defense Department's ability to respond to domestic emergencies."

-Senate National Guard Caucus press release: "Guard and Reserve Commission's Recommendations Would Muffle National Guard's Voice In Pentagon Decision-Making," Jan. 31

VALUE IN THE STRUGGLE

"We will never be totally ready. The day we are, you should be all over us because it will signal complacency."

-Lt Gen. H. Steven Blum, National Guard Bureau chief, "Officials Defend National Guard Readiness, " Stars and Stripes, Feb. 3

SPECIAL CALLING

"We go where we are called to be. If God calls us to go into a war zone, we go because that's where the soldier is."

-Col. David White, Tennessee National Guard state chaplain, "Military Copes With Shortage of Chaplains," USA Today, Feb. 5

FISCAL STORM CLOUDS

"Whether the current [defense] buildup will, in fact, soon end will depend on the decisions of the next administration and Congress. Given the need to address the long-term problem of increasing federal deficits-driven largely by the retirement of the baby boomer generation and, especially, continued growth in healthcare costs-there is no good reason to believe that a future administration and Congress will, indeed, move in this direction."

-Report by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a nonpartlsan, Washington, D. C.-based policy research Institute, Feb. 4

WE'RE FEEDING THE DRAGON

"China is increasing its production and acquisition of military technology at an alarming rate, and they are doing it with American trade dollars."

-Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, "China Arms Buildup 'Alarming,'" Washington Times, Feb. 21

NEW HOME

"Life in America is going to be very good."

-Kamal Salih, an Iraqi translator who Immigrated with the help of his former colleagues, New Jersey's 50th Main Support Battalion, "With Aid Of Guard 'Family,' Translator Has U.S. Home," Newhouse News Service, Feb. 19

TWO NATOs?

"I worry a great deal about the alliance evolving into a two-tiered alliance, in which you have some allies willing to fight and die to protect people's security and others who are not. It puts a cloud over the future of the alliance if this is to endure and perhaps get even worse."

-Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Feb. 6

HIGH REBUKE

"Gen. [Bruce] Carlson [commander of the Air Force Materiel Command] and others in the Air Force may not like it, but 183 is the number of F-22s approved first by Defense Secretary [Donald H.) Rumsfeld, then reaffirmed by Defense Secretary Gates and provided for in budgets presented to Congress by President Bush-Gen. Carlson's commander in chief."

-Unnamed senior defense official, after Gates reportedly scolded Carlson for saying the AIr Force still Intended to buy 381 F-22s, "Fighter Dispute Hits Stratosphere," Los Angeles Times, Feb. 15

CARELESS HEALTH CARE

"The same Army that spends $160 billion on tomorrow's fighting machines is shortchanging the shell-shocked troops coming home from war in need of healing."

-Mark Thompson, reporter, on the Sept 17, 2007, death of Indiana Guard Sg.t Gerald Cassidy at the Fort Knox (Ky.) Warrior Transition Unit, "Death at the Army's Hands," Time, Feb. 25

SUBTLE WARNING

"[P]eople don't have to agree with all the changes. They don't have to be polite in all their discussions, but they will be peaceful so that all the families in Kosovo can know that they can have their families sleep safe at night."

-Kansas Guard BrIg. Gen. John Davoren, senior U.S. commander In Kosovo, after Kosovo declared Its Independence, "Kansas National Guard Unit Keeping Peace In Kosovo," The Kansas City Star, Feb. 20

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