1 4. Guard is embroiled in a war from itary service. ' • • : -1 •-•• -,11-...*_;.• within, its combat readiness under- During a recent discussion con.; '‘minea by corruption, fraud, 'waste ' . and serious manpower shortages. ' Touted years ago as one of the largest, strongest and most elite mill- i' -k..- • • , - • , ,-• - • tary backup units in the nation, the -,4• -0-- z:Z-4-•_.4e.cCegii‘-'- ' ",--,`-::',, , •,,1 ),-%'• ri:. ',- ....- r 54 '5,•• '''-. 1"4".3. A ' * I .Texas Guard now has problem so 1 critical that regular army officials ! admit the United States would be 4 : - hard-pressed in the outbreak of war to equip and mobilize the backup force quickly, for the thinyplunteer .' Army. 4 • • 0 ' • "When the Army went volunteer, a decision was made to limit the ac- tive Army and to rely on the guard and reserve," said Lt Gen. William B. ,••4 'I", • s A 'tes, 40. * • r •• Caldwell in, commander of the 5th US. Army, based at Fort Sam Hous- ton. • However, Caldwell said, "It might take 5 to 7 months (to ready the • • • guard), and-we might not have that • luxury." Meanwhile, some Army units of the 15,000-member Texas National Guard — the 3rd-largest unit in the nation and one expected to supply a significant number of combat-ready soldiers in a crisis — are tinder sem- tiny by the Guard's inspector general and state and federal Investigative agencies. .1 A 2-month investigation by The Dallas Morning News revealed: ' - •1 • Widespread corruption, includ- •'24-- .4 • -. - •• •W. 4:4 P 4:N4t ing theft of military equipment, p • *- clothing and supplies; forged medi- cal, payroll, supply and testing docu- ments, and the diversion of National • Guard funds and equipment to per- sonal use. -,• 4. 7- ••• • A general decline in the qualify , 7 ••• . t of the "weekend warrior," characters ; '• ized by an increasing number of non. high school graduates and persons orupoz.skimigto...g.iloor' • -.1 with "category IV" mental aptitudes AUSTIN — The Texas National — those marginally qualified for mils ••••, a x a F First in a series Ety CHUCK COOK F-7'-?O and ERIC KILLER buff W of tlhe Pf.rms • • e WHO'S GUARDING THE GUARD? • • .• • cerning reserve military manpower, US. Rep. Samuel Stratton, a member.., 4i of the House Armed Services Commit- tee and chairman of its investiga- tions subcommittee, said "There are ' people in the services now who have , to be given remedial reading before they can handle a weapon." • An inadequate system of screen.; ing applicants that, as one law ,en- forcement official said, allows "thugs and troublemakers" to join the guard. The Morning News, for exam- ple, discovered one central Texas Guard unit in Cameron whose roster included seven men who had exten- sive police or conviction records. One was promoted while in prison, and four received Guard paychecks 'while serving sentences in the Tlxas Department of Corrections: - At another Guard unit in Arling- ton, a technician responsible for thousands of dollars in supplies had been convicted of interstate trans- portation of a stolen vehicle. An ar- rest warrant for forgery recently Was issued against the technician, who vanished during a surprise inven- tory inspection that revealed several checks were missing from the unit's special fund. i• "We've become a haven for misfits Sae 'PURIFICATION' on Page 14A. •mmisliosiM• • • j • , • , , 1 . • ••••••••••,.-•••••116••••••••••••••.•••• r •••• I .t;f„'• -7„ 4 . • , "t: h4j • ; • k. • t 1 ' • • ..1r • - • ": -; . • ▪ . • ; • J 04 *