National Guard Troops Deployed to Border Unpaid and Hungry

by Christopher Hooks Published on Friday, August 29, 2014, at 1:37 CST

Office of the Governor

Rick Perry at a press conference in Weslaco.

They came to the forbidding landscape of the Rio Grande Valley from miles away, for reasons beyond their control. Their fates were written in the stars. Strangers to the region, faced with a new and imposing culture, they tried to make the best of it. Hungry, thirsty and lacking the means to make it to their intended destination after they were dumped by the border, they fell on the region’s inhabitants for Christian charity and goodwill. Yes, the National Guard are having a rough go of it in the Rio Grande Sector:

They came here to help protect the border but now the first wave of Texas National Guard troops deployed after Governor Rick Perry made the call are needing assistance to pay for food and gas.

“We were contacted that 50 troops that are in the Valley don’t have any money for food and gas and they need our assistance,” said Food Bank [Rio Grande Valley] Executive Director Terri Drefke.

The Texas Military Forces may have a king’s ransom of gunboats and choppers and night vision goggles and what have you, but none of that’s much good if, as the RGV’s Action 4 News reports, you “won’t get paid until September 5th and have been in the Valley since August 11th.”

These are the guys that were supposed to be so threatening that fearful drug cartels would be forced to conduct their business a hundred miles up the river. Or—well, nobody’s really been able to say what they’re doing, or why. At least they’re not shooting anybody.

Seriously, let’s hope the good folks of the Texas National Guard get through this with a minimum of discomfort and without any serious mishaps. But at the same time, keep this in mind the next time Gov. Perry starts bragging about flexing the state’s military might on Fox News Sunday.

SteveMunday1949

What are the normal pay periods? Monthly, twice-monthly, weekly?
- 5live5
  
  I believe it is twice a month if on active call up.
1bimbo

gee, i bet it has something to do with the millions of dollars funneled to the illegals for food, shelter, clothing, hair salon dates, flights to exotic locations like hawaii and the virgin island.. setups in renovated apartment and resort complexes with cable TV, fitness rooms and playgrounds.. and don’t forget the bus rides to all corners of the country and free healthcare… maybe if the national guard went to mexico and illegally re-entered the US.. then they’d get the royal treatment.. oh wait, mexico puts people in jail who illegally enter their country
- Marty B.
  
  1BIMBO – I hope your post is meant to convey sarcasm, because if not, you sure are true to your avatar.
1bimbo

so can somebody please tell us what the truth is? because the biggest problem with the dissemination of information today appears to be conflicting media reports
TEXAS NATIONAL GUARDSMAN: ‘MOST OF US ARE MAKING MORE MONEY’
MISSION, Texas — Media outlets across Texas are, once again, backtracking on a story about the Texas National Guard (TNG). Reports that Guardsmen were going hungry are apparently not correct. In fact, one Texas Guardsman told Breitbart Texas, “Most of us are making more money working for the Guard than we were in our civilian life.”

Lt. Colonel Joanne MacGregor told the Austin American Statesman the TNG contacted the Rio Grande Valley food bank. They reported that a “proactive” family service coordinator contacted the food bank to determine what assistance might be necessary in the event some soldiers–who started deployment early but won’t be paid until Sept 5–required assistance.

A member of the TNG, speaking to Breitbart Texas anonymously, said the soldiers are all being well taken care of. “Many of the guardsmen being deployed were unemployed before the deployment,” the Guardsman said. “Many others of us are making well above what we were making as civilians.”

“Personally,” the Guardsman stated, “I am making twice what I was making before.”

The TNG reported the troops receive one meal while on-duty. For other meals they receive a $32 per diem reimbursement for food. That money is included in their paychecks.

The Statesman reported that the Food Bank manager of communications and advocacy, Omar Ramirez, said he was not aware of any troops being served by his organization.

Democrat Lt. Governor Candidate, State Senator Leticia Van de Putte said, “Today, we learn that our men and women of the Guard have been forced to contact food banks to feed themselves because they haven’t been paid in weeks. This is unacceptable.”

Certainly the Senator must be aware that most state employees are only paid once a month.

The Guardsman, speaking to Breitbart Texas, summed it up saying, “The soldiers are definitely being well taken care of.”

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Texas/2014/08/31/Texas-National-Guardsman-Most-of-Us-Are-Making-More-Money
- Jed
  
  i appreciate that you recognize that what you are quoting from breitbart is not the truth.
  
  breakthrough.
  - 1bimbo
    
    hm.. lefty texasOB versus righty BBtexas.. with the state of ‘journalism’ as it is, i bet even *you* can appreciate the truth is somewhere in the middle
    - YellowDog
      
      After looking at a variety of sources I have determined the the TRUTH is currently unknown. Political considerations seem to be determining the responses of media outlets. It seems to me that “political considerations” have been behind the guards presence at the border from the start.
      
      Wouldn’t it be nice to see a government response the WASN’T driven by politics?
      - Jed
        
        um, since politics is the process by which we tell the government what to do, you may be waiting awhile.
        
        the problem isn’t politics. it’s people.
      - Jed
        
        sorry, people + money.
Donna Cox

So the Democrats are at it again spreading lies the National Guard are Hungry ,Please,,this a a bunch of CRAP !