Equipment concerns limiting National Guard

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Debate has begun in Washington, D.C. over the financial budgets of the U.S. Army and the National Guard with both requesting funds for additional equipment.

Last week, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker requested $17 billion to update the Army's outdated equipment, money National Guard Bureau Chief Lt. Gen. Steven Blum believes should go to the National Guard instead, Stars & Stripes reported.

"We're in an even more dire situation than the active Army," Bloom said Tuesday. "We both have the same symptoms, I just have a higher fever, let's put it that way, OK?"

Blum alleged that the National Guard's poor state of readiness is partially due to the Pentagon giving equipment to active units after Sept. 11, 2001 rather than his service.

Stars & Stripes said that in order to re-equip the Guard to an acceptable state of readiness Blum is set to request $21 billion from Congress, including $2 billion for aviation upgrades.