MONTGOMERY, Ala. ( WIAT ) – As tensions in the Middle East continue to rise , officials with the Alabama National Guard prepare for the worst-case scenario.
Adjutant and Major Gen. David Pritchett with the forces say they are building an army to withstand the next two decades. The military is watching Eastern Europe very closely, especially China.
“China is the one country that could change the world order as we know it, so that’s kind of our attention,” Maj. Gen. Pritchett said.
The general says one of the main priorities involves modernizing equipment.
“For the individual soldiers and airmen both,” Maj. Gen. Pritchett said. “The mental preparation and physical preparation for a war that we would fight with a peer enemy like China is very different from the wars we have fought for the past 20 years plus.”
Need a passport? You can now get one faster If that response is by air, Col. Casey Hall with the Air Guard said new F-35s have the latest technology.
“We’ve termed it ‘Agile Combat Support,'” Col. Hall said. “It’s really just making sure that we can get to a place, get loaded up with gas and weapons and get out of there before we become a target. That’s definitely unique to the Pacific environment.”
According to Lt. Col. Steve Ingram with the Army Guard, recruitment numbers have been high as of now. He serves as the 22nd Recruiting and Retention Battalion Commander.
“We’re currently sitting at about 103% of our force structure allowance,” Lt. Col. Ingram said. “So that’s a good thing- that means we’re ready to respond to whatever the state or nation calls for.”
Maj. Gen. Pritchett said any long-term conflict would come with challenges, but there’s one thing that sets our nation’s defense apart.
“We’re gonna be in a much better advantage because we put so much on our Non-Commissioned Officers and their leadership,” he said. “And so, I will always take that as a big advantage over an adversary.”
Maj. Gen. Pritchett said as citizens, we can also prepare for potential conflicts by buying American-made to boost our economy instead of other countries.
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