Friday, November 07, 2003
Clark Calls for Civilian Reserve Force
Tue Oct 14, 7:39 PM ET
CHAKA FERGUSON, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Democratic candidate Wesley Clark said Tuesday that if elected president, he would mobilize thousands of volunteers for a civilian reserve to respond to terror attacks and national disasters.
Wesley Clark
Clark said the reserve, much like the National Guard, could be called up by the president in times of national emergency. Every American 18 or older could register for a five-year tour and would serve as long as six months if called to duty.
"In the 21st century, we've learned that armies alone aren't enough," Clark said in a speech at Hunter College.
Those called to duty would receive health care, a stipend and the right to return to their jobs when their service had been completed. Clark, one of nine Democrats seeking the nomination, said the program would cost about $100 million a year and would be within the Department of Homeland Security.
A similar program exists in some states; almost 12,000 volunteers are registered with various state defense forces to back up the National Guard. Clark's program would be national, and he hopes it would involve millions of people.
The civilian reserve would not add another layer of bureaucracy to the government and would mainly draw volunteers already serving in nonprofit organizations, Clark said.
In times of national emergency, such as floods, forest fires or terror attacks, the president would have the power to call to duty up to 5,000 civilian reservists. They would wear no uniforms nor carry military weaponry.
Civilian reservists also could be sent overseas for jobs such as reconstruction in Afghanistan and Iraq, working in positions from translator to truck driver.
The reserves "will reinvigorate America's ethic of service, tap the vast reservoir of skill, generosity and energy that is the American people and call millions more Americans to duty," he said.
Clark, a retired Army general, also called for expansion of the Peace Corps and of the AmeriCorps national service program created by former President Clinton.
Creditwrench Website
Tue Oct 14, 7:39 PM ET
CHAKA FERGUSON, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Democratic candidate Wesley Clark said Tuesday that if elected president, he would mobilize thousands of volunteers for a civilian reserve to respond to terror attacks and national disasters.
Wesley Clark
Clark said the reserve, much like the National Guard, could be called up by the president in times of national emergency. Every American 18 or older could register for a five-year tour and would serve as long as six months if called to duty.
"In the 21st century, we've learned that armies alone aren't enough," Clark said in a speech at Hunter College.
Those called to duty would receive health care, a stipend and the right to return to their jobs when their service had been completed. Clark, one of nine Democrats seeking the nomination, said the program would cost about $100 million a year and would be within the Department of Homeland Security.
A similar program exists in some states; almost 12,000 volunteers are registered with various state defense forces to back up the National Guard. Clark's program would be national, and he hopes it would involve millions of people.
The civilian reserve would not add another layer of bureaucracy to the government and would mainly draw volunteers already serving in nonprofit organizations, Clark said.
In times of national emergency, such as floods, forest fires or terror attacks, the president would have the power to call to duty up to 5,000 civilian reservists. They would wear no uniforms nor carry military weaponry.
Civilian reservists also could be sent overseas for jobs such as reconstruction in Afghanistan and Iraq, working in positions from translator to truck driver.
The reserves "will reinvigorate America's ethic of service, tap the vast reservoir of skill, generosity and energy that is the American people and call millions more Americans to duty," he said.
Clark, a retired Army general, also called for expansion of the Peace Corps and of the AmeriCorps national service program created by former President Clinton.
Creditwrench Website
