Smaller Reserves Call-Up Now Likely
Far fewer U.S. military reserves are likely to be called to active duty to support the Persian Gulf buildup than the nearly 50,000 that have been authorized, Pentagon sources said Monday.
In its latest public accounting of reserve call-ups, the Pentagon said Thursday that 21,653 members of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard reserve forces have been placed on active duty since President Bush authorized use of the reserves Aug. 22.
Defense Secretary Dick Cheney told a House committee last week that he expects nearly 50,000 reserves to be on active duty by Sept. 30, but a military source said Monday that the total is unlikely to exceed 40,000 and that it will take several more weeks to reach even that total. The source spoke on condition he not be identified.
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