Mississippi Army National Guard postpones weekend drills
JACKSON (AP) – Mississippi Army National Guard officials say a federal budget shortfall is forcing it to postpone weekend drills to late September with the hope that funding will become available later.
Spokesman Tim Powell says that Mississippi, like many other states, has called off training because of the National Guard Bureau is $101 million over budget due to higher-than-normal spending. Powell says the Mississippi guard hopes that money can be shifted from other accounts to allow for training later this month.
Decisions to postpone or cancel drills were being made by state Guard leaders. Some, including Alaska, New Jersey, Oregon and Vermont, planned to go ahead as scheduled.
“The governor has been in contact with Adjutant General Leon Collins and Mississippi’s congressional delegation regarding the postponement of the Mississippi National Guard exercises,” Nicole Webb, spokeswoman for Gov. Phil Bryant, told WJTV-TV. “They are working together to ensure federal budget shortfalls do not prevent our 9,000 guardsmen from completed planned exercises this month, and receiving the compensation they are due.”
Daily Journal
9/8/14
Magnolia Tribune
