CNN: U.S. National Guard Units Getting Ready To Tackle Y2K Computer Problems -- On Standby

Yes!!!!

Who says our government and military can learn to be more openly informative!! Proud of you guys! -- Diane

http://cnn.com/US/9902/17/y2k.natl.guard.ap/index.html

Guard units getting ready to tackle Y2K computer problems

February 17, 1999
Web posted at: 7:15 AM EST (1215 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- National Guard units around the country are being trained to deal with phone-system outages and other chaos that could result from computer crashes when the year 2000 begins.

In Washington state, half of the guard's ground troops will be on duty Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Other states plan to have units on standby in case of blackouts, looting or other problems that might occur if computers shut down because they can't comprehend the date 2000.

"The business we're in is to help communities when they're overwhelmed by an event, a blizzard, riot or other natural or manmade disasters," said Lt. Col. Tim Donovan, spokesman for the National Guard in Wisconsin. "We have the resources. And many of the consequences being speculated about Y2K are not unlike the things we've been doing for years."

The potential problem stems from how computers deal with the date. Since most computers only recognize the last two digits of a date, such as the 99 in 1999, some of them are likely to interpret 00 as 1900.

Most government officials expect only minor problems from the so-called Y2K bug and say training the National Guard is merely a precaution. But some people are hoarding canned goods and planning to withdraw their money from banks in case deliveries can't be made and bank machines can't operate.

Others are predicting shutdowns of airports, train stations and power generators.

Just in case, the adjutant general in Washington state rescheduled a drill so that 3,000 guardsmen would be on duty on New Year's Eve and Jan. 1.

The decision to call out the Guard in each states rests with the governor. If troops are mobilized, they likely would be called to aid civilian law-enforcement, transportation agencies and emergency medical crews.

In New Mexico, officials plan to keep all 28 state armories open on New Year's Eve, said Guard spokesman Tom Koch. In Rhode Island, the Guard's adjutant general chairs regular meetings with state agency representatives to discuss contingency plans.

"The general has asked all department heads, all heads of local emergency management agencies to go back and examine their plans based on a worst-case scenario estimate and come back with any kind of situation that they might not be able to handle," said 1st Lt. Gloria Haggarty, a Guard spokeswoman. "Based on that information, we're going to develop additional plans."

Maintaining communication will be vital if problems do occur, said Lt. Col. Tom Schultz, a National Guard Bureau spokesman. In May, the National Guard will conduct the first national communications drill to simulate the loss of telephone service and to test its high-frequency radio system.

Capt. Neal O'Brien, a spokesman for the Ohio Guard, said states are used to handling dire emergencies. In the last five years alone, guardsmen were called on to deal with floods, blizzards and a prison riot.

"The difference between Y2K and all those were that we have a year's notice on this one," O'Brien said. "It gives us the opportunity to plan in advance, and that is an opportunity that we typically don't have for an emergency."

Wisconsin's Legislature has come under fire recently for a proposal to have the National Guard respond if there is a computer crisis. State Rep. Marlin Schneider said the measures make a simple word change that would authorize the governor to mobilize troops for a Y2K-caused problem.

"We're not expecting civil disorder or anything," he said. "It is just so he can activate them in advance so they'll be prepared. They're getting ready now anyway."

The Guard's Donovan agreed.

"When a tornado rips into a Wisconsin community, we never see it coming three years out," he said. "But we're taking advantage of this storm warming, if you will, and making sure that we're going to be able to respond effectively.

"If we're even asked to."

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-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 17, 1999

Answers

See also thread ...

National Guard Blurb On ABC Station

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000VYP

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 17, 1999.

Thanks, Diane, our Surelock on info links ;-)


-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 17, 1999.

"Most government officials expect only minor problems from the so- called Y2K bug and say training the National Guard is merely a precaution." Notice how its always done in small increments, feeding only as much as it is perceived that people can swallow. How much does anyone want to bet that by mid-year it will be routinely acknowledged that Y2K problems will be considered "major", and that, as such, Preemptive Necessary Actions are now needed For The Good Of All? (Gosh, I'm sounding like E!...)

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), February 17, 1999.

At least Jack, in increments, it's hitting the national news ... finally!

Same article is over at San Francisco Gate web-site breaking news -- AP national stories:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/ article.cgi?file=/news/archive/1999/02/17/national0130EST0448.DTL

It's Y2K validation, that's what it IS. Not quite on par with Canada, but finally something!

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 17, 1999.

Also notice in this article...

http://www.kcstar.com/item/pages/business.pat,business/30dab190.122,.h tml

...that the National Guard is conducting a *nationwide* communications drill on May 1-2 to see if local Guard Units can be notified without using telephones.

Our government does take Y2K seriously.

So does Canada's government...

http://www.southam.com/ottawacitizen/newsnow/cpfs/national/990115/n011 5108.html

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), February 17, 1999.

Leska -

"Surelock"? *tch* *tch*

You are hereby sentenced to visit your local library and read at least one Holmes story (author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle). Some are quite short, actually and all are great fun; Holmes' deductive powers give one hope about the marvelous capabilities of the human mind...

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.com), February 17, 1999.

Thanks Diane. I noticed the word drill in the first link as well. Look for lots more 'drills' and phrases like "This is a test. This is only a test. Had it been an actual emergency..."

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@net.com), February 17, 1999.

Note that what we call preparation and stockpiling is called hoarding.

-- a (A@AisA.com), February 17, 1999.

Mac, Diane is sure to lock in the links after investigatively sniffing them out. While a teenager I did read every letter of every Sherlock Holmes tale, many times. Diane is our very own Surelock, for which I'm grateful :)

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 17, 1999.

"This life is a test. It is only a test. If this had been an actual life, you would have received further instructions on where to go and what to do. This is only a test." (Anon.)

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), February 17, 1999.

ROTFLOL, Tom!

I needed that. Next question ... is it baked yet?

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 18, 1999.