Dateline: 09/16/01

President Bush has advised the American people to go to work "with a heightened sense of awareness," an awareness that, unlike America's past wars, the war against terrorism will not be fought exclusively "over there." The mission of Operation Noble Eagle will be to protect America "over here."

Operation Noble Eagle is the official name given to the homeland defense and civil support services to be provided by the 35,000 members of the military reserves now being called to active duty.

The call-up is in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and was authorized by President Bush's Executive Order declaring a national emergency. [Text of Executive Order]

"A national emergency exists by reason of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, New York, New York, and the Pentagon, and the continuing and immediate threat of further attacks on the United States," President Bush stated in the proclamation.

Numbers of reservists to be activated in the first phase of Noble Eagle are:

• Air Force - 13,000
• Army - 10,000
• Marines - 7,500
• Navy - 3,000
• Coast Guard - 2,000

According to deputy assistant secretary of defense for Reserve Affairs Craig Duehring, units to be called up could include air defense, airlift, intelligence support, military police, medical, logistics, engineers, search and rescue, civil affairs, and chaplains.

These Reservists will be called upon to provide port operations, medical support, engineer support, general civil support and homeland defense.

Duehring also emphasized that the current selection of units to be mobilized represents only the opening phase of the mission. "The bottom line is that we are calling up the fewest National Guard and Reserve members needed to perform homeland defense and civil support missions for the shortest possible duration," stated Duehring during a Sept. 14 press conference.

"Many Americans have asked how they can help. Now some of our citizens will begin to help by trading their work clothes for uniforms (like) their parents and grandparents did in the past and answer the call," stated Duehring.