Hooah

This story and overall recruitment figures seem to give lie to the media claim that people are not joining or extending....of course Stop/Loss may affect retention in guard units...but in the past it hasn't resulted in a significant loss.

Father, daughter to serve in same unit in Iraq

POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. (AP) -- If West Virginia National Guard Sgt. Shari Wright gets homesick while serving in Iraq, she won't have to look far for support.

Her father, Sgt. James Gheen, also serves in her unit, which will be deployed in January.

"I think it will bring us closer together," said Wright. "Whenever we get lonely or miss home, we can talk to each other."

Gheen, 40, and Wright, 23, both of Middleport, Ohio, are members of the 3664th West Virginia Army National Guard maintenance unit and are undergoing training at Fort Dix, N.J. In Iraq, Gheen will help repair vehicles while Wright will serve as an administrative clerk.

Gheen spent 10 years in the Army before joining the National Guard eight years ago. Wright, a student at Marshall University, joined the guard in 2001.

"It was just something that she said she wanted to do," Gheen said about his daughter's enlistment. "I didn't want her to think that she had to join because of me or anything. She said she wanted to do it and serve her country."