Youngstown reservists suit up for base security

The activity is the first time reservists from the base have been called up since Desert Storm.
VIENNA -- Twenty-six Air Force reservists based at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Youngstown have been called up for active duty.
The reservists, members of the security squadron of the 910 Airlift Wing, will provide additional security to the base, said Master Sgt. Bryan Ripple, a base spokesman.
Also, the Ohio Army National Guard said members of the 838th Military Police Co. in Youngstown will be activated for airport security. The unit has about 150 members. No other information was available this morning.
This is the first time reservists from the base have been called up since the Persian Gulf War. The air reserve station, home base for 1,300 air reservists and 480 full-time air reserve employees, is normally guarded by civilian employees of the Department of Defense and reservists, Ripple said.
"This is happening across the country," he said.
Security measures: Concrete barriers have been erected in the entranceway to the base since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Cars entering the base are being randomly searched, and delivery people and visitors are required to have an escort while on base.
Most of those called up live in the area and will be able to stay in their homes, he said.
The reservists normally serve for one weekend a month and two weeks per year. Their regular employers are not required to pay them during time off for military duty.
When they received orders Friday, the men and women were told how long the activation was expected to last, Ripple said. However, that information is not available to the public.
More than 20,000 members of National Guard and Reserve units had been called for active duty as of the beginning of the week, including 12,000 Air Force reservists, according to a Department of Defense Web page.