Little Rock - Today, President George W. Bush held a White House ceremony to sign a proclamation for the National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week.

"I'm glad the President took time today to recognize our Reserve and National Guard members. But our troops need much more than fancy words from the White House," General Wesley Clark said. "They need Kevlar vests, health care, reliable pay checks and a success strategy for the ongoing war in Iraq. Take it from an old soldier, proclamations are little comfort to troops under fire."

Wes Clark would honor reserve and national guard members with more than words, he would:

Immediately Correct Our Soldiers' Pay Problems:
A General Accounting Office report found that 94 percent of the Army National Guard soldiers serving in Iraq have experienced pay problems-including underpayment, three month delays in pay, and loss of salary during hospitalization.

Extend Health Care to All Members of the National Guard and Reserves:
Currently, 20 percent of the 1.2 million National Guardsmen and Reservists have no health care at all when they are inactive.

Ensure Every National Guard and Reserve Member is Equipped to Succeed:
Under Wes Clark's watch no solider would suffer from a shortage of body armor and other necessary equipment.

Launch A Success Strategy for the Sake of Every Solider:
To ease the burden on our soldiers: Wes Clark would get the UN, NATO and our Arab allies involved in the reconstruction of Iraq; incrementally turn over more authority to an interim Iraqi authority; and reconfigure our troop mix to confront the reality of an ongoing guerilla war.