Governor calls up the National Guard to work in airport security

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is calling up the National Guard to help with airport security.Responding to President Bush’s call, Vilsack said Thursday he has asked the National Guard to begin identifying members who can be trained to work security at Iowa airports.Vilsack says the guard will work in commercial airports.The exact number of airports and number of guard troops needed have not been identified. Vilsack says the guardmembers are expected to be helping with the check-in of passengers for four to six months until a new federal airport security system can be put into place.Vilsack says the presence of the guardmembers should ease some of the country’s fears about flying.Vilsack says the federal government will pay the bill for the guardmembers that’re called to duty at airports.