The Army and Air Guard, which have nearly 12,000 troops in North Carolina, are stretched thin, under-equipped and could soon face problems with morale, Easley said. The Guard doesn't have enough decision-making influence in the Pentagon, he said, and is facing budget crunches just as the nation is relying more on its part-time troops.

"It seems now every time there's a problem in the country, we use the National Guard," Easley said, citing the war in the Middle East, hurricanes and flooding domestically and the Guard's new role patrolling the border with Mexico.

"It affects readiness and preparedness because of the additional stress," he said.

Easley was speaking on Capitol Hill to the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves. Easley is the lead governor on Guard issues for the National Governors Association.

Easley's remarks came amid an ongoing debate in Washington on how -- or whether -- to shake up the Guard. The results could affect not only National Guard troops living in North Carolina, but how the state responds to disasters ranging from hurricanes to a pandemic flu outbreak.

The commission, appointed by Congress, has been charged with recommending changes to the Guard, including organization, mission and compensation.

Members asked Easley about governors' expectations from the federal government, about equipment needs and about the relationship with active-duty forces.

Easley said any restructuring should be discussed with governors, and that the Guard needs a stronger voice in the Department of Defense.

Easley said the Guard's part-time troops face challenges maintaining their civilian careers, that families don't have the support network of full-time soldiers and that returning fighters have trouble accessing the mental health care they need.

He talked about the lack of equipment, and said North Carolina tax dollars were used to send laptop computers, radios, flashlights and body armor to line the interiors of Humvees to the North Carolina's 30th Brigade in Iraq.

Equipment funding, Easley said, "ought not to be a point of discussion. Governors will do it if we have to. But it's a federal responsibility."

There is legislation in Congress to elevate the Guard and give its top general a fourth star and a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In January, the Department of Defense and President Bush have proposed changing six combat brigades into smaller engineering and transportation brigades, cutting 17,000 troops and saving $893 million in the first year. Congress opposes those changes for the next fiscal year, but the long-term future is uncertain.

When the defense department said in January it wanted to cut Guard troops from 350,000 nationwide to 333,000 and reorganize brigades, all 50 governors signed a letter opposing the cuts.

Easley said governors need the quick-response combat brigades because they know best how to pluck flood survivors from trees or secure a neighborhood to search for people in need.

"The role has changed for the National Guard," Easley told reporters after the hearing. "They're employed for extended periods of time. They get back and they respond to an ice storm. What we have to decide is, what are they going to be doing long-term?"

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