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SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow deployed to Middle East

September 19, 2023

District Attorney Dan Dow

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo County’s District Attorney Dan Dow, who is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard, is being deployed to the Middle East. Dow is to complete an active duty mission with the 40th Infantry Division.

On Wednesday, Dow will began the active duty tour. Dow’s division is slated to build partnerships and increase regional security in the Middle East, including Iraq, Jordan and Kuwait. Dow did not disclose how long his tour will last.

Dow has served for 30 years in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard.

While on deployment, Dow will retain his elected seat as SLO County’s District Attorney. Assistant District Attorney Eric Dobroth will serve as acting district attorney during Dow’s absence.

“I am very pleased to be able to serve the people of the United States and the State of California through my continued service in the California Army National Guard and be a part of this historic deployment of the 40th Infantry Division,” Dow said in a press release. “I am anxious to get to work for the Army and return as quickly as possible to my very rewarding job as district attorney.”


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Happy hunting, Mr. District Attorney. Come home safe.


-1

I wonder what the “7” are doing while Dow is deployed?


-7

He is just fulfilling the agreement and accepting the terms when signed up in the National Guard, no different than say a college student accepting the terms of the loan they signed up for. No one else should be made to pay for something someone else freely accepted and agreed to with their signature. I’m sure Mr Dow has enjoyed the benefits the National Guard has provided him, now its just time for him to live up to his agrrement.


12

Sooo….

You do understand that receiving and obeying the order to deploy is, by definition, “…fulfilling the agreement…” right? Just as I have done myself on three occasions, including to Afghanistan. I’m not sure what else Dan Dow is supposed to do here.


7

Yes I understand, I just dont see why Mr Down simply doing what he agreed to do is a story. Now if he refused I see where that might be a story


1

Gotcha. Well, it’s because he is a rather prominent public figure here in SLO County. I’m still in the Guard, and if I get mobilized, it won’t be an issue except to my family, my cat, my friends, and my coworkers. What the story doesn’t mention is that the Division rolled out months ago. If you click on the 40th Infantry Division hyperlink in the first paragraph, you’ll see a picture of the sendoff ceremony in June down at Los Alamitos. I attended because many of my buddies are on this mob (mobilization). Since Dan Dow is going now, it’s as a replacement, or Individual Augmentee. Maybe someone else had to rotate back, or something like that. So he should be there around 6-7 months, when the main body comes back home. Also, Dan if you read this, tell G1 to finally get the DA 638 for my MSM completed. ;)


2

The story should have been: “40th Infantry deployed as a unit for the first time since Korea. Dan Dow, as a member of the Division, recently received orders to deploy overseas with the 6000 strong 40thID…”


6

Godspeed


18

It is odd that the US military chose to activate a reserve unit which is essentially a bunch of civilians who play Army once a month, rather than active duty personnel that have experience serving in the region.


If you have served in the military then you know that higher ranking officers such as a Lt. Colonel, which is only 2 ranks below a General, is more like a country club atmosphere. And remember it is peace time.


I doubt the foreign diplomats in those countries engaged in building partnerships etc. get in the same chow line as the average grunt.


Dow is on all expenses paid 5 star resort vacation paid for by the taxpayers who probably had a choice to go or not go since he stated he was “anxious to get to work for the Army”.


Wish he was just as anxious to work for the citizens of SLO as he was elected to do.


-52

Sorry Shoot, LTC Dow did not have a choice in the matter regarding his deployment. When the rotation cycle hits the unit you’re in, you’re going. Like it or not. And no, he’s not going on a “5 star resort vacation”.

Jeesh….


36

Wow, kind of a lot to unpack here. I rotated through Kuwait on my way to and from Afghanistan, with the CA Army National Guard, which by the way has lots and lots of “…experience serving in the region” and while Camp Arifjan is certainly nicer than was Bagram or Kandahar, it is not a 5 star resort. It’s his duty to go, and he’ll get a fixed amount of paid military leave through the County, if he’s not already exhausted that on his pre-deployment training, and then he’ll get O-5 pay which is not bad but not comparable to his DA pay. Also, it’s not peacetime. The Guard, here in CA and throughout the States and territories (there are 54 Army National Guard forces in the U.S., by the way) has been an expeditionary force since 9/11. There is a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge in the Guard, which is officially Component 2 of the 3-component total Army. Big Army cannot deploy for any length of time without calling upon the Guard and Reserves (Compo 3). The system was set up that way after Vietnam. Maybe try striking up a conversation next time you see a Guard Soldier out and about, you might learn something.


23

Be safe. And thanks for your service.


47

I wonder if Dow’s deployment was consensual or not as we are no longer at war in the Middle East.


Also wonder while Dow is building partnerships and increasing regional security in the Middle East, including Iraq, Jordan and Kuwait if he still collects his salary and benefits as the District Attorney.


-37

Slo, The Guard is still rotating NG/ANG troops in and out of parts of the ME, especially Kuwait.


21

A true US patriot!


30

6-9-12 months is how long he’ll be in Kuwait. And there is no good reason why we should still be sending our troops there. None.


26
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