Reply #14: Your boy's full of shit. Iraq-related "Desert" code names here: [View All]

Courtesy of Wiki.

Desert Shield: the rapid deployment of coalition forces to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia leading up to the first Gulf War.

Desert Storm: the actual military action of the first Gulf War.

Desert Strike (1996): Clinton bombs Iraq air-defense and in response to iraq violating the northern No-Fly Zone, and various minor violations of the GW terms.

Desert Fox (1998): Clinton ordered the bombing of weapons R&D facilities, air-defense networks, known weapons stockpiles, Republican guard units, etc.. Joint venture with the UK.

Unless your local hero's got pilot's wings, he's full of shit. Air Guard pilots were patrolling the No-Fly Zones (my first boss out of college was an Air Guard pilot), but I couldn't say if they were active in the bombing campaigns.

Guard ground units were indeed sent overseas for Desert Shield and Storm, but it wouldn't be hard to find out if his actual unit was sent. Sounds like your local VFW already figured it out.