Dem
47
GOP
53
Given the subject matter above, this submission from reader C.T. in Delaware, OH seemed an ideal choice for today:
I guess I never thought the National Guard would get so much attention from Electoral-Vote.com. Don't get me wrong, the coverage is warranted and that's a shame because it's probably not a good thing when the National Guard is being covered in depth on a politics site.
Your write-up regarding the National Guard makeup and order construct was excellent. You mentioned the Title 32 and Title 10 orders, which is an important distinction. Plus, there is an additional way for the Guard to be activated and that is through State Active Duty. This is where the governor calls up the Guard, but they are not on federal orders. They become state employees and are paid by the state using state money, fall under state HR, state workman's comp, etc. For example, if there is a natural disaster or other situation, the governor can call up the units needed onto State Active Duty and the state pays the bills. Typically, with almost all Guard activations, there is a federal disaster declaration, which then allows guard members to be put on Title 32 status. Or, what often happens is that the federal disaster declaration is made immediately before the Guard is activated, so the Guard is never actually on State Active Duty and are just on Title 32, per the federal disaster declaration.
I say all of this because you also mention that Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) called up the Texas National Guard. I'm curious on what status, as I haven't seen any reporting on that yet. Texas has in the past used State Active Duty—e.g., Operation Lone Star—for long periods of time. So if the Governor wants to call up the Guard and the state legislature wants to fund it, then it's a lawful use of the National Guard. That means that, for this call up, maybe Texas will pay, but that is doubtful. I'm assuming Texas will request some frivolous federal disaster declaration and get it. So, Abbott gets to play strongman and doesn't have to pay for it. Will other states with Republican governors (Florida, Tennessee, etc.) be tempted to do something similar? Send the National Guard into cities to crack down on peaceful protests, all paid for by the Federal government? Or, it could go the other way, with Donald Trump withholding the authority when actually needed. When there is a natural disaster in Oregon, New York, etc., and the Guard is needed to help the state respond, will Trump withhold that disaster declaration to prevent the federal government from paying for the National Guard response?
I am currently in my 24th year of serving in the Ohio Air National Guard and I fear that the National Guard is going to become another political pawn, which will cause severe harm to its reputation. These activations are going to hurt morale and unit cohesion for no reason. Trump and Abbott do not care about anything but themselves and they don't care about the damage they will cause the National Guard as an organization and its reputation. The National Guard has built up a lot of goodwill in the past 20 years through its involvement in many overseas deployments. But more importantly, the National Guard has really shined in the past 5+ years through its homeland mission to support state and local governments during natural disasters and during the COVID pandemic. Additionally, most individual Guard members have endured hardships of overseas deployments as well as being called on short notice for the state in order to support the communities they live in. For me, anyway, those personal hardships are worth it, as I get to support the state when the state needs the help the most. Plus, I knew that was part of the deal when signing up for the Air National Guard. But these cases of using the National Guard right now serve no legitimate purpose. I realize that and I am a member of the same organization that was responsible for the Kent State shooting. So, I fear history will repeat itself. The way to avoid another Kent State shooting is not through better training, better intel or through better equipment. The BEST way to avoid another Kent State is to avoid putting the National Guard in situations they serve no benefit to anyone in the first place. The way Trump and Abbott are using the Guard only benefits themselves. They get to play strongman. Consequences to the individual guardsman, the guard units, the state, or the nation be damned.
Thanks, C.T. (Z)