16 May, 2006

National Guard field training

After reading and listening to several national "newsmen" stumble around speculating on what the role of the National Guard is and finally reading the details in the last paragraph in our newspaper, I feel obligated to explain what their role will be.

The National Guard will take up a supporting role of technical communications and construction.
This will be on a mostly voluntary basis and part of the already obligated "days and dollars" for their annual field training, formerly known in the 1970s as "summer camp". This will in no way reduce the availability of units for federal use in OEF/OIF missions in Afghanistan or other locations, nor homeland defense such as an act of God. They will be under Title 32 and therefore the various State Governors through their Adjutant Generals will command their forces.

5 Comments:

Blogger ____________ said...

Chief,
Should we be using these for border patrol right now or should we be using someone else? How do you feel overall about using the national guard/if anyone in general for the border patrol? or are you going to write a blog about this in the next day or so?

17.5.06  
Blogger Chief RZ said...

I respect Fred. The number of border patrols is still not the issue. Even if there were 100,000 hired, if they did not have Rules of Engagement allowing shoot to kill or even arrest, detain and deport, this is all a game.

18.5.06  
Blogger Chief RZ said...

Michael-- The National Guard, even more than the Active Duty Troops [in my opinion--having served with both] would be better at enforcing the border. They are less bureaucratic and are more mission oriented.

18.5.06  
Blogger SGlaiser said...

Chief,

Your six is clear and you're 5-by-5! No matter the number on the border, no rules, no support, no dice. The game is on only because we are so close to election time. This would all be drowned out by the CIA/NSA flack if it weren't for illegal alien support protests getting everyone's knickers in a twist. ;)

As for NSA/CIA and information gathering, I have one word: ECHELON.

I worked for a small company that made equipment for recording all types of COMINT/SIGINT for analysis later. Clinton had this available to him, and he used it. We were shipping this equipment to a "generic" delivery point. We all knew where it was going ...

I really gotta blog this stuff ...

19.5.06  
Blogger Chief RZ said...

william-- Time for a showdown.
fix4rso-- I saw the Rumsfeld interview by Bill. It was good and he said exactly what I had blogged. The units will be under the command of the various Governors and they will be Title 32, paid by the Federal Government for their "training". By the way, while in a combat zone in Iraq, my pay stub still said, "active duty for training"!

19.5.06  

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