Tag: national guard

The National Guard and the Militarization of D.C.

Fox News recently published a story entitled “Defense Secretary Austin overruled National Guard chief on keeping troops at the Capitol: memo.” To many readers, this may have appeared to be a sensationalized article throwing fuel on the embers of an already charred military issue in our nation’s capital. But the story captures a troubling divide between the new defense secretary and the chief of the National Guard Bureau over the appropriate use of the Guard. Yet, amid this break in ranks, the story suggests a much larger and more concerning dilemma. And it is what the Founding Fathers feared most.

The article references a defense memo or coordination sheet normally used to “concur” or “non-concur” on issues within the Defense Department. In this instance, a policy memo from the defense secretary’s office requested an “Extension of NG [National Guard] support to U.S. Capitol Police” with an additional 2,280 guardsmen to support the U.S. Capitol Police security detail beyond March 12. However, there are several issues with the request.

From my experience in the Pentagon, this type of appeal is not easily granted. It usually requires a stringent justifying rationale and reason that explains the request’s urgency. Each submission is officially petitioned through a formal request-for-assistance and sent to the DoD’s executive secretary, where it is staffed for coordination — an arduous process involving rigorous approval criteria that can take weeks.

Here is where the problem begins.

The latest Capitol Police request to extend Guard support was coordinated in two days and failed to give a convincing case for approval. Laying out its rationale, the Capitol Police referenced the Department of Homeland Security’s National Terrorism Advisory System, particularly the Jan.  27, 2021, threat bulletin, as the chief reason for the augmented security support.

The bulletin summary describes a “heightened threat environment” using words like “believes” or “suggests” that “ideologically-motivated violent extremists [domestic violent extremists] …could continue to mobilize to incite or commit violence” – a somewhat anemic threat assessment to justify the continued military presence in our Capitol.

Also, federal statutes and defense directives come into play when the military is used in direct support of law enforcement, which is the case here. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, and other federal laws limit the powers of the government to use U.S. troops to “execute the laws,” including “search, seizure, arrest, or other similar activity” — a concerning legal quandary.

What is more, the defense department’s support of civil authority’s directive provides ruling guidance for any assistance in missions normally carried out by civil authorities. The defense regulation has six approval criteria to “examine” and “assess” the need for support. If we use the regulation’s six criteria — legality, lethality, risk, cost, appropriateness, and readiness — an argument can be made that any one of them would disqualify the Capitol Police application.

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Bombshell Report: Oversight Subcommittee Finds Pentagon Deliberately Delayed National Guard Deployment on January 6 — Cover-Up by DoD Inspector General Exposed

In a fiery letter to the Department of Defense Inspector General, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Chairman of the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, exposed the “systemic failure” within the Pentagon on January 6, 2021.

Loudermilk accused the DoD of intentionally delaying the deployment of the D.C. National Guard (DCNG) and of publishing an Inspector General report that “whitewashes” the events to protect top Pentagon officials.

The letter, addressed to Defense Department Inspector General Robert P. Storch, challenges the findings of Report No. 2022-039, which the DoD Inspector General’s office had presented as a comprehensive review of the Department’s role during the Capitol riots.

Loudermilk’s Subcommittee on Oversight, tasked with probing security failures on January 6, asserts that the report contains glaring inaccuracies and conveniently ignores testimony that exposes Pentagon misconduct.

The DoD IG’s report reveals a troubling oversight in assessing the actions of senior DoD officials, including Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, who failed to relay deployment orders to Major General William Walker, the DC National Guard Commander, on January 6.

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Pentagon Leaker Who Published Sensitive Information Revealing Ukraine Was Losing War to Russia is Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison

US National Guardsman Jack Teixeira was officially charged in April 2023 with leaking secret Pentagon documents. Teixeira was charged with six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified documents relating to national defense.

Classified documents detailing the Ukraine war, Middle East, China, Africa and Israel ended up on a gaming platform. Senior intelligence officials at the time called the leak “a nightmare for the Five Eyes,” in a reference to the United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, the so-called Five Eyes nations that broadly share intelligence.

What really upset the Biden regime and the military-industrial complex was that Teixeira leaked documents that exposed Biden’s lies about Ukraine.

According to the one Teixeira leak, US and UK special forces are on the ground in Ukraine.

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National Guard troops on standby in Washington state, Oregon and Nevada as a precaution for ‘potential’ election unrest

Ahead of potential civil unrest due to Tuesday’s presidential election, the National Guard is on standby as a precaution in several states, including Washington state and Oregon, where hundreds of ballots were damaged or destroyed after at least three ballot drop boxes were recently set on fire, officials say.

Almost all the ballots set ablaze on Monday were in a drop box in Vancouver, Washington, while most ballots in a drop box in Portland, Oregon, survived a fire set the same day, election officials said. The incidents are believed to be connected to a third fire on October 8, also in Vancouver. Portland police released a physical description of a suspect but said they’ve not identified him.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee addressed the ballot box fires in a news release Friday announcing the National Guard being placed on standby, saying, “The southwest region of Washington state has already experienced specific instances of election-related unrest.”

Inslee did not disclose how many troops would be activated on Tuesday, but said they will be available to support law enforcement from Monday to Thursday, according to the news release.

The US Department of Homeland Security has warned that threats to “election infrastructure” remain high, Inslee added.

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National Guard’s report of ‘armed militia,’ prompts the relocation of North Carolina hurricane recovery officials

Federal emergency response personnel on Saturday had employees operating in hard-hit Rutherford County, N.C., stop working and move to a different area because of concerns over “armed militia” threatening government workers in the region, according to an email sent to federal agencies helping with response in the state.

Around 1 p.m. Saturday, an official with the U.S. Forest Service, which is supporting recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sent an urgent message to numerous federal agencies warning that “FEMA has advised all federal responders Rutherford County, NC, to stand down and evacuate the county immediately. The message stated that National Guard troops ‘had come across x2 trucks of armed militia saying there were out hunting FEMA.’”

“The IMTs [incident management teams] have been notified and are coordinating the evacuation of all assigned personnel in that county,” the email added.

Two federal officials confirmed the authenticity of the email, though it was unclear whether the quoted threat was seen as credible. The National Guard referred questions to FEMA when asked about the incident. One Forest Service official coordinating the Helene recovery said responders moved to a “safe area” and at least some work in that area — which included clearing trees off dozens of damaged and blocked roads to help search-and-rescue crews, as well as groups delivering supplies — was paused.

By Sunday afternoon, personnel were back in place, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The setback is one of the latest examples of growing concerns about safety and security in western North Carolina, where many towns were almost wiped off the map after the historic hurricane made landfall two weeks ago. In the weeks since, misinformation and rumors have made the recovery more difficult, targeting multiple federal agencies operating as part of the recovery. Federal officials such as the secretary for the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA’s director of public affairs have been the target of antisemitic attacks.

Chimney Rock, in Rutherford County, has become one of the centers of tension and conflict after a rumor spread on social media that government officials planned to seize the decimated village and bulldoze bodies under the rubble. Authorities and news outlets debunked the assertion, but people still took to social media imploring militias to go after FEMA. A person familiar with FEMA operations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the agency was working out of an abundance of caution and its teams were operating at fixed locations and secure areas instead of the usual practice of going door to door.

“FEMA continues to support communities impacted by Helene and help survivors apply for assistance,” the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive discussions. “For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments.”

The heightening tension has resulted in residents harassing federal employees, said Riva Duncan, a former Forest Service official who lives in Asheville.

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NC Aircraft In Rotor Wash Incident Belonged To NC National Guard – Crew Temporarily Grounded

CDM reported on the recent incident in North Carolina where a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter damaged the civilian aid collection site in the NC Hurricane Helene impact area.

Initial reports on X were the aircraft belonged to the CT National Guard.

We contacted the CT National Guard yesterday and obtained an interim statement. North Carolina released the statement below today.

In a separate incident, a U.S. Army Chinook sent several civilians to the hospital when trying to land.

As a former USAF helicopter pilot and former US Army Guard medivac company officer, I can attest that this incident was unacceptable. This is a leadership and training issue. Obviously these pilots had no situational awareness.

Crews used to be trained intensely to evaluate landing sites from a variety of perspectives before attempting to land.

Besides the physical damage to the civilian volunteers, the reputational damage to the National Guard is immense.

There needs to be accountability, with the crew, and leadership.

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FIVE CHINESE U of M Grads Caught Spying On America’s Largest National Guard Base In MI—Only Short Distance From Controversial Proposed Chinese Battery Plant Supported By Dem Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Five recent Chinese graduates of the University of Michigan have been charged with conspiracy, making false statements to investigators, and destroying records during the federal investigation. They were caught with cameras late at night on the base at Camp Grayling, America’s largest US National Guard training facility in Grayling, MI.

The students claimed to be there to observe a meteor shower. Their presence coincided with military exercises involving Taiwanese forces, which led authorities to believe they were engaged in espionage.

According to M-Live, the five suspects who graduated from the University of Michigan in May 2024 are Zhekai Xu, Renxiang Guan, Haoming Zhu, Yi Liang, and Jingzhe Tao. They were found on the US military training base in 2023 near tents, military vehicles, and sensitive communications equipment. Court records show that the students were part of a joint program with Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

MSN reports – The students were found at Bear Lake on the camp’s property after midnight on Aug. 13, 2023. About 7,000 military officials, including some from Taiwan, were participating in live firing exercises, records show.

A U.S. sergeant major found the students taking photos near classified equipment and soldiers sleeping in tents, records show.

One of the students told the sergeant major they were Chinese media members. The sergeant major told them to leave, which they quickly did.

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The National Guard Knows Its Armories Have Dangerous Lead Contamination, Putting Kids and Soldiers At Risk

The matches came in rapid-fire succession on four pitches squeezed next to each other beneath a cavernous roof. Five boys per team, four matches at once, each 18 minutes, with only 90 seconds between them. Twelve hours later, the boys were gone, but the games went on. Eight teams, four fields, a sea of bouncing ponytails.

It was peak soccer simultaneity. A vicious shot hit the crossbar on one pitch; on the next, a midfielder streaked past defenders on a breakaway; a corner kick on the third field; and on the fourth, a straight shot found the back of the net. In the stands, cheers went up for “Dani!” and “Ari!” and “Kylie!” and “Amber!” And as the night wore on, more and more of these young women stood with flushed faces and hands on hips, breathing deeply whenever a stoppage gave them a chance.

The Soccer Coliseum bills itself as the “leading youth soccer arena in America, attracting more teams … than any other indoor facility.” Since 1996, this fútbol mecca — which rents space inside New Jersey’s Teaneck Armory — has offered youth soccer programs, including tournaments, classes, and camps, for kids as young as 3, introducing a generation of children to the beautiful game.

Under the 35,000 square feet of red, artificial turf and the site-mandated rubber-soled shoes, however, lurked a hidden danger. The basement had housed an Army National Guard indoor firing range, or IFR, for decades. Each time a citizen-soldier fired a rifle or pistol, it emitted an extremely dangerous form of lead: toxic dust that research shows is frequently tracked around armories on soldiers’ clothing and dispersed through ventilation systems.

Exclusive documents obtained by The Intercept show that the Army National Guard knowingly endangered the health and safety of soldiers and civilians at armories — also known as readiness centers — across three, and possibly 53, states and territories. A Soccer Coliseum director told The Intercept that he was never informed about a potential source of lead contamination in the basement below the playing fields.

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Bombshell Transcripts Reveal Trump, in Fact, Ordered National Guard for January 6th — General Milley Confirms Trump Urges Top Pentagon Officials to Deploy’ Guard, or Soldiers, Active Duty Soldiers’

A groundbreaking report from Steve Baker has unveiled crucial transcripts proving that President Donald Trump did indeed request National Guard deployment to ensure a peaceful protest on January 6th, 2021.

These newly surfaced transcripts, which were previously concealed, reveal the truth that many in the mainstream media have ignored.

According to the documents, General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that President Trump expressed concern about the potential for unrest and proactively ordered the necessary precautions.

On January 3, 2021, just three days before the protest, General Milley recalled the president saying, “Hey, look at this. There’s going to be a large amount of protesters here on the 6th. Make sure that you have sufficient National Guard or Soldiers to make sure it’s a safe event.”

Trump reportedly added, “I don’t care if you use Guard, or Soldiers, active duty Soldiers, do whatever you have to do. Just make sure it’s safe.”

These damning revelations fly in the face of the narrative propagated by the mainstream media and Democrats who have continuously blamed Trump for the chaos that unfolded on January 6th. The president’s clear directive to deploy the National Guard days before the event highlights his intentions to maintain law and order during the protest.

The transcripts also reveal that other Pentagon officials failed to act on Trump’s requests. Chief Steven Sund of the U.S. Capitol Police made an urgent plea for the National Guard on January 6th.

However, according to Sund, the Secretary of the Army’s representative denied the request, citing concerns about the “optics” of having National Guard troops stationed at the Capitol. This hesitation contributed to the delayed response, exacerbating the situation.

Further complicating matters, Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller acknowledged that Trump had commented on the need for 10,000 troops to ensure security. However, Miller dismissed the president’s request as mere “banter.”

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Donald Trump promises to create a Space Force National Guard if elected president

Donald Trump has promised to create a Space Force National Guard if elected president.

The Republican nominee told the National Guard Association of the United States in Detroit that a reserve force is critical for defense in outer space.

Fears of Russia developing nuclear weapons to use specifically in space have ramped up in recent months.

Space is also becoming a vital area of national security as adversaries develop their celestial military capabilities. 

Trump set up Space Force in December 2019 to form the first new branch of the military since 1947, when the Air Force became its own entity.

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