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US Army in America
Toxin01
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The last 60 months in Iraq patrolling in full battle rattle, helping restore essential services and escorting supply convoys.
Now they’re training for the same mission — with a twist — at home.
Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.
It is not the first time an active-duty unit has been tapped to help at home. In August 2005, for example, when Hurricane Katrina unleashed hell in Mississippi and Louisiana, several active-duty units were pulled from various posts and mobilized to those areas.
But this new mission marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities.
After 1st BCT finishes its dwell-time mission, expectations are that another, as yet unnamed, active-duty brigade will take over and that the mission will be a permanent one.
“Right now, the response force requirement will be an enduring mission. How the [Defense Department] chooses to source that and whether or not they continue to assign them to NorthCom, that could change in the future,†said Army Col. Louis Vogler, chief of NorthCom future operations. “Now, the plan is to assign a force every year.â€
Full story: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/
So, what do you guys think?
Aiden Baail: Level 1 Swordmage: 19 AC 14 Fort 15 Ref 13 Will (Curse Of The Black Pearls)
GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
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The whole idea is a tad suspicious to me.
It almost sounds like they are setting up for martial law.
GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
That falls under law enforcement, but I have no idea if the intention itself is enough or if they should actually be deployed to be in breach of the act.
I have no problem using the military for crowd control after a disaster, whether natural or terrorist attack.
The John Warner Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2007 basically repealed both it and the Insurrection Act, so no, it doesn't.
I'm not particularly worried, though.
It does kinda suck that they have to do it during their off-time.
You make a good point there. Not to derail the thread, I hope, but i was speaking with my grandfather a few days ago and it was his thought that is was very possible, if the bailout goes through, that they'd have to freeze all the banks for several days including ATMs, and that this might lead to possible food riots.
First they send damn near all of the National Guard over to Iraq for extended tours, now they are having active duty units on call for emergencies stateside...
If you have a nail, hit it with a hammer.
If you have a screw, use a screwdriver.
Don't waste time and money teaching a hammer to do the screwdrivers job and vice versa
That wouldn't require the same kind of training as peace-keeping in Iraq, which is what the OP implied.
...dunno...some here know I'm a bit of a nut anyway...this kinda raises the hair on my neck
Having just been through a natural disaster, I can promise you that the hold up on getting help was not at the state level. The first responders didn't have anything to eat because it was the FEDS who dropped the ball and private enterprise and individual donations made up the slack. Having a brigade available to have someone run up and down the street in fatigues wouldn't have helped that situation unless it was a brigade of mess hall attendants.
GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
Already there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Jump_Start
No need to waste time and money training active duty units to do the job the National Guard is supposed to do.
Sounds to me like the DOD is just craving the need for attention for some reason.
A brigade, for these purposes, you're right. It's what the idea can be twisted into over time that really scares me. *shrug* Once you have the precedent, it's much easier to widen the scope later. Again, it's why I think Bush has created all the preconditions necessary for a Hitler figure in the US. Same sort of precedent.
I agree with the annual training abuse bit.
However, quite a bit of difference has been made in Texas since funding for a full-time operation was approved:
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/archives/2007_news_releases/032007/03082007_2.xml
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3731/is_200712/ai_n21279310
No no, I wholeheartedly agree. These days "Annual Training" time is used for anything but.
And its really shady of the leaders to have thier troops pull manual labor for 2-3 weeks straight, since OSHA technically doesnt apply to Guardsmen on active duty.
But I guess the point Im trying to make is that the National Guard is great asset when used properly. The article cited in the OP is another example of an unnecesary expidenture (see also Department of Homeland Security) to cover for the job Guardsmen are supposed to be doing, but can't because they're being kept in Iraq all the time.
Yes, tyranny always starts small.
Hitler was the seventh member of the party.
It's how it ends that you should be worried about.
The "Bad Idea Fairy" is a GS-13 employee with her own office.
Someone set up us the martial law...
Don't worry citizens, it is for your protection.
Critical Failures - Havenhold Campaign • August St. Cloud (Human Ranger)
Hey guys.
shit
GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
Wasn't it changed to say the president can use them if he wants?
GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
MORE LIFE UNDER BUSH!
Sammo would have kicked Katrina's ass.
And he would have caught everybody's plates before they smashed.