Where is the California National Guard?

[aquart]

Are they out there, helping with the fires? I haven't heard a word about them. Are they overseas?

Does their presence or lack of it matter?

[gateley]

1. I think they're unavailable because of Iraq commitments - my opinion only, but

California could sure use their help now.

[aquart]

3. I had my mom call her NY congressman to ask him.

I wrote both my senators and congressman. If my sister is evacuating in California because the guard isn't there to protect her, it's an issue for these New Yorkers.

I urge anyone with family or friends in SoCal to call your reps and ask where the guard is.

[dkofos]

2. Where's Arnie??

[aquart]

4. He spoke a while ago.

[Bobbieo]

6. California is just one state that needs its National Guard. Bring them all home!!!!!

[Cleita]

5. Here?

http://www.thamike.com/faux_newz/113_119/arnold_fight.html

My bad. I couldn't resist.

[fooj]

7. A native Californian thanks you for this.

WE NEED OUR NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS NOW!!!

[gateley]

8. Kind of OT, but has the National Guard ever been sent overseas to fight a war before? nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Yes, during WW II, selected units were sent to war

and during the Vietnam War a few specialized were mobilized as well

Notice, not to the extend they have during this mess

[gateley]

11. Thank you - I kept meaning to research that and never did - appreciate it! nt

[happyslug]

12. During WWII, ALL National Guard units went to war.

This started in 1941 and remain on Federal duty till late 1945. The same thing happened during WWI. Several National Guard units were used in the Spanish American War, but that was before the Dick Act of 1903 that set up the Modern Guard.

As to WWI, one of the reason for the West Virginian Coal War of 1921 was that the West Virginia Guard had been called up for duty during WWI and while demobilized for WWI, West Virginia had not yet re-form the National Guard so Wet Virgina had not National Guard for the Coal War so Federal Troops had to be used. In 1948 the dual Federal-State system was made clearer, i.e. When Federal Service ended, the state did NOT have to pass new laws authorizing the old units as State National Guard units. Thus for example when the Pennsylvania National Guard was mobilized for Korea (It served in Germany, relieving Regular army Units). Upon its Federal demobilization the units just returned to their state armories, no need for any state action to reauthorize the unit as a state unit.

My father, a member of the Maryland National Guard during WWII, thus ended up with two discharges, one from the Federal Government for his federal Service, and one from Maryland for his State Service (He was pre-1948 reforms). When I served in the National Guard in the 1980s All I received was one discharge.

Now, while most, if not all National Guard units were called out for WWI and WWII, just a few were called out for Korea and even fewer for Vietnam. This was FEDERAL policy, LBJ did not want to build up to much opposition to his Vietnam Policy so he preferred to build up the regular army (and the Regular army saw it as an opportunity to show that they did NOT need the National Guard, the problem was it showed the opposite). Thus after Vietnam it became US policy to use both Regular Army and National Guard Troops. Thus both were used in Desert Strom and in this debacle.

Please note some states still retain non-federal troops, often called "Militia". These troops are NOT federal funded and thus not subject to federal call up. Many states abolished them in the 1950s do to the existence of the National Guard and its federal funds, but some states still retain these non-Guard Units.

For more information on the National Guard:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_National_Guard

State NON- National Guard Militia units:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Defense_Forces

California still has some non- National Guard Units:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Military_Reserve

[aquart]

15. Then we really have to think about funding our own militias.

Which will be helpful when climate change finally forces the breakup of the republic. But that's at least a decade away.

[kskiska]

10. Not to my knowledge

My ex-husband was in the N.G. in Connecticut back in the late 50s-early 60s. All he was ever called upon to do was attend meetings once a month, serve two weeks active duty at Camp Drum, NY, and direct traffic when our town was flooded after a hurricane. That's all the Guard was supposed to do - until now.

[suffragette]

13. A few minutes ago on CNN, a reporter said people have been asking this

and that some of the National Guard are "on the border" and many are in Iraq. He added that now convicts are being sent to fight some of the fires.

This is madness. The NG should be here to help in precisely these kinds of situations.

Bring the National Guard home now!

[aquart]

14. Everyone should be asking this.

If California isn't safe in a disaster, what about MY state? Where are MY nat'l guard? Is their equipment here or overseas?

Has America been left naked to her real enemies, because of a piffling threat of "terra!"?

[suffragette]

16. Exactly, this is a safety and a security issue

All of us should be asking where the National Guard personnel and equipment is deployed and demanding they have the resources they need HERE to help.