Serious challenges
However, those hoping the guard will be able to help with a major speedup may be disappointed.
The National Guard operates independently in all 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia. In most cases, it is activated by the governor. Overall, the nation s 54 guard units have 450,000 service members at their disposal. During the early days of Covid in the U.S., almost 50,000 were deployed to help with testing, but most of those deployments have ended.
Despite the capabilities and expertise in a variety of areas, the guard generally isn t assigned a lead role. Instead, guard units are mostly prepared to supplement existing resources in state and county health departments.
By ALEX HORTON | The Washington Post | Published: December 23, 2020 WASHINGTON On June 1, federal police backed by National Guard troops fired tear gas at demonstrators near the White House, sending them running for cover in a barrage of pepper balls and flash grenades. By nightfall, as the protesters snaked their way downtown, two Army helicopters roared low overhead in an apparent effort to disperse the crowds. The mission, authorized by Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, stunned lawmakers and military law experts, prompting an investigation within the D.C. National Guard. That incident is one of several tumultuous moments that have tested McCarthy, the top civilian official in charge of the military s largest force, over the past year.
Show of force on U.S. streets and crisis at Fort Hood tested Army secretary this year Alex Horton Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, left, accompanied by Gen. James McConville, Army chief of staff, on Dec. 8. (Andrew Harnik/AP) On June 1, federal police backed by National Guard troops fired tear gas at demonstrators near the White House, sending them running for cover in a barrage of pepper balls and flash grenades. By nightfall, as the protesters snaked their way downtown, two Army helicopters roared low overhead in an apparent effort to disperse the crowds. The mission, authorized by Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, stunned lawmakers and military law experts, prompting an investigation within the D.C. National Guard.
Ryan McCarthy: Fort Hood and other issues have tested the Army secretary washingtonpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from washingtonpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.