The state of the US National Guard: Unusual missions, declining recruitment   

JIMMIE JOHNSON: IN TIMES OF CRISES, FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWMAKERS KNOW THEY CAN CALL ON THE HELP OF THE U-S NATIONAL GUARD… 

ANCHOR: “All of the Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia National Guard helicopters saved more than 600 people.”

ANCHOR: ”the Department of Defense has declined Mayor Muriel Bowser’s second request to activate the National Guard to help with the migrant crisis.”

JOHNSON: …AND INCREASINGLY IN WAYS, WE HAVEN’T SEEN BEFORE.

ANCHOR: ”The national guard is getting deployed to state prisons. This afternoon lawmakers approved a multimillion-dollar deal to combat staff shortages with guardsmen.”

JOHNSON: WHAT IS THE GUARD’S OFFICIAL ROLE AND ARE THEY BEING OVERSTRETCHED TO HANDLE ISSUES THAT AREN’T IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE? 

LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT. 

COLONEL JOE EGGEN:  “What I love the most about the National Guard is our domestic mission. On top of the federal mission, that we have to be able to help our fellow Nebraskans in times of need or other folks in states throughout the nation.”

JOHNSON: COLONEL JOE EGGEN HAS SPENT MORE THAN TWO DECADES IN THE ARMY AND THE LAST SIX IN THE GUARD OVERSEEING RECRUITING AND RETENTION.

MEMBERS OF THE GUARD ARE PART-TIME CIVILIAN SOLDIERS WHO SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE PRESIDENT AND GOVERNORS. 

MANY HAVE EVERYDAY JOBS OR ATTEND COLLEGE WHILE REPORTING TO DRILL TRAINING ONE WEEKEND EACH MONTH.

THEY LEND  A HELPING HAND DURING NATURAL DISASTERS SUCH AS HURRICANES, MAJOR FLOODING EVENTS, AND WILDFIRES. 

Nats: water hose shoots water

REPORTER: ”The manpower need so dire, cal fire is calling on some 600 soldiers with the California national guard get a grip.”

JOHNSON: THEY ARE ALSO BOOTS ON THE GROUND IF NEEDED IN TIMES OF WAR.

BUT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE GUARD HAS BEEN CALLED TO TAKE ON OTHER MISSIONS. 

IN 20-20, GUARDSMEN WERE TASKED WITH ASSISTING WITH COVID-19 RELIEF EFFORTS, RESPONDING TO CIVIL UNREST IN THE WAKE OF GEORGE FLOYD’S MURDER, AND PROVIDING CAPITAL POLICE SUPPORT FOLLOWING THE JANUARY SIXTH CAPITOL RIOTS. 

ANCHOR: “A rare and truly stunning sight, national guardsmen sleeping on the marble floors of the capitol overnight. Stationed there to protect the building against any threat.”

JOHNSON: AND NOW, FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS IS DEPLOYING THE GUARD TO HELP WITH STAFF SHORTAGES IN PRISONS —-  BUT NOT WITHOUT OPPOSITION FROM THOSE ON THE LEFT. 

REP. FENTRICE DRISKELL: ”It’s just appalling that the governor would take this sort of tactic.”

JOHNSON: BACK IN NEBRASKA, WHEN ASKED IF THERE IS ANYTHING THE GUARD DOESN’T DO AND WHETHER THEY’RE BEING OVERSTRETCHED? THE COMMANDER SAID THIS…

EGGEN: ”The adjutant general, as well as the governor of Nebraska, is pretty selective about what we’re asked to do. So that we’re filling a role that cannot be met by our state and local agencies, to help out in those times of crisis when that capacity becomes overwhelmed.” 

JOHNSON: MUCH LIKE U.S. POLICE DEPARTMENTS, RECRUITMENT FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD IS DOWN ACROSS THE COUNTRY. DESPITE THE DIP IN ENLISTMENTS, THE GUARD CONTINUES TO BE A NECESSARY BACKSTOP FOR A NATION IN VARIOUS STATES OF TURMOIL.

TO PUT THE GUARD’S RECRUITING EFFORTS INTO PERSPECTIVE, SINCE THE PANDEMIC (BEGAN) THEY HAVE SEEN THEIR ENLISTMENTS DROP BY HALF. COLONEL EGGEN TELLS ME ONE REASON – RECRUITS ARE OFTEN HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS VISITS TO SCHOOLS HAVEN’T BEEN ALLOWED.