🚀 go-pugleaf

Thus Spake mshinn@osf1.gmu.edu (Michael T Shinn):

%John M Atkinson (jatkinso@ANTISPAMgmu.edu) wrote:
%
%: I'm not particularly pleased with some things either.  I'm still Combat Arms.
%: As are most of the Guardsmen I know.
%
%Nevertheless, the Division (29th) still lost an entire Brigade and got CS
%and CSS slots to fill the empty postions in state.  Even though on paper
%the combat arms positions still exist up north, and are in division, the
%State is still down alot of Combat Arms jobs.

Well, a number of divisions were eliminated.  I believe it was 26th Infantry got
downsized to 3rd Brigade, 29th ID, correct?  Of course, the Regulars lost 8 of
the 18 divisions they had ten years ago too.  And about half the ARCOMs got
downsized too.  It's part of an overall trend of downsizing.

%: KG III didn't have the majority of the population behind him. 
%
%Um... actually the USA was not nearly as united as you might think.
%And yes, most of the empire was behind, they were just far away and busy
%with other things - Like the French.
%
%: Frankly, whether I agree or not with your politics, you have the right to do
%: whatever you please, as long as it is accord with the US Constitution.  Armed
%: insurrection will get me and a lot of like-minded fellows in uniform out
hunting
%: you down.  
%
%Posse Commitatus.  No you won't.

Funny, I thought that was what happened to the last violent insurrection.  Seem
to recall something about the US Army expanding to it's largest size up until
that time (primarily by Federalizing militia regiments) and hunting down a pack
of insurgents known as the Army of Northern Virginia.  I could swear they
mentioned it in history class somewhere. . . And of course my batallion was one
of the huntees.

And the annual civil disturbance training is mandated for a reason.  And the
reason I got told was that when civil authorities loose control of an area, they
call for National Guard backup.  Are you going to suggest that's not what would
happen in case of armed rebellion?

%: Obviously not enough did.  300 Guardsmen (and about the same number of VADF
%: types) had to be called up.  My point isn't about volunteerism and so forth,
%: which I'm in favor of, but that the Guard still fulfills traditional militia
%: roles in support of local authorities.
%
%And so do the state Police, so does that make them a militia?

Your point was that the Guard doesn't fulfill that mission.  


John M. Atkinson
jatkinso@gmu.edu
"A nation which despises its soldiers will all too soon 
have a despicable army
                 --Jerry Pournelle