So, what was the emergency?

I am writing this to pose a question.  Perhaps one of my more learned friends can answer the question.  Please feel free to post an answer, either here or on Facebook, because I’m going to link this on my Facebook page.

I know and understand that the National Guard can be mobilized to assist state and local governments in emergencies, such as natural and / or "man created" (formerly known as acts of terrorism) disasters and civil disturbances.  What I did not realize is that they can also be mobilized for non-emergency civilian law enforcement duties.  Maybe I wasn't paying attention somewhere along the line.  Seems I should know these things.  Maybe I didn’t know because the National Guard was never mobilized when I was a cop and a Mayor was inaugurated in York, PA.  

When I read last week that in excess of 6,000 National Guard ¹ troops were "sworn in" as civilian law enforcement personnel, or to supplement civilian law enforcement for the inauguration of the Anointed One, it was one of those "Things that make me go Hmmm" moments.  I was not aware that there was an emergency in Washington DC, so I decided to see just how this happens.  

This is what I found:

NGR 500-5/ANGI 10-802                                                                     August 18, 2010

National Guard Domestic Law Enforcement Support and Mission Assurance

Operations

Emergency Employment of Army and Other Resources

National Guard Domestic Law Enforcement Support and Mission Assurance Operations

By Order of the Secretary of Defense:

CRAIG R. MCKINLEY

General, USAF

Chief, National Guard Bureau

Official:

JOHN D. SELMER

Lt Col, USAF

Chief, Strategy and Policy Division

3-3. Federal Policy

US Code, Title 10, Chapter 18, Military Support for Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies, authorizes the Department of Defense, including National Guard members serving in Title 10 status, to support law enforcement agencies and is implemented through policy and direction including Department of Defense (DOD) directives. It is DOD policy

to cooperate with civilian law enforcement officials to the extent that such cooperation is consistent with the needs of national security and military preparedness, the historic tradition of limiting direct military involvement in civilian law enforcement activities, and the requirements of applicable law.

a. All requests by civil authorities for military assistance from the Department of Defense, including National Guard in a Title 10 status, shall be evaluated by the DOD approval authorities against the following criteria:

(1) Legality (compliance with laws).

(2) Lethality (potential use of lethal force by or against DOD Forces).

(3) Risk (safety of DOD Forces).

(4) Cost (who pays, impact on DOD budget).

(5) Appropriateness (whether the requested mission is in the interest of the DOD to conduct).

(6) Readiness (impact on the DOD’s ability to perform its primary mission).

b. The Secretary of Defense retains approval authority for domestic law enforcement support and mission assurance operations involving: DOD support to civil disturbances; DOD responses to acts of terrorism; and DOD potential for confrontation with specifically identified individuals and/or groups or will result in the use of lethal force. DOD Directive 3025.1 outlines immediate emergency response authority for commanders.

c. The process for requesting military assistance by civil agencies and the approval authorities for such requests is outlined in DOD Directive 3025.15. All requests for support from state and local agencies must be in writing. The employment of National Guard forces operating in a Title 10 status in support of domestic civil disturbances may be authorized by the President. When requested by the Attorney General and approved by the Secretary of Defense or when authorized by the President ², the Secretary of Defense shall employ federalized National Guard forces under rules for the use of force approved by General Counsel of the Department of Defense and the U.S. Attorney General. The Secretary of the Army, as Executive Agent for the Secretary of Defense, and with the advice and assistance of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Director of Military Support, shall direct the required DOD assistance.

End of NGR 500-5/ANGI 10-802  

The question that I said I was going to ask is in this paragraph.  I’ll highlight it to make it easy to find.  Now maybe I’m just paranoid, but I didn’t read anywhere that there was a civil disturbance or any kind of emergency in Washington, DC today that hasn’t been going on for the last couple of years. IF this mobilization is substantiated because it was authorized by the President, it seems to me that His Majesty can mobilize the National Guard any time he wants to.  And if he can mobilize them anytime he wants to, can he order them to do his bidding while mobilized?  You know, things like conduct door to door "surveys" to see who has, well things the Prez doesn’t particularly care for, like Dodge Vipers with those big V-10 gas guzzling engines, or 20 year old refrigerators in garages that keep Yuengling really cold, but are not run by wind mills and are not terribly energy efficient.  You know, those kinds of things.  If you can read between the lines you should get my drift.  Now I have not proof read this in order to check how many DHS social media bad words other than National Guard I used, but there are probably more on that list in this post.

If you have an answer, please let all of us know.

That is all

NOTES:

1.    1. This is ONLY for the Number of National Guard troops  Source: http://www.dvidshub.net/image/817610/national-guard-supports-57th- presidential-inauguration#.UP3cwmdX13A

2.    2. Emphasis mine

3.    Source for NGR 500-5/ANG 10-802:  http://www.ngbpdc.ngb.army.mil/pubs/500/ngr500_5_angi10_208.pdf