According to reports, the Pentagon has a plan in place for a “reaction force” consisting of hundreds of National Guard members who can be deployed at a moment’s notice to manage civil unrest.
This plan, as noted in the Washington Post, involves 600 troops who can be ready to respond within an hour. They are divided into two groups of 300, stationed at military bases in Alabama and Arizona.
The document concerning this has been prepared for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses by policy director Elbridge Colby.
A defense official mentioned that the Department of Defense routinely reviews how it responds to various situations globally. However, they also noted that plans like these won’t be disclosed through leaks or other means.
In past instances, former President Trump utilized the National Guard for domestic situations, sending 5,000 members and Marines to Los Angeles in June to handle anti-immigration enforcement protests. More recently, he dispatched 800 National Guard forces to Washington, D.C., to assist with law enforcement and tackle violent crime.
The administration has also deployed thousands of troops to the southern border to combat illegal immigration.
Under Title 32, the National Guard operates under the governors’ authority while still being federally funded. Typically, they are assigned domestic tasks such as responding to natural disasters. When deployed under this title, Guard members may have limited enforcement powers. This allows commanders to navigate certain restrictions on military use for domestic matters.
It’s notable that Army and Air Force National Guard forces are equipped with weapons and riot control gear, having received training for such missions.
The Quick Response Team follows a 90-day rotation to help prevent personnel burnout, which seems practical, although the implementation raises some questions.
The document expressing this plan also pointed to potential downsides, addressing concerns about civilian-military balance, legal implications, and logistical challenges, as well as the reduced availability for local emergency responses.
Interestingly, the idea of a response force was initially explored ahead of the 2020 election, where 60 troops in Arizona and Alabama were positioned to react to political violence. Following George Floyd’s death, security personnel were deployed in multiple areas to manage the ensuing protests.
