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The outgoing chief National Guard The defense secretary doubled down on his recent criticism of the National Guard’s long-running and troubled security mission on the U.S.-Mexico border, saying it was undermining the Guard’s fighting ability.
“The reason the National Guard exists is to fight and win our nation’s wars,” Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the National Guard’s chief of staff, said in an interview. Military.com “We can do something along the southwest border. But at the end of the day, it’s [demands] For individuals not connected with military missions.”
The National Guard has maintained some level of presence on the Southwest border for decades, but its mission was stepped up in Texas as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s ongoing Operation Lone Star, which is boosting the Guard’s efforts against illegal immigration in 2021. At its peak, 10,000 National Guard troops were taking part in the operation, which was in addition to the federal border mission of about 2,500 National Guard troops.
Hokanson’s comments come after he told lawmakers on Capitol Hill in June he was concerned the mission would interfere with National Guard training requirements, which are already a major burden for the mostly part-time force, which must maintain the same qualifications as active-duty members.
“There is no military training value in what we do,” he told lawmakers, referring to the border mission, adding that the National Guard’s time would be better spent preparing for war and responding to state emergencies.
U.S. Army General Daniel Hokanson testifies at his Senate confirmation hearing. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
For Hokanson, the problem is twofold: Border assignments, even short ones of a month or so, take up a significant portion of a part-time National Guardsman’s annual tour of duty; border duties are primarily static patrol and surveillance, but soldiers are not typically allowed to have direct contact with migrants or suspected smugglers; and it would put additional strain on the Guard’s relationship with life back home, he argues.
“If you’re deployed to the southwest border and you’re with your family and your employer, it’s the same as being in Kuwait or Iraq or anywhere overseas because you’re away from your family and your employer,” Hokanson said.
But just as importantly, he stressed that the expansion of border security missions is just another challenge placing a strain on soldiers, leaving them overworked — a major concern across the senior military leadership. Time to leave home The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were at their peak.
The problem Linked It has also led to an increase in suicides within the military and contributed to the retention problems that have plagued the military. army National Guard. The Army Guard aimed to retain 37,000 soldiers whose contracts expire in 2023, but only achieved 63% of that goal. In contrast, the Army Guard achieved nearly 95% of its goal. Recruitment The goal is to recruit 26,000 people.
“Our National Guard is going to do the best they can. They’re going to do the job to the best of their ability. They’re going to make themselves better for the next person,” Hokanson said. “But at what cost?”
Members of the Texas National Guard have fired non-lethal weapons at the US border to drive away migrants attempting to cross into the US to seek asylum. Erika Martinez/AFP via Getty Images
The Army Guard’s failure to retain despite nearly meeting its recruiting goals is the polar opposite of the active-duty Army, which is struggling to recruit. But there is no problem with retaining talent..
The frequency of missions and long-term training is exacerbated by the fragmentation of the military’s personnel, as it strengthens NATO’s front line in Russia’s war with Ukraine, thwarts China’s expansionist goals in the Pacific, and performs relic missions of the Global War on Terrorism in Africa and the Middle East. In these legacy missions, the National Guard makes up the bulk of the fighting force. At any given time, about 20,000 National Guard troops are deployed overseas, according to military composition data.
“We’re looking at places where we can reduce the burden on our soldiers,” said Secretary of the Army Christine Warmuth. Military.com In an interview in October.
In addition to overseas missions, the National Guard also deploys to respond to natural disasters. Such missions are expected to become more frequent as climate change is expected to affect the frequency and severity of storms and other natural disasters, placing greater demands on the National Guard. These missions are often short-term, do not interfere with troops’ training schedules, and are better suited to the Guard’s capabilities.
The Massachusetts National Guard is monitoring a Black Lives Matter rally. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
At least a dozen Republican governors, including some hundreds of miles from the border, have committed troops to state-sponsored border missions, ranging from small to large. Expand These missions range from small numbers of soldiers deployed for a few weeks to extensive deployments of the entire unit for a year, and some have even taken place during political campaigns.
South Dakota’s Republican governor, Kristi Noem, sent 50 troops to the border after receiving a $1 million donation from billionaire Republican donor Willis Johnson, a move that has sparked many questions about the ethics and legality of funding National Guard operations and comes at a time when Noem is gaining national prominence.
There are concerns that state governors are using the National Guard as a political tool. Often caught in the middle between state politicians and federal officials.
“We have no control over what elected officials or other officials say,” Hokanson said. “All we can focus on is what we do to make sure we do the right thing.”
Hokanson is set to retire on Aug. 1, but a successor has not yet been chosen.