Guard activations expected to rapidly increase, could be used for law enforcement

[EarthFirst]

The National Guard is expecting a rapid increase in unit activations over the next few weeks, leaders said at the Pentagon Thursday, filling roles like coronavirus testing and potentially law enforcement.

More than 2,000 Guard personnel have been activated in total so far.

“We anticipate that number going up relatively quickly, in fact, doubling by this weekend," Lengyel added. “I’m expecting tens of thousands to be used inside the states as this grows. ... This could quickly blossom in the next couple weeks."

So far, Guard units have been manning drive-through testing stations, handing out food and clearing out facilities to stand up makeshift hospitals.

http://armytim.es/qqO8HzD

[Hortensis]

1. I read all states have declared the first-step emergency status

necessary to later activate the guard and that 23 states have activated units.

The guard was activated after a major Los Angeles earthquake, but all I saw of them was armed kids in giant intersections "directing" commuter traffic that didn't exactly need instruction on where and when to go. Back then, pre-internet, I didn't know that others were probably deployed to more useful duties. These days I like knowing they're available to help and that that is the case.