September 21, 2024
For nearly 400 years, the National Guard has been America’s protectors on the home front. But the existence of the National Guard as we know it is now being seriously challenged.
Congress is poised to adopt language in the annual National Defense Authorization Act that would override governors’ authority over National Guard units. Adoption would seriously damage our national security, imperil military readiness, and infringe upon longstanding gubernatorial authority over National Guard units.
The good news is Congress has an opportunity to change course.
Earlier this year, the Department of the Air Force submitted Legislative Proposal 480, which aims to circumvent federal law requiring governors to consent to any transfer of National Guard units out of their respective states.
The end goal is to take Air National Guard units performing space missions out of their states and forcibly integrate them into the U.S. Space Force. This override of established federal law raised serious concerns within the National Guard community and united the nation’s 55 state and territorial governors in opposition to it.
The governors’ position is noteworthy.
It is rare that leaders of contrasting regional, political, and geographical constituencies find common ground on an issue. Their April statement against LP480 is focused on the potential impact on more than 450,000 Army and Air Guardsmen.
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Bugs Marlowe