Since Jan. 6, the U.S. National Guard has been stationed at the Capitol.
But despite working to protect the building and its inhabitants for more than five months, National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Daniel Hokanson said that they might have to cancel their training and exercises if they are not reimbursed an estimated $521 million.
"Gutted finances and readiness"
In 2020, the National Guard was deployed for over 21 million service days to respond to missions that include:
- Domestic COVID-19 response
- Hurricane relief
- Fighting wildfires
- Protecting cities dealing with George Floyd protests
- Overseas missions
However, the Guard’s biggest and most costly mission was to 'protect' the U.S. capital, along with providing security for the presidential inauguration and the militarization of the Capitol grounds with razor wire and nonscalable fences.
According to Hokanson, the time spent at the Capitol has "gutted their finances and readiness." Their deployment in the nation’s capital required 26,000 service members from all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
In an interview with Pentagon reporters, Hokanson said that while the National Guard covered the bill upfront, they will be forced to cancel planned training and exercises for August and September if they are not fully reimbursed.
The Guard had to cover expenses to meet the request by the U.S. Capitol Police, Secret Service, Park Service and others – all of which didn't have enough personnel or protective measures in place following the incident at the Capitol.
"It's critical for us to get it this year because the funding will be required for us to complete not only our drills but all operations and training we have scheduled," explained Hokanson.
He added that the lack of funding will significantly impact "National Guard readiness."
Hokanson also discussed how operations, maintenance and pay accounts were used to compensate soldiers and airmen deployed to the capital. Annual trainings, drill weekends and operational maintenance will be canceled in November and December if they are not reimbursed.
And while adjustments were made to relieve the burden on Guard members deployed for multiple missions on short notice in 2021, they are preparing to face "a new normal."
"When we look at the future, however, we’re not really sure what it's going to look like," shared Hokanson, regarding the need for advance trainings to address anticipated gaps.
"What we have to do is be prepared to meet whatever that demand signal is," added Hokanson.
He said he spent several nights patrolling the Capitol grounds and talking to Guard members about the struggles they have been facing because of the mission, which was extended in March for two more months.
Most of the time, Guard members didn't know when they could go back home to their families and jobs. While the Guard members acknowledge that the Capitol deployment was all part of the job, "the bureau attempts to balance the citizen-soldiers' civilian careers, families, and Guard duties."
The National Guard, a reserve force of 450,000 soldiers and airmen, successfully met its 2021 recruitment goals for reenlistment and new members in May.
Hokanson explained that in most cases, the benchmark isn't hit until late September, "just before the fiscal year closes." But based on the ability of the Guard to recruit and retain, meeting the goals ahead of schedule is a good indicator.
National Guard members fed toxic food
In April, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that thousands of National Guard troops at the Capitol are to remain in their posts "as long as they are needed," but it's not clear why the troops need to stay – months after the incident has been resolved.
And while the deployment itself isn't an issue, it looks like the Capitol doesn't care that much for Guard members even as they work hard to uphold their duties.
According to a shocking report, over a dozen Michigan National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C., suffered food poisoning, with some hospitalized, after repeatedly being served raw, undercooked meat and subpar meals.
A whistleblower who talked to WXYZ-TV reporter Brian Abel revealed that almost 75 meals were thrown out after it was discovered that they contained metal shavings. Other meals were also served undercooked, causing food poisoning among the Guard members. (Related: Toxic food making National Guard servicemen sick, whistleblower reveals.)
The whistleblower also said that the troops have had to pay for their own food until officials got the situation under control.
Go to Corruption.news for more updates on the National Guard and how the government has failed them.
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