Understanding the Authorization & Command Structure of the Military Currently in Our Cities, is Important to Understand Events Which May Occur in the Coming Days.
The National Guard Soldiers currently emplaced in cities across our nation were moved there from out of state locations, by the authorization and order of the President, under the Stafford Act and the Storm Act. President Trump enacted the Stafford Act in March 2020, under Emergency Powers declared in the State of Emergency for COVID-19. He further signed into action the STORM Act (passed by Congress in 2018), for the specific movements being made right now of our National Guard Soldiers. In many of these Guard movements we are seeing only 100-300 Soldiers from any one location, then consolidating with other units to form the much larger groups within each city. For example, the 25,000 Soldiers in Washington D.C. are comprised of 100-300 Soldiers from completely separate units of: Idaho, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, etc. Along with larger groups from other locations. My point? They are sub-units of larger command structures which are moving, not entire stand-alone command structures. They are being formed together at their destination cities as a Task Force, with a NEW Command and Control, completely separated from their normal Chain of Command.
What do the Stafford Act and combined STORM Act direct? They empower FEMA to take charge of all co-ordination and movement of U.S. military placed under their charge, for the purposes of emergency relief. It also authorizes FEMA the same power over all local law enforcement in the areas designated by the Presidents' signature. To be clear, currently, every city the National Guard is currently occupying, both the military and the local law enforcement, fall under the authority of FEMA.
So what? Why does that matter? The key point here is that the Soldiers and their small subunits are separated from the Army, Marines, etc. They are OPCON'ed out to FEMA. OPCON is Operational Control .. being formally transferred to another entity, by an actual written order from the Department of Defense. The Command and Staff which could normally tell these subunits what to do, how to do, and when to do, from their Brigades or even Battalions, to their Post Commanders, to FORSCOM, to Department of the Army/Navy/etc, are all without power over these Soldiers, Commanders, and units. Also important, is that it removes the ultimate authority of Mayors over the local Police, and hands it directly to FEMA, or whoever the Task Force Organization Chart says the Police fall under, with FEMA ultimately at the top. Driving this point home, was VP Pence in his speech to the 10th Mountain Division, this Sunday 17 Jan. While 10th Mountain is not currently moved to any locations, what was interesting was VP Pence’s statement to, “follow the orders of your UNITY CHAIN OF COMMAND.” Folks,,,there has basically been no such thing as a “Unity Chain of Command" before. It is nothing but a new fangled expression for “Task Force.” President Trump was the first to use this term, that I am aware of, when writing his specific instructions as he signed into action the STORM Act. What VP Pence was specifically telling these Soldiers, Officers, and Commanders was, without question, when you receive orders to move, YOU DON’T WORK FOR YOUR NORMAL CHAIN OF COMMAND -- You don’t work for the Ft. Drum Commanding General and his Staff – You don’t work for the Department of the Army Command and Staff. What he was ensuring they understood, was that upon movement, they work for the TASK FORCE, and the Chain of Command established within the Task Force Organizational Structure, now called their Unity Chain of Command.
Finally, of what benefit is this? Generals, Colonels, Commanders, or Staff Officers/members with nefarious intents, that normally these sub-units would respond to if they received instructions, guidance, or orders from, are now cut off. Politically motivated Mayors, are now cut off. These Acts were signed into action many months ago. The summer riots raged. The President and his trusted staff and Military Commanders, had plenty of time to carefully select units, sub-units, and Commanders/Leaders, who would perform their duty to the Constitution and We the People, without malicious intent, political bias, or timidity in their dedication.
Have Faith.
WWG1WGA
Fran
Patriot
US Army Retired