A major war could leave US states without enough National Guard troops for disasters and other emergencies, generals warn
Army National Guard generals warn a major overseas war could leave governors short of troops to respond to disasters and other emergencies at home.
Major wars could leave U.S. states with insufficient National Guard troops for domestic emergencies, according to senior Army National Guard leaders. At the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army, several generals raised concerns about the Guard's potential deployment overseas, which could leave state governors with inadequate personnel to respond to hurricanes, cyberattacks, and other crises at home.
Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, emphasized that hurricanes would not pause for a great power war. The National Guard, distinct from the rest of the U.S. military, responds to emergencies under state governors' authority while also serving as a combat reserve. A major conflict could force the Guard to choose between overseas deployments and domestic emergencies.
Some states are taking measures to address the potential shortfall, such as reviving their State Guard, a separate, state-controlled volunteer force, or establishing processes to resolve competing demands for troops between state and federal authorities.
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