WASHINGTON (AP) — Military leaders have ordered the National Guard in every state to develop a “quick reaction force” of troops trained to deal with civil
WASHINGTON — Military leaders have ordered the National Guard in every state to develop a “quick reaction force” of troops trained to deal with civil disturbances and riots that can be ready to deploy with just hours’ notice, the latest indication of longer-term Trump administration plans to more readily dispatch soldiers to U.
S. streets. A set of memos circulated this month directs Guard units in all 50 states and U.S. territories, except for the District of Columbia, to train a contingent of soldiers in a specialized course that includes the proper use of batons, body shields, stun guns and pepper spray. Signed by Major Gen. Ronald Burkett, operations director for the National Guard, the memos reviewed by The Associated Press give various numbers for each state’s force — often 500 each — that total more than 23,000 troops in all. The memos direct Washington, D.C., to maintain a “specialized” military police battalion with 50 National Guard soldiers on active duty orders. It presses forward with President Donald Trump’s broader vision for a muscular role for the U.S. military in targeting illegal immigration and crime. He has already pushed traditional boundaries by sending the National Guard into American cities, often over the objection of Democratic local leaders.in August that directed the Pentagon to create quick reaction forces that would be “available for rapid nationwide deployment.” The executive order is cited as one of the authorities for the memo, about which the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The National Guard has always had troops that were on standby to deploy at a moment’s notice, but they traditionally have been used to quickly react to natural disasters and did not receive special training. The new, specialized quick reaction forces will be able to deploy a fourth of all their troops within eight hours and all of those assigned to the units within a day, according to the memo. During a roundtable at the White House last week with homeland security officials, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked about a memo detailing similar plans. Hegseth said he would not comment on the “particulars” but went on to say that there were “multiple layers of National Guard response forces.” “We’ve got a lot of different ways that, constitutionally and legally, we can employ” Guard troops, and “we will do so when necessary,” Hegseth said. While Trump has sent the National Guard into cities including Los Angeles and D.C., his efforts to deploy troops in other places have faced swift legal challenges. The Trump administration is blocked from sending troops into the Chicago area until at least the latter half of November, following a U.S. Supreme Court order calling on the sides to file additional legal briefs. And a federal trial seeking to block a troop deployment in Portland, Oregon, got underway this week. The memos, which were sent out to the states early this month, mandate that each state and territory have its quick reaction forces operational by Jan. 1, 2026. To help with that goal, units will be provided 100 sets of crowd control equipment as well as two full-time trainers by the National Guard Bureau. The units also will be allowed to use an additional five days of training for soldiers to get through the “Interservice Nonlethal Individual Weapons Instructor Course.” According to one of the memos, the initial portion of the course includes topics like “crowd management techniques,” “domestic civil disturbance training,” and “proper use of baton and body shields.” The intermediate portion focuses on the use of non-lethal weapons like Tasers and pepper spray.S. streets. WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump hosted hundreds of costumed guests — from superheroes to dinosaurs and even a few children dressed as the first couple — as part of Thursday night’s Halloween celebration at the White House. He and first lady Melania Trump emerged on the South Lawn as evening was starting to fall A faculty adviser for Indiana University’s student newspaper filed a federal lawsuit Thursday arguing his free speech and due process rights were violated when he was fired for refusing to ensure no news stories appeared in the homecoming print edition earlier this month. A lawyer for the adviser, Jim Rodenbush, said it’s a case seeking TAMPA, Fla. — JetBlue passengers were taken to the hospital after a sudden altitude drop on a flight from Mexico forced an emergency landing in Florida on Thursday, according to officials. The flight from Cancun was traveling to Newark, New Jersey, when the altitude dropped. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that WASHINGTON — Lawyers for former FBI Director James Comey want to review a transcript and audio recording of grand jury proceedings in his criminal case, citing what they say were “irregularities” in the process that should result in the dismissal of an indictment pushed by President Donald Trump. The request is one in a Six people who died at a Colorado dairy farm this summer were exposed to hydrogen sulfide gas, authorities said Thursday. The Weld County coroner’s office drew its conclusions from autopsies and toxicology tests. The deaths of five men and a teenager on Aug. 20 sent shockwaves through the rural communities in and around Keenesburg, 35 Tyson O’Neill, owner of Generator Supercenter of Puget Sound in Lynnwood, said homeowners must stop treating backup power like a luxury.As small and medium-sized businesses in the Seattle-Tacoma region prepare to capitalize on renewed economic momentum and easing interest rates, Bonneville Seattle stands as the premier media partner to amplify their growth.Medicare open enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, giving beneficiaries a crucial opportunity to review and change their plans.If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your heating, air conditioning, or heat pump system, 2025 is the year to act.Prostate cancer is a very serious disease, but most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. Many treatment options are available, especially in Seattle.In 7 Steps to a Successful Retirement, CPA and advisor Brian Evans lays out a clear, principle-driven roadmap to help individuals transition from working years to a comfortable retirement.
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