Which component do you think is more likely to use force against the American People?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 15:03:33 -0500

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2016 3:05 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 15:05:45 -0500

I think the active component is more likely because they are less likely to deviate from a given order, regardless of legality.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Feb 13 at 2016 3:24 PM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 15:24:18 -0500

IMO, may God forbid it to ever happen, I think it would be the National Guard.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Feb 13 at 2016 3:34 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 15:34:49 -0500

None but I will play along. Nice Picture from the Cheesiest Cold War Movie ever made.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2016 4:49 PM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 16:49:48 -0500

The Ohio Army National Guard did a job at Kent State once.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 13 at 2016 4:58 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 16:58:19 -0500

Very tricky question.

Active Duty has the highest chance of "messing up" however National Guard has the "most opportunity."

It we think about it like Negligent Discharges, who is going to experience the most? The person with the most training or the least training? It's counter-intuitive, in that the person who handles weapons most ends up with a "not if, but when, and how bad" set-up.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Feb 13 at 2016 5:08 PM

SSG Warren Swan — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:08:41 -0500

None would ever do it. We might "fight" among ourselves but that's a "family" squabble not anything else. If I HAD to pick a branch, it'd be the one who has the most annoying mandatory training, all done in PowerPoint, and couldn't leave until the commander stops running his gums about the importance of having a reserved parking spot in front of the company area. To get out of all that, you could pick almost any branch except the Coast Guard.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Feb 13 at 2016 6:45 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Sat, 13 Feb 2016 18:45:59 -0500

If the law is followed, then the National Guard. Different set of rules. Posse Comitatus applies to the Army, not the other services. However, regulations within those services essentially implement the same thing. Although force against US citizens is considered an illegal order, it gets much murkier when it comes to National Guard and Coast Guard. The latter has various law enforcement aspects. So legally, the actives and reserves are on the far side of "NO", the Guard depending on their state regulations which vary near the center, and the Coast Guard probably more towards "Yes" but under statue for only certain things. A legal expert can provide a sharper answer but the notion that Posse Comitatus is an all covering blanket isn't correct. Legality aside, our military culture hates the idea, especially when we see all the countries that use their military to suppress the population. We typically don't join up to act like a banana republic.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2016 6:44 AM

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 06:44:24 -0500

Air Force - Any or all components. Here's why: Current POTUS has established the precedent that by labeling an American citizen on foreign soil a terrorist, he can circumvent due process and execute that terrorist with a drone strike. The progression will lead to a scenario where the federal government will eventually take a constitutional right away (2nd Amendment) and those who fail to comply will be labeled a terrorist. The Air Force will be the new law enforcement, jury, judge, and executioner for those who no longer support the constitution.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Feb 14 at 2016 5:30 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 17:30:06 -0500

It's not even close. In disasters the NG will be the first to deploy with their police powers.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Feb 16 at 2016 5:21 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 17:21:20 -0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv5U0A10hrI

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