Posted on Jan 13, 2022
Texas Denying Most Guard Troops at Border Chance to Help Families Suffering Hardships at Home
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A sad situation due to the Texas governor's political agenda
Texas Denying Most Guard Troops at Border Chance to Help Families Suffering Hardships at Home
Posted from military.comPosted in these groups: Texas ARNG
Benefits
Benefits
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 6
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This has been the sloppiest, nastiest "military" operation in decades. How embarrasing.
"When troops weren’t on duty, most were at hotels in remote locations. Alcohol and drug abuse became so widespread that senior leaders issued breathalyzers and instituted alcohol restrictions that tightened as the misconduct incidents piled up.
Leaders initiated more than 1,200 legal actions, including nonjudicial punishments, property loss investigations, Army Regulation 15-6 investigations and more. That’s nearly one legal action for every three soldiers.
At least 16 soldiers from the mission were arrested or confined for charges including drugs, sexual assault and manslaughter. During the same time period, only three soldiers in Kuwait, a comparable deployment locale with more soldiers, were arraigned for court-martial.
Troops at the border had more than three times as many car accidents over the past year — at least 500 incidents totaling roughly $630,000 in damages — than the 147 “illegal substance seizures” they reported assisting.
One cavalry troop from Louisiana was temporarily disbanded due to misconduct and command climate issues — an extremely rare occurrence.
A 1,000-soldier battalion-level task force based in McAllen, Texas, had three soldiers die during the border deployment. For comparison, only three Army Guard troops died on overseas deployments in 2021, out of tens of thousands.
Perhaps nowhere were the issues more evident than in McAllen, where nearly two battalions’ worth of troops lived, led by a single understrength battalion command team that required additional help and manpower."
“We are literally the biggest threat to ourselves down here,” said one staff officer who served on the mission.
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2021/12/08/death-drugs-and-a-disbanded-unit-how-the-guards-mexico-border-mission-fell-apart/
"When troops weren’t on duty, most were at hotels in remote locations. Alcohol and drug abuse became so widespread that senior leaders issued breathalyzers and instituted alcohol restrictions that tightened as the misconduct incidents piled up.
Leaders initiated more than 1,200 legal actions, including nonjudicial punishments, property loss investigations, Army Regulation 15-6 investigations and more. That’s nearly one legal action for every three soldiers.
At least 16 soldiers from the mission were arrested or confined for charges including drugs, sexual assault and manslaughter. During the same time period, only three soldiers in Kuwait, a comparable deployment locale with more soldiers, were arraigned for court-martial.
Troops at the border had more than three times as many car accidents over the past year — at least 500 incidents totaling roughly $630,000 in damages — than the 147 “illegal substance seizures” they reported assisting.
One cavalry troop from Louisiana was temporarily disbanded due to misconduct and command climate issues — an extremely rare occurrence.
A 1,000-soldier battalion-level task force based in McAllen, Texas, had three soldiers die during the border deployment. For comparison, only three Army Guard troops died on overseas deployments in 2021, out of tens of thousands.
Perhaps nowhere were the issues more evident than in McAllen, where nearly two battalions’ worth of troops lived, led by a single understrength battalion command team that required additional help and manpower."
“We are literally the biggest threat to ourselves down here,” said one staff officer who served on the mission.
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2021/12/08/death-drugs-and-a-disbanded-unit-how-the-guards-mexico-border-mission-fell-apart/
Death, drugs and a disbanded unit: How the Guard’s Mexico border mission fell apart
For much of 2021, there were deep-seated issues with the National Guard's federally-controlled border mission.
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SPC Erich Guenther
Kuwait is a foreign country with not a whole lot of bars serving alcholic beverages that I can think of out in the desert. Further isn't GO #1 or #2 not to drink alchol for Soldiers in Kuwait? As for the Texas NG. If you can't serve it is pretty easy to quit and leave. I'm not following the stories about "hardship" which allows NG troops to be excused from duty and pulls someone else on in their place. Does Active Duty work that way or do they Chapter those that cannot deploy? I think Abbott deployment is political as well but it is his right as Governor to use the NG as he sees fit. I think once you inject politics into the NG then it turns into a force similar to the Capitol Police. Far more preferable to treat the NG like the military force it is and enforce discipline in the ranks. I look at this the same way as I do letting Soldiers pick and choose if they get vaccinations.
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SPC Erich Guenther
Well why retain someone in the NG who can't deploy because financially their expenses and lifestyle no longer support it and it becomes a financial hardship? Isn't fiscally fit the same as physically fit?
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CW4 Guy Butler
SPC Erich Guenther You might have missed this:
“ Some have encountered months of delays with Guard pay, with physical paychecks coming in at inconsistent times and in inconsistent amounts. One soldier told Military.com that their last paycheck was for about $100, while another soldier was overpaid by more than $2,000.”
And this:
“ Meanwhile, many of the Guard troops at the border are on state orders with different pay scales than federally activated forces. They typically earn less and cannot accrue GI Bill benefits or build eligibility for a home loan through the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
“ Some have encountered months of delays with Guard pay, with physical paychecks coming in at inconsistent times and in inconsistent amounts. One soldier told Military.com that their last paycheck was for about $100, while another soldier was overpaid by more than $2,000.”
And this:
“ Meanwhile, many of the Guard troops at the border are on state orders with different pay scales than federally activated forces. They typically earn less and cannot accrue GI Bill benefits or build eligibility for a home loan through the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
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SPC Erich Guenther
CW4 Guy Butler - I saw it and yes the State is at fault there, specifically the NG for not fixing or addressing the issues. Even so being in the NG is a military obligation, even with those issues, Soldiers should still deploy vs asking to go home. It gets under my skin when I see people complain about the NG but stay in. I had issues in the NG but I put up with them.....I never asked to go home or looked for sympathy. It is part of the deal of putting on the uniform. I agree the state needs to make things right and pronto but the NG Soldiers should do their duty until that happens or leave the NG....they have a choice.
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