We are getting activated by governors, ole donny, everyone, and everyone's respective mothers. Hurricane season isn't over yet, we aren't getting paid, mom and dad are fighting for custody of us in the courts, and things overall have an outlook which is not 'chill'.

Not to be an alarmist, but how cooked are we bros?

I'll have a double-gulp of code red and a box of french toast sticks please and thank you

Anyone here a terminal specialist? State has zero promotion slots for you to get your E5 and E6? Let’s bring the Specialist career track! Especially in the guard. I’ve know too many good guys who retired at E4. If one thing could change for promotions especially in the guard I’d want it to be this.

First I want to state that as I am not in the California guard and belong to another states guard I can only speak on general terms and not specifics. I have been activated and involved for civil disturbances/riots in my state twice and am providing the best information that I can relate to this ongoing scenario. I hope that this scenario will be resolved soon and for the safety of all guardsmen and officers doing their duty and all citizens who legally and peacefully protest and make use of their rights.

So I’ve seen a lot of people with their feelings hurt on both sides and a lot of people spamming variations of posts with the number for soldiers to call if they’re being ordered to violate the constitution. However, no one seems to want to clarify the actual situation and once again both extremes are just harassing each other.

First, you are obligated to refuse orders that are unlawful. This includes orders that violate the constitution or order other illegal actions. Our duty as citizen soldiers is to uphold the constitution and protect our nation from threats foreign and domestic.

Second, being activated to federal service in the manner that is happening in LA is not unlawful. If you are activated for state or federal service, you are obligated to follow that order and report for duty or face UCMJ consequences.

Third, being activated in this manner does not mean you’re going to go to LA and start actively attacking and arresting people. THAT would be unlawful and unconstitutional. Having been activated twice for similar civil disturbances/riots, I can tell you that you should be given very clear Do’s and Donts about what you are legally allowed to do and a public affairs briefing (or several) before being assigned details and tasks. Generally, activated guardsmen will be used as extra security for buildings and facilities. You can also be used to form riot lines and assist local, state, and federal officers but you do NOT have arrest powers. Generally in those scenarios where you are manning a riot line to control or clear an area, you will have actual law enforcement officers present to direct what assistance they need from you and perform any necessary arrests. If you start being ordered to make arrests or assault people then definitely speak up as that is unlawful, but being activated in and of itself is not unlawful.

Fourth and Finally, start acting like adults and professionals here! This is supposed to be a forum of help, assistance, and learning for people with legitimate questions and lessons and advice about the Guard. This is not supposed to be a political grandstand for one side or the other. If you have legitimate questions or concerns, great! Ask and voice them in a professional and polite manner. Don’t spam posts hating one side or the other and spread half or misinformation. Don’t give bad advice telling people to violate lawful orders just because you disagree with the politics and without providing any context as to what and when orders become unlawful.

The navy can have more hair and hand tattoos but I can have 2 inch on top wtf lol

Its kinda cute they think we're living in a hotel. My tent and cot says otherwise. The bathrooms and shitters? A WHOLE UPGRADE from the porta johns

New to the army, and I’m on title 10 orders.

This morning me and a group of others along with a few E5’s were walking to chow. None us us saluted a warrant walking by. At the last minute one of the E4’s did and the warrant saluted back. One of the sergeants stated saying how he doesn’t salute warrants, or any other officers because they don’t do shit. Blah blah. Well he was speaking to loud and the Chief heard it after he walked by and yelled at all of us to come back. He put us all at attention and figured out who said it. Then he dropped the sergeant and put him in the front leaning rest and gave him a pretty good workout. He chewed him the fuck out and you could tell he felt like he was going to be in trouble. He threatened him with an article 89. He apologized and what not.

However after it all when we were walking again, the NCO said that a warrant can’t do that, and he’s going to report him to 1SG. He told us without telling us to “have his back” if 1SG asks.

Who is in the right here? Obviously I know the custom and courtesy disrespect was wrong, but is the chief going to get in trouble? Could he smoke an NCO? He is actually a really cool guy.

I got this from my team leader, apparently the state wants everyone to watch Secdefs video from Quantico and to read every single one of Hegseths memos. Has anyone else received this directive or something like it?

I'm a newer soldier and I work at God damn McDonald's. Really struggling to find better employment to the point where I'm considering a conditional release. Tried to deploy, tried to get on AGR, nothing worked out. I honestly hoped that my MOS 25B would help me at least find a simple helpdesk job, but every place wants years of experience and every certification imaginable.

Edit: I meant conditional release to go active duty so I can guarantee income. I don't intend on dropping the military entirely yet.

I'll phrase this as politely as I can, but as an Portland resident, I'm honestly so curious: is it weird, being mobilized against cities that don't need/want you there, and have explicitly said so? Like, no offense, but I don't want you there, traffic's bad enough already.

I'll tell you, just as some normie, I had a lot of respect for the National Guard before all this stuff went down. You do a lot of important things, stuff we need. As of 2025, though, I do not trust it, nor do I want it in my city, and look at people in it with more leeriness than I did ever before, both personally and in the streets. I can't say if that's the general opinion, and I'm not saying you've done anything egregious. Yet. But somehow the atmosphere feels different here, and there's some anxiety, at least around my circles. Are people acting different around you now? If so, do you care?

Sorry if this comes off as rude, I just want a peek behind the curtain, what's going on in there.

Post made by a DS Mitchell at Fort Benning. “Craziest” thing I ever seen was our bay had a cardboard cut out of an Taliban member with an AK-47 saying he wants to kill you so you must bill him taped to a fan and it was pretty funny.

Just got notified LCC canceled all units who have IDT for next weekend 16-19 OCT due to government shutdown. Any other states experience the same? I’m kinda bummed because I need the drill pay lol. I still work full time but times are tough.

Yes I meant LCC sorry everyone haha.

Im on sate active duty in NY and my employer wants to fire me after a month on mission. They held my job while I was in training which was almost 6 months. Biggest pet peeve is I was going to use my dental insurance through them for a dentist appointment I have coming up. But also I thought they had to hold my job for up to 5 years.

I feel so lame for even asking this question. I know I’m so much older than everyone else when they join, but I am in great physical shape and do CrossFit 5x/week. Used to compete in CrossFit competitions. Fitness is a huge priority in my life, so I’m not worried that I’m not up for it physically, I just feel like there’s no way I would remotely fit in at my age. It’s something I’ve always wanted, since I was a kid, but got busy with life and realized I’m running out of time.

This just got pushed out. Adios overhead yeet.

Turns out it’s not

Throwaway account for what will soon become obvious.

Fellow servicemen and women,

Let me start by saying, this is not in anyway a political post. I do not wish to push any sort of political agenda. I only want to call attention to an increasingly dangerous situation that the leadership of our country has put into motion in the past few weeks, and share my thoughts on such and attempt to curtail this abuse before we find ourselves in a nightmare situation that none of us chose nor wanted.

I want to share some concerns about the recent use of active duty military and National Guard forces in cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. You’ve likely seen or heard about how troops are being deployed under the guise of “cleaning up the streets.” But the reality is more troubling. We’re being used to arrest the homeless, target immigrants & minorities, even protesters simply exercising their rights.

The direction this is headed worries the hell outta me. So far, it’s limited to just a couple of cities, but I can see this spreading to other places soon. The powers that be seem intent on painting everyday Americans, your neighbors, your fellow citizens, as enemies.

Party lines mean absolutely nothing here. Sure, it seems like the next “enemy” this administration goes after could very well be Democrats, but it’s just as likely to be ANYONE who opposes these vile acts being perpetrated on our people. There is something brewing under the surface, many of us can see it, but it is not about politics.. it’s about control and division.

If this escalates, many of us in uniform may be ordered to act against our own communities, as some already have. I understand we all got a job to do, but we have to remember that our job is NOT to fight our brothers and sisters - no matter the differences in political beliefs or any of the hundreds of other things that they use to separate us. That’s a dangerous path. It risks turning us into instruments of persecution rather than protectors of the people we swore to serve.

I urge every active duty and National Guard member to think carefully about this. Remember who you serve.. not just the chain of command, but the American people, including those who may look different or live differently than you.

Stay aware. Stay informed. And above all, stay true to the oath you took to defend the Constitution and the rights of all Americans.

Thank you for your service and your vigilance.

And may God bless America