Air Guardsmen Slam Proposal to Move Units to Space Force

Monday, May 06, 2024

Air National Guard leaders and enlisted Guardsmen on Friday called a legislative proposal to move units focused on space missions to the Space Force a threat to their existence and also said many of those personnel would rather retire or retrain into another job instead.

Posted by LampLighter at 01:31 PM | 16 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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... In a media roundtable with reporters, officers and enlisted from the Alaska, Colorado and Hawaii Air National Guards took aim at the Air Force proposal, which seeks to move units in their states into the Space Force, usurping their state governors' authority and the wishes of most of the Guardsmen stationed in those areas. Internal polling from 14 Air National Guard units in seven states shows anywhere from 70% to 86% have no desire to become Space Force Guardians.

"Our internal survey indicates about 70% of our personnel would retrain or retire rather than join the Space Force," Air Force Col. Michael Griesbaum, commander of the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Wing, told reporters Friday. "In our particular case, that would really represent an existential threat to the national security of the United States because the Space Force does not have the experience to replace my space operators who depart."

Rebukes from Air National Guard officials join a chorus of criticisms for the proposal, including a letter of opposition signed by the governors of 48 states as well as five U.S. territories earlier this week.

"Governors must maintain full authority as commanders in chief of these assets to effectively protect operational readiness and America's communities," according to the letter, which was promoted by the National Governors Association. "Legislation that sidesteps, eliminates or otherwise reduces governors' authority within their states and territories undermines long-standing partnerships, precedence, military readiness and operational efficacy." ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-05-05 08:55 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Military readiness over governor power? We need to militarize space or else there wont be new ways to waste money and make a few rich.

#2 | Posted by Brennnn at 2024-05-06 02:17 PM | Reply

Biden really should have just shut down the Space Farce nonsense.

#3 | Posted by DarkVader at 2024-05-06 02:23 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

National Guard and Air National Guard have dual missions, State and Federal. I'm having trouble seeing a soley state mission for the Space Guard, the equivalent of flood rescue or tornado clean up.

#4 | Posted by mattm at 2024-05-06 02:23 PM | Reply

Indeed. Pesky rich people. Better to cede space to Russia and China.

#5 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2024-05-06 02:24 PM | Reply

MMFA
Make the Moon Florida Again!

#6 | Posted by Corky at 2024-05-06 02:33 PM | Reply

It's as if the forces are aware they are being brain-drained into an unhappy facade.

That may denote intelligence.

#7 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2024-05-06 04:38 PM | Reply

There is no better symbol of our greed, pettiness, and violence than Space Force.

We have children starving in the streets.
"No money to fix it"
We have a horrible education system.
"No money to fix it"
We have horrible health care and social services.
"No money to fix it"
ETC. of real problems.
"No money to fix it"

Golly gee, let's have Space Force.
"Here's billions."

#8 | Posted by TFDNihilist at 2024-05-06 04:45 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

So what happens when we as a nation discover we have allowed a totally stupid and inept and corrupt government led by know nothings and lobbyists to destroy USA with open borders and immigration from countries and perpetual wars that have never ever benefited or created anything good for our USA? We are too stupid to even demand that such important things be debated and discussed openly.

#9 | Posted by Robson at 2024-05-06 07:10 PM | Reply

So what happens when we as a nation discover we have allowed a totally stupid and inept and corrupt government led by know nothings and lobbyists to destroy USA with open borders and immigration from countries and perpetual wars that have never ever benefited or created anything good for our USA? We are too stupid to even demand that such important things be debated and discussed openly.

#9 | Posted by Robson

One man killed the bipartisan Senate bill that was the most comprehensive immigration bill in decades. That bill gave the GOP everything they wanted, and funded every area of immigration from more border agents, technology, and asylum and immigration courts.

His name is Donald J Trump.

Why? He didn't want Biden to have a win so Trump could use it as a campaign issue.

#10 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2024-05-07 03:32 AM | Reply

#8 Nihilist... We are following in the footsteps of Rome.
All money to the war efforts and the fronts,
whilst forgetting what matters at home.

Empires tend to 'hollow themselves out'.

And just watch as the rich flee, when the
ship starts to sink...

#11 | Posted by earthmuse at 2024-05-07 02:10 PM | Reply

"#4 National Guard and Air National Guard have dual missions, State and Federal. I'm having trouble seeing a soley state mission for the Space Guard, the equivalent of flood rescue or tornado clean up."

It certainly makes no sense, but the Air National Guard fighter squadrons probably have the best pilots in the country. Many of them are (or at least used to be) relatively exclusive, favoring Weapons School graduates, and requiring references in order to join the unit.

At some point, a lot of pilots want to see their kids once in a while, rather than spend time in a Bunker in Kabul. So, you join the guard, get a job with United or Delta, and go on orders when you want to spend a few months back in the jet.

I can't speak to the Space side-IMO, space assets are national assets, but there are many NG/ANG assets that support platforms which couldn't be used domestically. That said, an Air National Guard wing that hosted fighters or cargo jets could and would support state-level efforts in the case of a national or state emergency. They have medical resources, logisticians, fire fighters, whatever.

#12 | Posted by madbomber at 2024-05-07 02:14 PM | Reply

MAD - anyone can fill sand bags. I was mobilized a couple of times to man the vanguard so to speak. Filling and stacking sandbags with pilots and staff officers. It really was all hands on deck.
I just don't see a state role for a Space Guard.

#13 | Posted by mattm at 2024-05-07 03:12 PM | Reply

Space Guard people couldn't fill sand bags?

#14 | Posted by madbomber at 2024-05-07 03:17 PM | Reply

#8 | POSTED BY TFDNIHILIST

Most of the items you enumerated aren't money problems, they are structural.

Money can't fix problems we don't acknowledge how they got that way.

#15 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-05-07 04:06 PM | Reply

They could, but my understanding of the article is that Air National Guard personnel will be tranferred to new units and will no longer be part of the National or Air National Guard and the personnel lost to the governer and any potential state mission. I had misread that part about the Air Force reducing Air Guard numbers in select states. Reducing personnel will not sit well with the Govenors, which is why 48 of them signed a letter opposing the move.

#16 | Posted by mattm at 2024-05-07 04:06 PM | Reply