They are supposed to evacuate the town, and when an Osprey comes in who can help with that, they don’t commandeer it, they try to shoot it down. By now attacking your allies, especially helicopters, is a tradition.
Even if it has been declared a no-fly zone it does seem a bit unorthodox that they wouldn’t try to make radio contact before the shooty stuff. I suspect the normal chain of command isn’t in play.
Yeah, the National Guard shooting at them bit doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me at the moment, either, unless a) it really isn’t the NG, or b) as Bruce suggested, the normal chain of command isn’t in play.
Or started shooting back. After all, a fight to the death with agents of the government is what a lot of people have been looking forward to for years.
Well dang – I’m shocked the Weekend Warriors were able to find their own asses, much less avoid getting them blown off trying to find the right end of the tube to launch those missiles from.
If you are talking about the NG that is typically portrayed in fiction, then I heartily agree. Those guys are always bumbling, typically redneck idiots.
However, if you are talking about the real life NG, consider this: They are a group of volunteers who are better trained than the standing armies of most countries. They can be called to fight at any time during times of war and have done so in the past and present. They have fought and died along side their career military brothers and left behind family and loved ones in that effort. Whenever a disaster is declared at home, they are the ones flying helicopters to rescue survivors from floods and hurricanes and are ones the ground to support those survivors any way they can. These are men and women who want to serve the people of their country and do so a lot more often than you might think.
Dang, sorry for ranting but, I thought it was worth saying.
Besides, speaking as a retiree of the ANG I can assure you that it wasn’t them (at least in our universe) shooting at Nick. The Regular forces would never trust us with something as expensive as an anti-aircraft missile, especially Stateside.
Even the tanks I worked with for fifteen years were considered not worthy of combat in spite of the fact that they worked up to spec. They were simply obsolete. BTW I, and most of the NCOs in my unit were former Regular Army and many had seen combat. I can assure you that at least some of the NG units are quite professional.
Civil Defense has nothing to do with weaponry and was effectively abandoned at the end of the Cold War. The only thing left AFAIK are the sirens, and the public isn’t even well informed about them.
They still do regular siren tests where I live. Nothing quite like waking up late on a lazy morning off to the ound of air raid sirens reminding you of all the nuclear weapons still floating around in the world, and that risk of nuclear holocaust still threatens every life of the planet.
And yet, for some reason whenever a certain stripey bastard they know is actively engaged in nefarious bullshit that they actually could solve with gratuitous violence, they don’t bother.
Ya know… something occurs to me. Skin Horse seems to have almost no qualms leaping into a frenzy of violence against humans, but they show a lot more restraint and hesitation with non-human sapients.
Yes, of course, their job itself is helping non-human sapients. But it’s almost like they have entirely different levels of willingness to employ violence on the two parties. As we’re reminded here, they have a record of attacking their own military, but they don’t have an equivalent record of attacking say… the Machine Union, or The Transgenic League, or the Basement Dwellers, or Tigerlily Jones’ Clockwork Army, or whoever else might get in their way and make life hard.
Sort of. When ordered to national service army national guard units are placed under the command of the department of the army (Or the department of the air force for the air national guard. Either way the DoD). But otherwise they’re commanded by their home state as is probably the case for any unit sent on disagree relief. That said, either way the national guard is explicitly a military organisation.
Not to pick nits, but there’s no “sort of” about it. From their website:
“The Army National Guard (ARNG) is one component of The Army (which consists of the Active Army, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.) The Army National Guard is composed primarily of traditional Guardsmen — civilians who serve their country, state and community on a part-time basis (usually one weekend each month and two weeks during the summer.) Each state, most territories and the District of Columbia has its own National Guard, as provided for by the Constitution of the United States.
The National Guard has a unique dual mission that consists of both Federal and State roles. For state missions, the governor, through the state Adjutant General, commands Guard forces. The governor can call the National Guard into action during local or statewide emergencies, such as storms, fires, earthquakes or civil disturbances.
In addition, the President of the United States can activate the National Guard for participation in federal missions. Examples of federal activations include Guard units deployed to Kosovo and the Sinai for stabilization operations, and units deployed to the Middle East and other locations in the war on terrorism. When federalized, Guard units are commanded by the Combatant Commander of the theatre in which they are operating.”
They are supposed to evacuate the town, and when an Osprey comes in who can help with that, they don’t commandeer it, they try to shoot it down. By now attacking your allies, especially helicopters, is a tradition.
Even if it has been declared a no-fly zone it does seem a bit unorthodox that they wouldn’t try to make radio contact before the shooty stuff. I suspect the normal chain of command isn’t in play.
Chain of command… no. Fowl, yes.
Or they’re not national guard, just wearing national-guard-like uniforms and painting national-guard-like insignia on their vehicles
Yeah, the National Guard shooting at them bit doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me at the moment, either, unless a) it really isn’t the NG, or b) as Bruce suggested, the normal chain of command isn’t in play.
Well, when they started shooting, a lot of people would’ve evacuated.
Or started shooting back. After all, a fight to the death with agents of the government is what a lot of people have been looking forward to for years.
Wait, they’re just National Guard?
Well dang – I’m shocked the Weekend Warriors were able to find their own asses, much less avoid getting them blown off trying to find the right end of the tube to launch those missiles from.
Considering who was shooting, those were probably Congreve rockets left over from the Civil War.
If you are talking about the NG that is typically portrayed in fiction, then I heartily agree. Those guys are always bumbling, typically redneck idiots.
However, if you are talking about the real life NG, consider this: They are a group of volunteers who are better trained than the standing armies of most countries. They can be called to fight at any time during times of war and have done so in the past and present. They have fought and died along side their career military brothers and left behind family and loved ones in that effort. Whenever a disaster is declared at home, they are the ones flying helicopters to rescue survivors from floods and hurricanes and are ones the ground to support those survivors any way they can. These are men and women who want to serve the people of their country and do so a lot more often than you might think.
Dang, sorry for ranting but, I thought it was worth saying.
Besides, speaking as a retiree of the ANG I can assure you that it wasn’t them (at least in our universe) shooting at Nick. The Regular forces would never trust us with something as expensive as an anti-aircraft missile, especially Stateside.
Even the tanks I worked with for fifteen years were considered not worthy of combat in spite of the fact that they worked up to spec. They were simply obsolete. BTW I, and most of the NCOs in my unit were former Regular Army and many had seen combat. I can assure you that at least some of the NG units are quite professional.
What about the Civil Defense?
Civil Defense has nothing to do with weaponry and was effectively abandoned at the end of the Cold War. The only thing left AFAIK are the sirens, and the public isn’t even well informed about them.
They still do regular siren tests where I live. Nothing quite like waking up late on a lazy morning off to the ound of air raid sirens reminding you of all the nuclear weapons still floating around in the world, and that risk of nuclear holocaust still threatens every life of the planet.
I LOVE the “anytime it’d be funny” excuse. Brings back fond memories of Dave and Mell.
I can’t remember anything they’ve done that wasn’t funny. At least to us spectators.
Gratuitous violence that actually sets back their goals – yeah that’s kind of their signature. Surprising how often that works for them.
And yet, for some reason whenever a certain stripey bastard they know is actively engaged in nefarious bullshit that they actually could solve with gratuitous violence, they don’t bother.
Ya know… something occurs to me. Skin Horse seems to have almost no qualms leaping into a frenzy of violence against humans, but they show a lot more restraint and hesitation with non-human sapients.
Yes, of course, their job itself is helping non-human sapients. But it’s almost like they have entirely different levels of willingness to employ violence on the two parties. As we’re reminded here, they have a record of attacking their own military, but they don’t have an equivalent record of attacking say… the Machine Union, or The Transgenic League, or the Basement Dwellers, or Tigerlily Jones’ Clockwork Army, or whoever else might get in their way and make life hard.
Show ’em your credentials.
Aren’t the National Guard technically not military? Then again, neither is AG-I
National Guard is a division of the US Army. So yes, they are technically military. As for AG-I, et cetera, I suspect they don’t officially exist.
>National Guard is a division of the US Army
Sort of. When ordered to national service army national guard units are placed under the command of the department of the army (Or the department of the air force for the air national guard. Either way the DoD). But otherwise they’re commanded by their home state as is probably the case for any unit sent on disagree relief. That said, either way the national guard is explicitly a military organisation.
Not to pick nits, but there’s no “sort of” about it. From their website:
“The Army National Guard (ARNG) is one component of The Army (which consists of the Active Army, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.) The Army National Guard is composed primarily of traditional Guardsmen — civilians who serve their country, state and community on a part-time basis (usually one weekend each month and two weeks during the summer.) Each state, most territories and the District of Columbia has its own National Guard, as provided for by the Constitution of the United States.
The National Guard has a unique dual mission that consists of both Federal and State roles. For state missions, the governor, through the state Adjutant General, commands Guard forces. The governor can call the National Guard into action during local or statewide emergencies, such as storms, fires, earthquakes or civil disturbances.
In addition, the President of the United States can activate the National Guard for participation in federal missions. Examples of federal activations include Guard units deployed to Kosovo and the Sinai for stabilization operations, and units deployed to the Middle East and other locations in the war on terrorism. When federalized, Guard units are commanded by the Combatant Commander of the theatre in which they are operating.”
We *try* not to, it just never goes as expected. Except now I expect this.
It must be the Irrational Guard…..