While we are getting creative with organizing, let me throw an idea out I had about 10 years ago, when our National Guard troops were being repeatedly deployed in Iraq and Afhanistan. I thought we should actually have two types of guards. One, the traditional National GUard that would receive more military training, pay and deployments; and the other, the Home Guard, which could only be used in the territorial US. It would receive additional training in search, rescue, and policing, for disasters like fire, tornado, hurricanes and riots, and less fighting, weapons, and pay. Look forward to your thoughts on this.
“an idea I had about... two types of guards. One, that would... deploy.. and the other, the Home Guard”
The Reserves pretty much already provide the deployment function. The domestic function of the Guard was established for the State Militias in the Constitution: “to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasion.” (Article I, Section 8, Clause 15). It also established the Federal Government’s ability to “Federalize” them when needed.
In practice, the Reserves tend to be structured to provide more of the logistics and specialty functions that would be needed to support a larger force or operation (but are expensive to maintain on active duty all the time), while the Guard is structured with more combat arms units. It is cheaper that way overall, and State Governors need to have combat power to establish order in case of insurrection - civil unrest, rioting, looting and such.
....”we should actually have two types of guards”...
Some family members served in the National Guard. I think 9/11 has altered greatly how the National Guard is used here in the states as a result. ..and how they are prepared.