LOUISIANA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD - what did Gov. Blanco do and not do?

globalsecurity.org ^ | 2005

[doug from upland]

Louisiana Army National Guard

Today's Louisiana Army and Air National Guard consists of 74 units spread among 43 cities and towns of the state and numbers some 11,500 Army and Air Guardsmen. As a result of various reorganizations the present Army Guard is composed of a State Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 204th Area Support Group, the 256th Separate Infantry Brigade, the 225th Engineer Group and various Medical, Maintenance, Aviation, Military Police, Armored Cavalry and Special Forces units and the 156th Army Band.

The National Guard of the United States is the only component of the Armed Forces with a dual federal - state role. The Guard is organized, trained and equipped to be available in times of national emergency, upon the call of the President. It can also be called upon by the Governor for state duty, to preserve peace and order and protect life and property in the event of natural disasters or civil disturbances. The federal Government is responsible for equipping, training and paying the Guardsmen (except the state pays them for active state duty). The state is also responsible for providing Guard personnel and training facilities.

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Mitch, the Louisiana Army National Guard opened its armories for two days to collect goods from concerned citizens. More than 500,000 pounds of medicine, water, clothing, food and personal items were collected.

Task Force Aguan deployed to Honduras in February for New Horizons 99-2, a six-month engineering rebuilding exercise. The LAARNG led the exercise by repairing roads, bridges and culverts and building schools and clinics. Medical personnel also conducted medical exercises to provide basic care to the population.

In April 1999, a tornado tore through the community of Benton in North Louisiana. The LAARNG provided security, clean up and debris removal support. The LAARNG also hauled 4.3 million gallons of water to several communities during droughts and more than 18 tons of day to drought-stricken cattle farmers throughout the state. the LAARNG launched a second Youth Challenge Program for high school dropouts and will conduct a Starbase Program for select New Orleans public schools. Finally, the LAARNG was recognized for an unprecedented 10th year in a row as one of the top three National Guard organizations in the Army communities of Excellence competition.

Today's Louisiana National Guardsmen have fifty million dollars worth of Army and Air Force equipment and the federal Government provides fifteen million dollars in supporting funds each year. The Louisiana National Guard has state owned or controlled training facilities valued at over twenty-five million dollars. The National Guard Bureau serves as the channel of communications and funding between the states and the Departments of the Army and Air Force. The Governor, by virtue of his office, is the Commander-in-Chief of the Louisiana Army and Air National Guard. The Adjutant General, appointed by the Governor's orders, performs his duties under the laws of Louisiana and applicable federal laws and regulations. The Adjutant General and his staff are full-time employees of the State-funded Military Department. They are, in addition, in drill status as officers of the federally recognized National Guard.

Since its original organization to assist in maintaining law and order within the various states, the Guard has extended its responsibilities to assist in natural disasters. Louisiana has had its full share of disasters ranging from the great Mississippi River floods of the 1920s to the tornadoes, fires, explosions and vicious hurricanes of more recent years. The Louisiana National Guard, strategically located in all major communities of the state, possesses the organization, manpower, training and equipment to handle such emergencies. The Guard keeps alert plans in a constant state of readiness to enable it to assemble members quickly and hurry manpower and equipment to critical areas in an emergency.

The Louisiana Army National Guard dates back to the 18th Century when a militia was formed from among the civilian inhabitants of Colonial Louisiana to assist Royal French and Spanish troops in protecting the colony and preserving the peace. Our oldest unit still serving today is the famed 141st Field "Washington Artillery" whose lineage dates back to 1838. The Louisiana Army National Guard has more than 11,000 soldiers who serve part-time in one of the oldest traditions in America, the National Guard.

A militia was formed from among the civilian inhabitants of Colonial Louisiana throughout the 18th Century to assist Royal French and Spanish troops in protecting the colony and preserving the peace. The militia was largely responsible for the success of the Galvez expedition which wrested Baton Rouge from the British in 1779. In 1786 there were militia companies in New Orleans, Opelousas, New Iberia and Iberville, Pointe Coupee and Attakapas Parishes, and on the German Coast. Predecessors of the Amercan militia were the 300 young Frenchmen and Americans who formed a Volunteer Battalion to preserve order pending arrival of United States troops upon the acquisition of Louisiana from France in 1803.

Territorial Governor William C. C. Claiborne wasted no time in organizing the militia throughout the Orleans Territory, and in 1813 the General Assembly of the new State of Louisiana passed a far-reaching act to create an effective militia which two years later played an important part in the defeat of the British on the plains of Chalmette. Militia units from Louisiana made up a sizeable part of General Zachary Taylor's victorious army in the Mexican War--1845-1848.

In 1860, immediately preceding outbreak of the War between the States, Louisiana militia troops totaled five divisions whose companies, battalions, regiments and brigades were spread among nearly every parish of the state. With the outset of the war, many militia units, including the Washington Artillery (initially organized in 1838), immediately volunteered for Confederate service, and were accepted. Other units remained in the state as home guards and subsequently engaged in numerous clashes with federal troops in South and Central Louisiana after the surrender of New Orleans in 1862. A total of 982 military companies were organized in Louisiana during the Civil War of which some 400 were militia companies.

During the Reconstruction, the state was controlled by federal troops which in many areas sponsored and organized militia units to help keep peace and quiet, but many of these militia units were carpetbaggers and adventurers from outside. Plus federal sympathizers and formerly disenfranchised colored citizens. It was not until 1877, upon withdrawal of federal occupation troops, that the native population of Louisiana regained control of the state and elected a Governor and Legislature and passed laws to re-create the Louisiana State National Guard in the pre-war tradition.

Upon the outbreak of war with Spain in 1898, the First and Second Regiments of Infantry and the Louisiana Volunteer Artillery, composed of Battery A (Louisiana Field Artillery), Battery B (Washington Artillery) and Battery C (Donaldsonville Cannoneers) entered federal service. The Second Louisiana Infantry moved into Havana on New Years Day, 1899.

When hostilities erupted on the Mexican Border in 1916 the Battalion Washington Artillery, First Regiment of Infantry, 1st Separate Troop of Cavalry and 1st Field Hospital answered the call and moved to the border, and then in 1917, only a couple of months after being mustered out, were called back for overseas service in World War I, largely with the 39th and the 42d Infantry Divisions.

Reorganization of the Louisiana National Guard began in 1920, two years after the war, and by the time it was called into federal service in 1940 for World War II, consisted of: 31st Division Headquarters and Headquarters 61st Infantry Brigade - New Orleans; 156th Infantry Regiment - New Orleans, Pineville, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Jennings, Baton Rouge, Morgan City, Houma, Jeanerette, Breaux Bridge, New Iberia, Lafayette and Crowley; 106th Medical Regiment (part) of New Orleans and 106th Quartermaster Regiment (part) of Alexandria (both served overseas in New Guinea area); 141st Field Artillery (AntiAircraft) - Shreveport, Monroe, Minden, Ruston and Natchitoches; 105th Separate Battalion Coast Artillery (AntiAircraft) - New Orleans, Franklinton, Bogalusa and 122d Observation Squadron of New Orleans (served in French Morocco area).

The accomplishments of the Louisiana National Guard in World War II were brilliant and numerous, and space is limited, but an idea of them can best be illustrated by listing the Battle Honors accorded three of its units: 141st Artillery - Algeria-French Morocco with arrowhead, Tunisia, Sicily with arrowhead, Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Rome-Arno, North Apennines, Po Valley, Southern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe, and Distinguished Unit Citation Streamer embroidered Colmar. 105th Separate Battalion CA - Algeria, French Morocco with arrowhead, Tunisia, Sicily with arrowhead, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, North Apennines, Po Valley. 156th Infantry - Northern France, Central Europe, Rhineland and Normandy, and the Asiatic-Pacific theatre streamer without inscription.

The post-war reorganization of the Louisiana National Guard began in 1946. The following major units were organized. 39th Infantry Division (in part), 156th Infantry Regiment, 199th Infantry Regiment, 141st Field Artillery Battalion, 935th Field Artillery Battalion, 105th AAA AW Battalion, 204th AAA Group, 527th AAA AW Battalion, 769th AAA AW Battalion, 773d Heavy Tank Battalion, 122d Light Bombardment Squadron, and 135th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron. When the Korean Conflict broke out in 1950 the 773d Tank Battalion, 122d Light Bombardment Squadron and 135th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron were called into federal service. The 773d and 122d were returned to State control after Korea but the 135th was retained by the AirForce.

[uncitizen]

They (black leadership) should also be firmly repudiating the thugs that took over the city

Too late, Jesse Jackson is already on the scene.

and making it clear that most of the black people of NO behaved themselves well and that the thugs are not representative.

There have been some interviews with victims now in Houston who are saying they are ashamed of those thugs and that those thugs shouldn't have been shooting at the rescuers. One young woman said she's afraid of N.O. now because of this and plans to live permanently in Houston.

[doug from upland]

Thanks again for sharing your expertise with us.

[doug from upland]

--- From the St. Petersburg Times --- Here may be the criticism on which the blame game finger points will concentrate. Everything will go back to the Iraq war and the funding being cut.

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Experts say the answer is more complicated. New Orleans suffered from a string of problems, some of which could not have been foreseen and others with roots dating back decades, including a lack of money for preparation, a weak warning to evacuate and a sprawling bureaucratic agency ill-equipped for a quick response.

Emergency management experts say the blame doesn't lie only with FEMA, which coordinates the efforts of more than a dozen agencies with state and local authorities. State and local agencies respond first and design preparedness plans, but in a disaster this unprecedented they could not meet the needs of victims without federal help.

Officials have known for decades that New Orleans was vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding.

Just last year, FEMA hired a private company, IEM Inc. of Baton Rouge, to help conduct an eight-day drill for a fictional Category 5 hurricane in New Orleans named Pam. It included staging a helicopter evacuation of the Superdome, a prediction of 15 feet of water in parts of the city and the evacuation of 1-million people.

But the second part of the company's work - to design a plan to fix unresolved problems, such as evacuating sick and injured people and housing thousands of stranded residents - never occurred because the funding was cut.

Despite all the planning, numerous problems conspired to make a devastating situation worse.

[seemoAR]

I think you are wrong. Look up what happened on September 24,1957 in Little Rock, AR. President Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard. The Little Rock mayor called for help.

[rineaux]

Thanks.

My understanding was the law would be enforced by the National Guard on their state level role not their federal role.

[Rokke]

I'm not familiar with what happened then, but just from what you said it appears the Governor must have requested the action. Was it a natural disaster? And has anyone in New Orleans asked the President to federalize Guard troops?

[PeskyOne]

Even with the buses the poor could not have been evacuated in time. Now you are saying Bush ordered the mandatory evacuation. Does that mean you support Government Officials forcing people out of their home at the point of a gun?

To the first part of your comments: Maybe not all of them could have been evacuated, but more than were evacuated could have been. I believe it has been reported that it would take 72 hours to evacuate New Orleans, and I read the President made this request on Friday. Katrina came ashore on Monday morning.

No, I did not say the President ordered, I said he asked...there is a difference between the two. If he ordered the mandatory evacuation on Friday, then the governor and mayor didn't obey his order! Didn't they issue the mandatory order on Sunday and a voluntary evacuation request on Saturday? Where is it written that mandatory evacuation has to be done at the point of a gun? You can verbally order someone to evacuate, and if they refuse; they are responsible for the outcome.

[PeskyOne]

Even with the buses the poor could not have been evacuated in time. Now you are saying Bush ordered the mandatory evacuation. Does that mean you support Government Officials forcing people out of their home at the point of a gun?

To the first part of your comments: Maybe not all of them could have been evacuated, but more than were evacuated could have been. I believe it has been reported that it would take 72 hours to evacuate New Orleans, and I read the President made this request on Friday. Katrina came ashore on Monday morning.

No, I did not say the President ordered, I said he asked...there is a difference between the two. If he ordered the mandatory evacuation on Friday, then the governor and mayor didn't obey his order! Didn't they issue the mandatory order on Sunday and a voluntary evacuation request on Saturday? Where is it written that mandatory evacuation has to be done at the point of a gun? You can verbally order someone to evacuate, and if they refuse; they are responsible for the outcome.

[Cinnamon]

and what did the gorvernor know, and when did he know it? :P

[livius]

One young woman said she's afraid of N.O. now because of this and plans to live permanently in Houston.

I sympathize with her. I saw some interviews with people, mostly black, before they went in to the Superdome, and there were some very nice people there.

I wish the "black leaders" would notice that these people were as much the victims of the thugs as whitey. But they probably already know that and simply don't care, because for some reason, our political system rewards those who defend and promote the lowest common denominator. I don't know what has happened to us in the last 40 years, but it isn't pretty.

[headsonpikes]

Col Hunt of FOX News investigated Blanco for Bill O'R.

He found : Gov Blanco had her Louisiana National Guard troops and assests prepositioned-but, did not pull the trigger. President Bush should have realized the collapse of state govt ( my words ) and federalized troops. Legal considerations here, but, that could have been overcome. Louisiana National Guard were staged 30 miles north of NO- Governor had no eyes on the ground, no communication in NO to assess the situation-people not evacing, levees breaking,etc. Everyone had 5 days notice storm was coming at state level and no prep was done. Blame falls on Gov Blanco, Gov Blanco, Gov Blanco and secondarily -President Bush- for trusting that Democrat Governor Blanco had situation in hand and failing to step in earlier and federalize the entire military situation. And of course, had President Bush stepped in and legally usurped Blanco- the Democrats would have gone ballistic.

There you have it!

This is preCISELY the way it looks to me.

Key point: for Bush to have asked Blanco to step aside on Monday would have been greeted with inconceivable outrage by the MediaDemocrats.

Well actually, all too conceivable - "Bush Coup d'etat!"

[doug from upland]

The Guard was federalized in Little Rock, not for national disaster, but to enforce a court desegregation decision.

[doug from upland]

Mandatory evacuation ordered for New Orleans
8/28/2005, 10:48 a.m. CT
The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In the face of a catastrophic Hurricane Katrina, a mandatory evacuation was ordered Sunday for New Orleans by Mayor Ray Nagin.

Acknowledging that large numbers of people, many of them stranded tourists, would be unable to leave, the city set up 10 places of last resort for people to go, including the Superdome.

The mayor called the order unprecedented and said anyone who could leave the city should. He exempted hotels from the evacuation order because airlines had already cancelled all flights.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding.

[barb-tex]

Mostly Humvees. In all probility they were unarmed. No BFV's Towing covered trailers, maybe had morters, don't know about that.
barbra ann

[barb-tex]

It was not strictly legal and in violation of PCA, (but when has that ever stopped them before) but enforcement of the orders of the court was the excuse for using the 101st Airborne on unarmed civilians.
barbra ann

[barb-tex]

we already have the Bonne Carre spilway between Laplace and Norco. Used quite frequently as I remember from my sojourn there. direct Miss R water to Ponchatrain.
barbra ann

[barb-tex]

Remember; A man that can smile when things go wrong, has thought of someone to blame it on.
barbra ann

[barb-tex]

An interesting read, describing what will happen when NO gets the "big one" an article published in the Times-Picayune in 2002. Check it out on the website,
www.nola.com
barbra ann

[ArmyTeach]

I invite anyone who has more complete information to correct me, but I believe that Louisiana has a battalion of its National Guard in Iraq. I hear that some Louisiana service members and guardsmen may be released early from duty in Iraq so that that they can return home to their families and help in the relief effort.

[de Buillion]

You are very welcome, I did the same thing in my screen-name, de Bouillion is the correct spelling, and I knew that. To much trouble to change, though.