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.

[Leroy S. Mort]

Read up on the Posse Comitatus Act and specifically the Insurrection Act. The Governor (bless her heart) directs the National Guard. But she or the LA legislature can request federal troops. So far she and they haven't.

[de Buillion]

You forgot the Mayor of NO.

[tina07]

disregard, I was talking about the governor, hair and makeup, perfect.

[Rokke]

"Robert Modean Says:
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:24 pm
Sorry Joel & ROE, but you guys are WAAAYYY off base in criticizing FEMA. Disaster preparedness is the responsibility of State and Local authorities – in this case LEMA (The Louisiana Emergency Management Agency). There is a state-wide director for disaster relief in every state – that person is called the Governor. There is a local director for disaster relief in every municipality – that person is called the Mayor.

FEMA is a coordinating body that assists State and Local authorities in getting the resources they need. Because they are the “go to” people most folks are under the impression that they are in charge, and in fact if the State and Local authorities abdicate control over a disaster area they will take over. Typically after the initial response to a disaster the local guys do just that, leave FEMA in control. That’s because they have the experience and personnel to manage disasters of this scale.

Disclosure: I’m a volunteer coordinator for MEMA (The Missouri Emergency Management Agency), I’ve been through three major floods and a few big storms that generated enough tornado damage to get the affected counties disaster relief – believe me when I tell you what we are seeing from FEMA now is lightyears ahead of what I’ve seen from them in the past. Typically it took two to three days just to get the disaster declaration, then another two to three to get FEMA deployed – of course by then the local guys had been on the ground working around the clock for five or six days and we were more than happy to dump everything in FEMA’s lap. That’s the way the system is designed. Bush saw that and tried to skip a few steps to speed things up, he pre-declared the areas disaster areas. So what we are seeing in NO is the result of a convergence of factors:

First, the storm damage was bad, but the flooding has made relief efforts ten times harder than anything they could have imagined. Second, Mayor Nagin’s performance has been pathetic. This is the worst case of poor planning and criminal incompetence I’ve ever seen.

Like I said, Bush declared the gulf coast area a Federal Disaster area on Saturday – two days before Katrina hit. That freed up FEMA resources for local and state coordinators and allowed for the pre-positioning of supplies so they could be rapidly deployed to the affected areas. Mayor Nagin waited until the last minute to call for an evacuation of the city, but the poorest people could not evacuate – why weren’t school busses used to get them out of town?

Mayor Nagin made the last minute decision to declare the Superdome and COnvention centers as refuge relocation points – why weren’t they stocked with water, food, bedding, generators, and fuel? Why weren’t hospitals offered additional resources by the Mayors office?

Mayor Nagin made the decision to allow looting and told the police to focus on Search and Rescue – but looting hinders S&R efforts (as we’ve seen) and no one I know could believe that decision – it’s emergency management 101, preserving order preserves life. There’s plenty of blame to go around – Blanco deserves her share too – but the real culprit in the aftermath here is Nagin."

[doug from upland]

Thanks for that info. Governor Blanco had the power and responsibility to deliver food and water. If that is the case and the troops were under her control, why is the President at fault for failure to deliver water for three or four days? Why is the President at fault for the transportation failures?

[BIGLOOK]

Hey Doug. Called Louisiana last night. Blanco only fully committed NG last night (Thursday).

Waiting for the dime......our dime.

[JLS]

Furthermore, the federal government may not intervene until asked by the governor.
_________________________________

Exactly the president of the US may not invade Louisiana or any other state. Now I guess Bush could have Federalized the LA National Guard like Ike did with the AR national guard for desegregating Little Rock Central, but he had to give the LA authorities a day or so to act.

Had he federalized them the first day he would have been rightly accused of grandstanding. And the Louisiana and New Orleans officials know the territory. They know or should know where to allocate the troops and what neighborhood is what. Some out of state FEMA manager does not know this.

[Doogle]

I can explain it,it's really very simple..to call in the guard makes it look like your not "in control" (martial law)
although with a natural disaster such as this... there's really no excuse. Basically she couldn't get her knickers untwisted to make a decision.

Now and only NOW things are moving because of George W.Bush
..remember he said when he landed today..."if things aren't right,were gonna make things right"
Have a black mayor who couldn't find his way out of a cab, make serious decisions...first off waiting till the last minute to warn people to evacuate..remember even the nervous,stage frighten governor said the President called and URGE both her and the mayor to EVACUATE...thats been recorded as happening..watch the time line...the mayor told people to go to the now famous dome of ill repute and because he couldn't handle the immense pressure of a major
disaster...now he shouts out about the feds blowing it..(in other words don't look at my total incompetence) Lets find a scapegoat...it's the guard..where are they?...no can't blame them, they've shown how responsive and how caring they are....no it's the white governor and bush..lets blame them... the facts fall with the governor and him...but lets make it a racial thing..then the MSM will pick up on it and have print and sound bytes for weeks....
Meanwhile the deer eyed governor who's responsible for calling in the troops....sits and babbles about what ever she's told to say


Doogle

[nopardons]

bttt

[uncitizen]

i think Blanko was politically chicken (as a white person) to bring the NG and their guns into her city of black persons. Fearing she'd be blamed for bullying them. Not expecting of course that the situation would go from bad ("oh let them steal food") to worse (OMG they've got the police under seige). A purely selfish political decision imo. Not caring at all for "her people".

[claudiustg]

Blanco zippo. :^)

[de Buillion]

From a spelling cop- "moral" SB "morale". Two different words.

[doug from upland]

Very helpful. Thanks.

[tina07]

yup, Charlie Rangel is at it with the racist crap, he needs a boot big time

[rineaux]

not sure of your answer. but keep in mind, when it rains there it floods without the levee breaks. the pumps they use in certain areas are outdated and inadequate. debris (trees, foreign objects) blocking the culverts add to the flooding and overwhelm the pumps causing them to lose pressure.

It has been reported that with the heavy rain pouring in the City the pumps begun to fail in certain area prior to the levees being breached.

[Rokke]

Thud posted that on the latest Katrina thread.

[claudiustg]

What did this Blanco do before becoming Governor, Walmart greeter?

[doug from upland]

So she waited until Thursday?

It is starting to become a little more clear. I think. Blanco had the power and duty to maintain order and deliver water with the LNG she commanded. And yet, the MSM is blaming federal authorities in general and the President in particular.

When did the levee break and it become impossible to get vehicles in there? Could the vehicles have delivered supplies on Tuesday?

[america-rules]

"Saturday's emergency declaration authorizes federal officials to coordinate all disaster relief efforts and provide appropriate assistance in several Louisiana parishes ..."

This is code for "pay for all relief efforts" !

It also says "provide assistance" not take over all command and control !

I used to teach command and control and incident command and the top does "not" direct local forces. During any disaster each area is sectored out and there is one person in charge in each sector not the top or in this case the Feds !

A perfect case of this was on 9/11 when the Gov't had NY, PA and DC as sectors and the Feds provided support to each of them. The civilian world has a chain of command just like the military does !

[RobbyS]

FEMA ought to have had in hand a plan prepared by local officials. Apparently there were none.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0905/01edwitt.html