Free Republic

SACRAMENTO – U.S. military authorities on Wednesday began investigating whether a California National Guard unit was established to spy on U.S. citizens, as about 30 demonstrators outside guard headquarters confronted officials backed by armed soldiers. The federal probe of the nation's largest National Guard force involves the U.S. Army's inspector general, the federal National Guard Bureau's inspector general and the National Guard Bureau's legal division. The unit has raised concern among peace activists that the Guard is resorting to the same type of civilian monitoring that characterized Vietnam War-era protests. "These are your mothers, grandmothers and neighbors," said George Main,...

Alexander says he would like top Guard job permanently The Atascadero man is named to lead the National Guard on an interim basis The Atascadero man appointed to lead the California National Guard on an interim basis told The Tribune on Wednesday he is strongly interested in having the job permanently. Brig. Gen. John Alexander was appointed Monday to command day-to-day Guard operations. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will appoint the permanent adjutant general, a decision that typically takes between four and six months, though no timeline has been set for a decision, military officials say. "I'm absolutely interested (in the permanent...

SACRAMENTO - The two-star general who commands California's 22,000 National Guard troops abruptly resigned late Monday amid allegations that he failed to properly prove his shooting skills for a visit to Iraq and helped line up a military flight for a Republican group planning to visit U.S. aerial defense headquarters in Colorado. Major Gen. Thomas Eres was forced to step down by the Schwarzenegger administration after a two-week investigation by the Times Sacramento Bureau into accusations that the general failed to meet Pentagon requirements for taking a trip into a combat zone and intervened on behalf of a Lincoln Club...

SACRAMENTO – The commander of the California National Guard has resigned amid accusations that he failed to meet a Pentagon combat requirement and tried to arrange a flight on a military aircraft for members of a Republican group. Major Gen. Thomas Eres resigned late Monday after questions were raised by the San Jose Mercury News and Contra Costa Times newspapers about whether he passed a required shooting-skills test before visiting troops in Iraq. The papers also said Eres attempted to provide a military flight for a Lincoln Club group – a partisan Republican organization – that wanted to travel last...