- Jul 12, 2018
- 9,342
OPERATION LONE STAR |
SECRET |
TEXAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT |
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CONTEXT
Recent instability in Mexico has caused alarm within the Texas Department of Public Safety as well as among the highest officials in the Texas Government. While the U.S. Border Patrol has continued its regular mission along the American-Mexican border, the Texas Government has decided that it isn't enough. After being called to special session by the Governor, the Texas legislature passed a resolution calling on Governor Ann Richards to deploy the Texas Army National Guard south. The resolution stipulated that the mission was to monitor the border, provide "relief" to the Texas Highway Patrol and the Texas Rangers, and to help harden certain weak points in parts of the border that are mostly monitored by the State instead of the Federal Government. Something to note is that the United States National Guard is unique from the other armed forces in the United States, as soldiers in the National Guard by default give allegiance to their respective state government and recognize their governor as the Commander-in-Chief. It is only when the President activates or "nationalizes" a state's National Guard that they then must follow orders issued from the Pentagon.
While federal law stipulates that the National Guard cannot be used as law enforcement when it has been activated by the President of the United States, there are no federal laws or regulations that prevent the States themselves from using the National Guard for law enforcement. However, historically, this has only been rarely done in times of emergency or civil unrest. Nevertheless, Governor Richards has publicly stated that the National Guard may be used to repel an uptick in drug and human trafficking along the Texas-Mexican border, if necessary. The forces will be deployed to "hot spots" where it is believed they will be most helpful to state police and hindering the efforts of Mexican drug organizations. The operation is expected to last a few months.
State of Texas
Major General George V. Norris
Major General George V. Norris
UNIT | PERSONNEL | GARRISON | |
2nd Armored Division Support Company | 250 | Fort Bliss, Texas | |
2nd Armored Division Signal Intelligence and Sustainment Co. | 150 | Fort Bliss, Texas | |
11th Armored Brigade HQ Support Company | 250 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
12th Infantry Brigade HQ Support Company | 250 | Fort Sam Houston, Texas | |
13th Infantry Brigade HQ Support Company | 250 | Fort Bliss, Texas | |
14th Infantry Brigade HQ Support Company | 250 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
21st Military Police Battalion | 600 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
22nd Military Police Battalion | 600 | Fort Sam Houston, Texas | |
23rd Military Police Battalion | 600 | Fort Bliss, Texas | |
24th Military Police Battalion | 600 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
39th Logistics Battalion | 600 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
41st Logistics Battalion | 600 | Fort Sam Houston, Texas | |
43rd Logistics Battalion | 600 | Fort Bliss, Texas | |
45th Logistics Battalion | 600 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
145th Mechanized Battalion | 600 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
148th Cavalry Battalion | 600 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
150th Mechanized Battalion | 600 | Fort Sam Houston, Texas | |
151st Mechanized Battalion | 600 | Fort Sam Houston, Texas | |
152nd Mechanized Battalion | 600 | Fort Sam Houston, Texas | |
155th Cavalry Battalion | 600 | Fort Sam Houston, Texas | |
157th Mechanized Battalion | 600 | Fort Bliss, Texas | |
158th Mechanized Battalion | 600 | Fort Bliss, Texas | |
159th Mechanized Battalion | 600 | Fort Bliss, Texas | |
162nd Cavalry Battalion | 600 | Fort Bliss, Texas | |
164th Mechanized Battalion | 600 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
165th Mechanized Battalion | 600 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
166th Mechanized Battalion | 600 | Fort Hood, Texas | |
169th Cavalry Battalion | 600 | Fort Hood, Texas |
DETAILS - Each battalion has the below mentioned vehicles. Each battalion has the below mentioned equipment and weapons, per soldier.
Support Company
- Vehicles: No vehicles.
- Equipment: x2 U.S. Combat uniform (flag patch and unit/rank/name patches included), x1 pair of Army Combat Gloves, x1 Interceptor Body Armor, x1 Advanced Combat Helmet, x1 ACU Boots and socks, x1 Army-issued Oakley sunglasses, x1 Additional Cold-Weather Army Combat Uniform; x1 Fulton MX991 flashlight; x1 AN/PRC-148 Radio (per officer not enlisted).
- Weapons: x1 M4 Carbine (MWS), x5 30-round clips), x1 M68CCO Red-Dot, x1 M203 grenade launcher with Indirect Fire Sight (x2 40 mm white star flare rounds, x3 40mm high explosive dual purpose rounds); x1 Beretta M9 (x2 15-round clips).
Cavalry Battalion
- Vehicles: x20 M113A3; x2 M113 AMEV; x2 M1064; x18 M2 Bradley; x20 M3 Bradley.
- Equipment: x2 U.S. Combat uniform (flag patch and unit/rank/name patches included), x1 pair of Army Combat Gloves, x1 Interceptor Body Armor, x1 Advanced Combat Helmet, x1 ACU Boots and socks, x1 Army-issued Oakley sunglasses, x1 Additional Cold-Weather Army Combat Uniform; x1 Fulton MX991 flashlight; x1 AN/PRC-148 Radio (per officer not enlisted).
- Weapons: x1 M4 Carbine (MWS), x5 30-round clips), x1 M68CCO Red-Dot, x1 M203 grenade launcher with Indirect Fire Sight (x2 40 mm white star flare rounds, x3 40mm high explosive dual purpose rounds); x1 Beretta M9 (x2 15-round clips).
Logistics Battalion
- Vehicles: x50 MTVR Mk23; x30 Oshkosh M1070; x20 M35 Series 2 1/2-ton 6x6 cargo truck; x25 M923A1 Gun Truck; x130 HMMWV ECV.
- Equipment: x2 U.S. Combat uniform (flag patch and unit/rank/name patches included), x1 pair of Army Combat Gloves, x1 Interceptor Body Armor, x1 Advanced Combat Helmet, x1 ACU Boots and socks, x1 Army-issued Oakley sunglasses, x1 Additional Cold-Weather Army Combat Uniform; x1 Fulton MX991 flashlight; x1 AN/PRC-148 Radio (per officer not enlisted).
- Weapons: x1 M4 Carbine (MWS), x5 30-round clips), x1 M68CCO Red-Dot, x1 M203 grenade launcher with Indirect Fire Sight (x2 40 mm white star flare rounds, x3 40mm high explosive dual purpose rounds); x1 Beretta M9 (x2 15-round clips).
Mechanized Battalion
- Vehicles: x44 M113A3; x7 AN-TWQ-1; x3 MIM-72; x3 M163 VADS
- Equipment: x2 U.S. Combat uniform (flag patch and unit/rank/name patches included), x1 pair of Army Combat Gloves, x1 Interceptor Body Armor, x1 Advanced Combat Helmet, x1 ACU Boots and socks, x1 Army-issued Oakley sunglasses, x1 Additional Cold-Weather Army Combat Uniform; x1 Fulton MX991 flashlight; x1 AN/PRC-148 Radio (per officer not enlisted).
- Weapons: x1 M4 Carbine (MWS), x5 30-round clips), x1 M68CCO Red-Dot, x1 M203 grenade launcher with Indirect Fire Sight (x2 40 mm white star flare rounds, x3 40mm high explosive dual purpose rounds); x1 Beretta M9 (x2 15-round clips).
Military Police Battalion
- Vehicles: x65 HMMWV ECV, x6 M113A3
- Equipment: x2 U.S. Combat uniform (flag patch and unit/rank/name patches included), x1 pair of Army Combat Gloves, x1 Interceptor Body Armor, x1 Advanced Combat Helmet, x1 ACU Boots and socks, x1 Army-issued Oakley sunglasses, x1 Additional Cold-Weather Army Combat Uniform; x1 Fulton MX991 flashlight; x1 AN/PRC-148 Radio (per officer not enlisted).
- Weapons: x1 M4 Carbine (MWS), x5 30-round clips), x1 M68CCO Red-Dot, x1 M203 grenade launcher with Indirect Fire Sight (x2 40 mm white star flare rounds, x3 40mm high explosive dual purpose rounds); x1 Beretta M9 (x2 15-round clips).
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DEPLOYMENT ORDERS |
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STATE OF TEXAS
Through powers vested in her by the Texas Constitution as Governor of Texas and Commander-in-Chief of the Texas National Guard, Governor Ann Richards has activated twenty-two battalions of the Texas Army National Guard in addition to six support companies. Governor Richards has ordered the Adjutant General of Texas, Major General George V. Norris, to prepare the immediate deployment of over 14,600 National Guardsmen. "Rattlesnake" orders were issued to officers and enlisted soldiers which informed them that their units were being activated for use within the State of Texas. The National Guard units would be ready to deploy from their respective bases in forty-eight hours. Major General Norris, in his capacity as the Adjutant General of the Texas Military Department, has organized the deployments of the battalions across the State. In accordance with the mission laid out by the Governor and the Texas Congress, deployments will be made to the border in various cities including, but not limited to: Brownsville, McAllen, Laredo, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, and El Paso. The National Guard will be relieving and assisting local police, the Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol (AKA "State Troopers"), and the Texas Rangers. Because this deployment would not be an actual war-time combat deployment, battalions and units (parts of battalions) would be deployed at different times as needed. For now, all battalions are merely preparing for deployment.
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