How does the National Guard work, and how do they decide what emergencies they are equipped for– or should be equipped for? Why is it separate from other branches?
Edit:. Does anything change when the U.S. gets a different president?
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Back in the Revolutionary times, each state had it’s own militia, under command of the state governor. Both under the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution, these could be used to help defend the nation from external threats.
They have always been separate from the Regular Army. The state militias eventually morphed into the National Guard. The states keep them trained and equipped, usually with generous help and monetary donations from the Defense Department, and in return can be called up if needed by the Federal Government. Usually, what happens is when regular army troops are sent overseas to fight, some NG units will be activated to replace them stateside until they return. But if the NG can also be sent directly to the conflict area, many were sent over to Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
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