Va. Guard faces funding loss if it sticks with 'don't ask'

What an idiot. Ok, go ahead and give up federal funding and let the VA national guard close its doors. Some people cling to their old bigotry so strongly and so pathetically.

 

dont the national guards ultimately have the president as their highest officer?

 

They don't ultimately have him as their highest officer..he is the highest officer. With the State Guard it is a little different with the Governor being in charge...but both the state and national guards can be activated by the governor under certain circumstances (Disasters, riots, etc)
The national guard is simply a branch of the US Armed forces, so they follow the procedures that are passed down from Washington. A state cannot make a specific law that governs their own national guard units.

 

No, for the National Guard, the Governor of the State is the Commander and Chief, however the NG's have traditionally been subject to US Federal Military Policy. In the end, this will become another "State's Right's" argument. *sigh*

 

---------- Post added 30th Jan 2011 at 12:30 PM ----------

[/COLOR]Look up the most recent amendment to the "Insurrection Act" or the "Defense Authorization Act, 2007"

---------- Post added 30th Jan 2011 at 12:36 PM ----------

(a) USE OF ARMED FORCES IN MAJOR PUBLIC EMERGENCIES.--
(1) The President may employ the armed forces,including the National Guard in Federal service, to--
(A) restore public order and enforce the laws of the United States when, as a result of a natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident, or other condition in any State or possession of the United States, the President determines that--
(i) domestic violence has occurred to such an extent that the constituted authorities of the State or possession are incapable of maintaining public order; and
(ii) such violence results in a condition described in paragraph (2); or
(B) suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy if it-- such insurrection, violation, combination, or conspiracy results in a condition described in paragraph (2).
(2) A condition described in this paragraph is a condition that--
(1) (A) so hinders the execution of the laws of a State or possession, as applicable, and of the United States within that State or possession, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State or possession are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or
(2)(B) opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws.
(3) In any situation covered by clause (1) paragraph (1)(B), the State shall be considered to have denied the equal protection of the laws secured by the Constitution.
(b) NOTICE TO CONGRESS.--
The President shall notify Congress of the determination to exercise the authority in subsection (a)(1)(A) as soon as practicable after the determination and every 14 days thereafter during the duration of the exercise of the authority.

---------- Post added 30th Jan 2011 at 12:47 PM ----------

Basically, if the president decides to use the national guard and the state refuses, then that state forfeits its protection by the constitution until the president's objectives are achieved.

This in essence prevents another civil war.