Plan to Shift All Space Air National Guard Units to Space Force

[Uomo Senza Nome]

A couple of weeks ago this dropped with little attention.

Air Force pushes to move Guard units to Space Force (federalnewsnetwork.com) 


Not sure if it was the violation of Federal Law or the being told what to to by the Fed that upset the State Governors. Either way there has been considerable push back from the Governors in opposition. By considerable, 48 out 50 disapprove.


Governors at odds with Pentagon plan to move National Guard units to Space Force (msn.com)

The effects on ANG operations within the states are uncertain but the Guard units belong to the states, not the Fed.

[TACAIR]

The Alaska Nat Guard is livid.   We will lose the pararescue unit, a vital part of the Guard response for rural residents.

[Z.O.R.G.]

This sounds like they're planning on changing the units with a space mission to me, and not the whole ANG.  There were provisions in the original creation of Space Force for both Reserve and National Guard units.  If they make a SFNG they would still have a dual State-Federal role, so governors would still be able call them up.   

[Uomo Senza Nome]

Here is a copy of the letter from the governors:

https://governor.sd.gov/doc/NationalGovernorsAssociation_LP480-Joint-Sign-On-Letter_4-29-2024.pdf

Note that the governors of Texas and Florida didn't sign. If you think that is odd, you have to consider they have a bit to gain here as they have a lot of space operations in both. The Governor of Colorado signing seems odd to me.

[Z.O.R.G.]

Depending on what they're actually attempting to do there may or may not be any operational impact to the governors. There certainly may be an administrative impact by having a new branch. 

Title 10 = federal owned reserves, not a state asset and the governor can't touch them. Guard personnel are also on title 10 when federally activated (deployed)

Title 32 = state (governor) owned assets that can be called by the governor when needed. 

If a unit changes from AF to SF in branch, but is still title 32, the governor still "owns" them. The unit can still be called up for state emergencies, so nothing operationally changes.  

[Uomo Senza Nome]

https://federalnewsnetwork.com/defense-main/2024/05/most-guardsmen-will-retrain-or-retire-rather-than-join-space-force/

Air National Guard leaders said there are too many unknowns about what the transfer of the missions and personnel would look like, but the legislative proposal would give the Air Force the authority to move National Guard personnel to other states.
"The current secretary the Air Force has said he's not planning on moving them, but the way the [legislative proposal] is written — the future Secretary to the Air Force absolutely can go in there, provide 120 days notification and then move those units out of the state," Brig. Gen. Michael Bruno, director of joint staff for the Colorado National Guard, said. 

It looks like a power grab.