Several service members told advocacy groups they felt like pawns in a political game and assignment was not necessary

Several service members told advocacy groups they felt like pawns in a political game and assignment was unnecessary

California national guards troops and marines deployed to Los Angeles to help restore order after days of protest against the Trump administration have told friends and family members they are deeply unhappy about the assignment and worry their only meaningful role will be as pawns in a political battle they do not want to join.

Three different advocacy organisations representing military families said they had heard from dozens of affected service members who expressed discomfort about being drawn into a domestic policing operation outside their normal field of operations. The groups said they have heard no countervailing opinions.

“The sentiment across the board right now is that deploying military force against our own communities isn’t the kind of national security we signed up for,” said Sarah Streyder of the Secure Families Initiative, which represents the interests of military spouses, children and veterans.

      • Almacca@aussie.zoneEnglish
        3·
        3 days ago

        Talk to each other? They’re all posted to the same place. By ‘everyone’, I meant all the deployed troops.

        • sanpedropeddler@sh.itjust.works
          1·
          3 days ago

          Well that’s kind of a given, I was looking for something more practical. Getting that many people on the same page about something that could easily have catastrophic consequences for all of them is not a trivial task.

          • Almacca@aussie.zoneEnglish
            1·
            3 days ago

            That’s beyond my knowledge of the intricacies of the US military. I’m just asking if it’s possible based on the principal that there’s strength in unity.

          • Almacca@aussie.zoneEnglish
            1·
            3 days ago

            That’s beyond my knowledge of the intricacies of the US military. I’m just asking if it’s possible based on the principal that there’s strength in unity.

    • Dozzi92@lemmy.world
      2·
      3 days ago

      It’d be awesome. But how do you get a whole unit openly discussing insubordination? I love the idea, but it’s just not practical, and not in the short amount of time. The order came down within the last week? It was probably go go go since then.

        • Dozzi92@lemmy.world
          2·
          3 days ago

          Yeah, I just think you’ve oversimplified it all. Like I said, I love the idea, but it’s a huge ask, and it would require a lot of coordination over a period of time. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that sending Marines to the border, and sending them to protests in LA, is causing some kind of disenfranchisement amongst the enlisted, but a circle of dudes throwing rocks at a nalgene complaining about how this is bullshit is a far cry from an organized mutiny, essentially.