Pentagon orders national guards to form 'quick reaction forces' for crowd control

A top U.S. military official has ordered the national guards of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories to establish "quick reaction forces" trained in crowd control, according to an internal Pentagon directive reviewed by the Guardian. The memo, signed on October 8 by Maj Gen Ronald Burkett, the director of operations for the Pentagon’s National Guard Bureau, outlines the requirements for training these forces.

Most states are required to train 500 National Guard members, resulting in a total of 23,500 troops nationwide. The training will include the use of batons, body shields, Tasers, and pepper spray for riot control. Burkett cited an executive order from former President Donald Trump issued in August, which deployed the National Guard to combat crime in Washington, D.C. This order also mandated the Secretary of Defense to create a "standing National Guard quick reaction force" for rapid nationwide deployment in response to civil disturbances.

For further details on related developments, see recent developments in the Pentagon"s directives.

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