Trump authorizes activation of up to 1 million reservists to help with pandemic

[christx30]

Source: Washington Times

President Trump on Friday issued an executive order authorizing the Pentagon to call up as many as 1 million armed forces reservists to active duty to help deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

The president’s order said the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland security are authorized to order to active duty, “not to exceed 24 consecutive months,” units and individual members of the Ready Reserve up to 1 million at one time as necessary.

“The Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security … will ensure appropriate consultation is undertaken with relevant state officials with respect to the utilization of National Guard Reserve Component units activated under this authority,” the order states.

Read more: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/mar/27/trump-authorizes-activation-of-up-to-1-million-res/

[intrepidity]

1. Is this yet another way to undermine blue states?

How many medical personnel are Reserve and will thus be reassigned according to The Asshole's priorities? (eg, to red States)

Has my cynicism finally gone overboard?

[Baclava]

2. "Medic!" - Army Asks Retired Soldiers in Health Care Fields to Come Back for COVID-19 Fight

The call was addressed to retirees from the following health care-specific military occupational specialties:

60F: Critical Care Officer
60N: Anesthesiologist
66F: Nurse Anesthetist
66S: Critical Care Nurse
66P: Nurse Practitioner
66T: ER Nurse
68V: Respiratory Specialist
68W: Medic

The message came with a caveat: retired personnel now working in a civilian capacity in a hospital or other medical facility should make that known. Army officials said they did not want to pull personnel from service they were "providing to the Nation" in that role.

They added that former soldiers from a different specialty who were interested in supporting Army efforts should also reach out to communicate that interest.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/03/25/army-asks-retired-soldiers-health-care-fields-come-back-covid-19-fight.html

[ZZenith]

3. What kind of fuckery is this asshat planning to do with a million soldiers?

I understand that there are valid reasons for calling them up but I’m willing to wager his are not those.

They know they can’t steal another election. With which options does that leave them?

[sandensea]

7. +1

Can you imagine the apoplectic fits on the right if Obama had made any such order, even under present circumstances?

[ZZenith]

8. Worth a thousand words, that photo of Jones.

Archeologists a thousand years from now will see that and know the dude was a crackpot absent any other knowledge of him.

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Making the body count disappear because it's bad for publicity /nt

[gab13by13]

11. If those reservists are near corona virus people or corpses,

I hope they come up with PPE for them. That virus isn't fooled by camouflage.

[greyl]

4. Washington Times deserves no link juice.

Plenty of neutral sources reporting about this development.

Goes to show how bad the GOP let it get, that these measures have become necessary, if not yet sufficient.

[LizBeth]

5. That would be a week? Or two weeks since Cuomo and blue state govs asked for this?

[bfjd4u]

6. just another step on the road to martial law unless things radically change

[beachbumbob]

9. so do we have enough protective gear to safeguard these troops? Duh

[gab13by13]

12. Maybe they will be used to take the temperatures

of people going into Trump properties?

[CRK7376]

13. I got that request/opportunity/mailer

seeking volunteers from the retired military community. Glad I retired 5 years ago and don't hold any of those medical specialities. Was a medic my very first enlistment, then got a commission and left the medical field. There will be Vets that will return to Active Duty. I dealt with a lot of Retired guys coming back into service 3-4 years after 9/11. Great people will return to help defend our country in a time of need, medical types and others, even it means have trump as the Commander and Cheat.

[NCjack]

14. The Prez wants a huuugh number of reservists to fight a DEM hoax. nt