Alaska National Guard Prepares for Civil Unrest, Raising Concerns Over Disaster Relief
Alaska legislators with the state Joint Armed Services Committee are raising concerns that a federal directive to prepare the Alaska National Guard to deploy domestically for civil unrest could divert service members from crucial disaster relief efforts.
in October, the Pentagon ordered all states to prepare the National Guard for “civil disturbance operations,” according to an internal directive first reported by the Guardian.
The Alaska National guard has received the directive to prepare a 350-member “quick reaction force” by January 1st. However, a spokesperson stated the state’s national Guard has not begun any specific training outside of typical readiness exercises.
“This mission requirement does not impact our support to ongoing Typhoon Halong response operations, and we continue to meet all state and federal mission requirements,” said Dana Rosso, a public affairs officer for the Alaska National Guard, via email.
Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, co-chair of the Alaska Joint Armed Services Committee and a veteran of the Alaska National Guard, expressed concern about the potential use of a quick response force to quell “civil unrest” in Alaska and nationwide.
“The fear is, of course, that when you have a tool, an expensive tool, at your disposal, that you’re going to find a reason to use it. And so I think the fear about having this quick response force locked and loaded is that they could be used when it’s inappropriate to use them,” he said.”Peaceful protest would be the perfect example.”
The federal directive outlines training for National Guard members in crowd management and riot control, including the use of batons, body shields, Tasers, and pepper spray.
Past attempts by the Trump administration to deploy National Guard troops to American cities to assist police and immigration enforcement have faced legal challenges and been blocked by federal courts, which asserted such deployments were illegal and an abuse of executive powers.
Currently, approximately 200 Alaska service members are deployed assisting with relief efforts following Typhoon Halong.
alaska National Guard Prepares ‘Quick Reaction Force’ Amidst Legislative Concerns
JUNEAU – The Alaska National Guard is preparing a “quick reaction force” equipped with less-lethal weaponry, prompting questions from state legislators about the force’s purpose and potential deployment scenarios. A leaked internal memo outlining the force’s equipment – including Tasers, batons, and pepper spray – has fueled concerns about a shift in the Guard’s mission.
State Rep.David Eastman, R-Wasilla, and Sen. Shelley Hughes,R-Palmer,sent a letter to Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Commissioner Randy Saxe requesting clarification on the force’s intended use,both within Alaska and nationally. They expressed concern about the potential for the force to be used against American citizens.
“We are deeply troubled by the apparent planning for a force to be used in a domestic law enforcement capacity,” the legislators wrote in their letter. “This raises serious constitutional concerns.”
Rep. Gray, while acknowledging the stress on the National Guard due to recent disaster responses, emphasized the public’s need for reassurance. “That may very well be a valid reason why they haven’t been able to meet to discuss this issue. But that would be really good and reassuring facts for the public,” he stated. He has requested a meeting with Alaska National Guard leadership for an update, but his questions remain unanswered. “Most importantly,” he said, “under what circumstances does our leadership in Alaska expect to be utilizing this force?”
The Alaska National Guard and Gov. Mike dunleavy’s office have declined to comment on the matter.
According to National Guard spokesperson Lt. Col.David Rosso, preparing a reaction force is not a new initiative. “It has existed for two decades as a rapid-response capability designed to assist civil authorities when requested by a governor,” he explained in an email. “Each state’s NGRF…is organized as a temporary task force under state control and can respond quickly to protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure.”
Rosso stated that the Alaska National Guard has not begun specific training for the force, but some relevant readiness tasks are already part of ongoing training, including security operations and protective equipment familiarization. The Guard is currently taking inventory of the equipment listed in the memo.
“Many units already use authorized protective equipment and training devices as part of their annual readiness training. Before making any new equipment purchases, we a…
Concerns Raised Over National Guard deployment in Alaska
Anchorage – Alaska lawmakers are expressing concerns regarding a recent memo outlining potential National Guard deployments, fearing the move could be used for political intimidation rather than addressing genuine security needs.
Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, voiced worries about the National Guard potentially intimidating voters during the 2026 midterm elections, even in Alaska. he referenced former president Trump’s past criticisms of elections won by Democrats, including a social media post falsely labeling California’s elections as “rigged” due to mail-in voting. Gray emphasized there’s no evidence the National Guard was involved in voter intimidation during recent elections, nor does the memo explicitly call for such action.
“There’s no problem to fix with the military,” Gray stated. “It is indeed simply an effort to show force…to show protests, as this president does not like protests.”
Roger Maurer, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska, echoed these concerns, stating there’s no evidence supporting the need for such deployments. “It is indeed extreme, especially what is predicated on flat out lies. The triggers that these laws are based on aren’t being triggered. They’re just not happening on the ground. Court after court after court have said it’s not,” Maurer said, adding that troops are being used to intimidate protesters.
Maurer further asserted, “There was no problem to fix with the military.”
Gray also expressed concern that the National Guard would be deployed to assist in immigration crackdowns,citing a KATV report detailing a planned deployment of 1700 troops across 19 states.