National Guard forces recently deployed to Washington, D.C., were permitted to carry weapons due to an “imminent threat,” but many were surprised to find that the threat consisted mainly of mundane tasks like landscaping. The roughly 2,300 troops are engaged in beautification efforts, a role typically handled by the National Park Service. This shift comes after significant budget cuts to the NPS, leading the administration to reassign military personnel for these tasks.
Critics argue that this contradicts Defense Secretary Pete Hegses’s mission of focusing on combat readiness, suggesting that soldiers are better served by training for real threats rather than performing menial jobs. Some service members expressed satisfaction with the work but acknowledged there are more meaningful tasks they could undertake.
The article emphasizes the contrast between the military’s potential for combat and the reality of their current assignments, reflecting on the boredom and monotony they face. JD Simkins, the author and a Marine veteran, provides a personal perspective on the situation.
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