Y2K Military/FEMA Action

[Guest guest]

This is an article I was sent earlier today. It may or may not be true, I

don't know, but I would not rule it out. This came from a y2k alert at

http://www.y2knewswire.com/19990108.htm

Jay

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Y2K Alert - 1/8/1999 - National Guard to test nationwide Y2K mobilization

NATIONAL GUARD TO TEST NATIONWIDE Y2K MOBILIZATION

WorldNetDaily is now reporting on a topic we've received numerous e-mails

on -- but haven't been able to confirm yet. As WorldNetDaily reports, " The

National Guard is planning its first national mobilization of troops since

1940 in preparation for civil unrest resulting from the Y2K millennium bug. "

(Link below.)

Essentially, the National Guard needs to test whether they can organize the

troops if telecommunication systems are down. Troops may be needed to quell

riots, transport citizens, and deliver emergency food, water and medical

supplies.

The story continues, " The plan as it is now being designed, will be a mock

mobilization of all 480,000 members of the National Guard in all 54 states

and territories. Exercise COMEX/MOBEX will be conducted without telephone,

radio, or television to get the word to all guard members. "

WorldNetDaily was also able to get some opinions from various military

officials on this topic:

" WorldNetDaily spoke with several full-time guard members who work at the

national level. Each is an officer, and each is concerned that the public is

not being properly informed of the extent and seriousness of problems --

including civil liberties issues -- associated with the Y2K computer bug. "

" I've taken an oath, and I don't see some of the senior folks following

through on their oath, " explained one officer of his reasons for making this

known. " Not only is my oath to the Constitution, but it's to the people. As

far as I'm concerned, the faster and sooner people are educated on this

stuff the less panic will ensue. "

PLANS MIRROR Y2KNEWSWIRE PREDICTIONS

As reported in the story, many of the predicted actions to be taken by the

Clinton administration and the National Guard mirror our own predictions:

" The logistics of such a mobilization are significant. The Clinton

administration will argue that the National Guard can be used as a national

police force, in spite of the Posse Comitatus Act. FEMA and other federal

agencies will also be involved in COMEX/MOBEX. Orders will be given without

the use of standard communications. The country will be divided into seven

different regions. Plans include imposing restrictions on civilian travel

and limits on bank withdrawals, according to sources. "

Read the story at:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_exnews/19990106_xex_the_plan_mas.shtml

READER MAIL CONFIRMS NATIONAL GUARD PLAN

[actual reader e-mail sent to tips@...)]

I am a C2 (Command and Control) person with NGB in Wash DC. This is going

to happen, they are currently working on the Public Affairs guidance.

On May 1-2, 1999 the National Guard is going to conduct Exercise

COMEX/MOBEX. In short this is a nation-wide recall of ALL 480k+ Guardsmen.

This will be simulated COMM-Out, in other words the standard method of

recall ie: telephone is not an option. The driver for this exercise is Y2K.

The purpose is to test whether or not the Guard can be recalled with a

Mobilization Order (MO) during COMM-Out. The MO in this case will be a

simple phrase to determine where the holes in the system are. This will NOT

be an actual MO.

Significance

1. The National Guard has NEVER performed a national test of the system.

Individual units or States do perform tests of their systems internally, on

an annual basis, with standard methods ie: telephone. Each unit has a

recall plan with backup system: Radio/Television then house to house. In

theory, the system should work.

2. The last time there was full mobilization was 1940 with the National

Guard being absorbed by the Army in preparation for WWII.

3. Mobilizing the Guard is big-doings, even thinking about it is big-doings.

Parts of the Guard were Mobilized for Berlin Airlift, Korea, Berlin Wall,

Pueblo Crisis, Vietnam, Desert Storm and units are rotating through

Northern/Southern Watch, Bosnia, Haiti etc, but never the WHOLE thing. When

you recall almost a-half-a-million troops that are embedded in every career

field expect to disrupt parts of society.

4. The President can only recall 200k and that requires an Executive Order

declaring a National Emergency. Full mobilization requires Congressional

input.

5. The Guard can be mobilized in one of two ways: Federal and State. When

recalled for State status, The Guard falls under the control of the

individual Governors and laws of the individual States. When recalled for

Federal status, the Army Guard becomes part of the US Army and the Air

National Guard becomes part of the USAF. This depends upon the wording of

the recall order, they can be used " to execute the Laws of the Union,

suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions " (U.S. Constitution, Article I,

Section 8, Clause 15). Because of the " execute the Laws of the Union " it

can be argued that Posse Comitatus does not apply.

Outcome

Logistically, we have a nightmare situation regarding recall. Most Guard

units are comprised of personnel that live in a surrounding area of the

unit, but that can include crossing State lines. During this exercise I can

promise you that the nationwide numbers will be 95%+ personnel contacted and

ready to respond. In the Real World a COMM-Out situation compounded with

rolling or otherwise brownout/blackout -a 25% attrition rate, for the 72

hour recall period.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

[commentary]

The government is gearing up for a nationwide deployment of troops that we

haven't seen since World War II. A national emergency will almost certainly

be declared before troops are deployed. The US Constitution will again be

hotly debated as the Clinton administration attempts to deploy the National

Guard as a " national police force. "

But attrition will be high. The predictions above conclude that

approximately 25% of the guardsmen will be a no-show. If Y2K turns out to be

worse than most people now think, expect that to increase to 50%. That will

leave the National Guard with approximately 240,000 troops: just a

quarter-million troops. Divide that among the 120 largest cities and you end

up with only 2,000 troops *per city*.

" Spread too thin " takes on new meaning here. Will the National Guard really

have the resources to stop riots? Will they have the resources to actually

reach people that need help?

The bottom line here is easy: don't depend on the National Guard to save

your ass. Get prepared now. Follow the advice of the American Red Cross and

FEMA. Stockpile the supplies you can afford and that you think are

necessary. Read our " Risk matrix " at

http://www.y2knewswire.com/riskmatrix.htm

....and draw your own conclusion about preparedness.

FEMA URGES PUBLIC TO GET READY NOW!

The federal government has now officially warned the public to get ready for

Y2K. Two days ago, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published

a strong warning, saying, " Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

officials are urging the emergency management, fire and emergency services

communities and the public to get ready now for Y2K. "

" It is very important that counties, municipalities, school districts and

other organizations that have not yet begun to work on Y2K issues, start

now, " FEMA Deputy Director Mike said. " While some failures will be

minor annoyances, some may have more serious consequences. "

The publishing of this warning is a major, positive step forward in the

federal government's stance on Y2K and it stands in stark contrast to FEMA's

earlier attitude about the rollover -- which was, essentially, that FEMA was

only responsible for cleaning up disasters, not preventing them.

But all that has changed now. FEMA is getting tough on Y2K, and they're not

afraid to warn the public.

AMERICAN RED CROSS, FEMA, WHO'S NEXT?

First the American Red Cross told people to stockpile a week's worth of

supplies. Now FEMA is directly urging the public to prepare. The

preparedness activities carried on in secret by citizens afraid of being

called " whackos " and " extremists " is now mainstream, and the open discussion

of Y2K preparedness is spreading fast.

The embracing of common-sense Y2K preparedness by both the American Red

Cross and FEMA has all but obliterated the arguments that doing nothing is

okay. That these two organizations, which are given the responsibility of

savings lives during times of crisis, would embrace the reality of potential

Y2K disruptions has granted the issue more credibility than all the

Norths and Y2KNEWSWIREs combined. Until now, it has been remarkably easy to

get away with name-calling and whacko-bashing on the Y2K-aware people who

were taking precautions.

But now, thanks to these actions by the Red Cross and FEMA, do-nothing Y2K

skeptics find themselves at odds with mainstream preparedness, not to

mention common sense.

The FEMA statement goes on to say, " Every community, every organization and

every individual has an obligation to learn more about their vulnerabilities

and take action to prevent potential problems before they occur. "

said. " Potential problems need to be identified and addressed now. "

THE BOTTOM LINE

If you are not yet preparing for Y2K by stockpiling a reasonable amount of

food, water, medicine, heating supplies and cash, you are finding yourself

at odds with urgent preparedness advice from two national organizations that

specialize in saving lives and cleaning up disasters.

WHO IS STANDING IN THE WAY OF SAVING LIVES?

Furthermore, to ridicule those who are preparing for Y2K, or to attempt to

prevent individuals from preparing, is a highly irresponsible act that may

ultimately cost lives. Research firms, government officials, journalists and

individuals who had urged people to do nothing are now being seen as part of

the problem, not the solution, and they are rightfully being viewed as naive

optimists that ultimately harmed the safety of the American people by

standing in the way of urgent preparedness action.

Think about this, folks: would the National Guard be testing a nationwide

call, simulating telecommunications being completely down, if Y2K wasn't

serious? Would the American Red Cross and FEMA be urging the public to

prepare if Y2K wasn't serious? Would thousands of companies be spending

literally billions of dollars repairing this if it wasn't serious?

Connect the dots here. This isn't rocket science. Y2K is real, it's coming,

and if you don't prepare now, you might find yourself holed up in a shelter

somewhere, completely dependent on the National Guard for your food, water

and heat.

Make the National Guard's job easier. Prepare now, and encourage your

neighbors to do the same.

FEMA Announcement at:

http://www.fema.gov/nwz99/99001.htm

- Y2KNEWSWIRE

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