Several service members told advocacy groups they felt like pawns in a political game and assignment was unnecessary

California national guards troops and marines deployed to Los Angeles to help restore order after days of protest against the Trump administration have told friends and family members they are deeply unhappy about the assignment and worry their only meaningful role will be as pawns in a political battle they do not want to join.

Three different advocacy organisations representing military families said they had heard from dozens of affected service members who expressed discomfort about being drawn into a domestic policing operation outside their normal field of operations. The groups said they have heard no countervailing opinions.

“The sentiment across the board right now is that deploying military force against our own communities isn’t the kind of national security we signed up for,” said Sarah Streyder of the Secure Families Initiative, which represents the interests of military spouses, children and veterans.

  • TotallynotJessica@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    1 day ago

    This should be a wakeup call for service members everywhere to plan their exit now before they end up deployed against the homeland too.

    • teft@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Or you can stay in the service and be a sabot in the wheels. Being a shitty soldier will do more to hurt the fascist service than leaving it. Trust me, i was a shitty soldier.

        • teft@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          Well that would be treason which i’m not advocating for.

          Just being slow and fat fingering things are not traitorous things.

          Treason is punishable by the death penalty so keep that in mind. Especially with who is in charge currently.

          • grue@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            You seem to be confused. Obeying the fascist illegal orders is the treasonous act.

            • teft@lemmy.world
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              1 day ago

              I’m not confused. A soldier has to walk a fine line on what they can legally do. I won’t advocate for soldiers to do illegal things. I will advocate for soldiers to disobey illegal orders and to be a shitbag for any work details they think are undemocratic. Until we’re in a full blown civil war it’s better to lie low than get kicked out of the service from spying.

            • andrewta@lemmy.world
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              1 day ago

              If you ignore how laws are written and how the world works then yeah you’d be correct.

              In the real world teft is correct

      • Kalothar@lemmy.ca
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        1 day ago

        Also there is no leaving the military, it is illegal by the very definition and you will go to military prison

        • nfh@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          Not in the US, we don’t have compulsory service, and people leave legally all the time. Letting their enlistment expire is a way to leave, they could also get discharged for medical reasons, though maybe that’s not something to plan on. There are others, but I’m not sure how advisable any of them are.