Just wondered if the Texas Guard was swelling up with new members now that things have been getting more and more weird over 2020

Texas National Guard or Texas State Guard?  

Distinctly different.

BIGGER_HAMMER

Disclaimer,  I'm out now for a few yrs but after being in TXSG for +10 yrs and serving with some with TIS much longer than that. The enlistment numbers go up and down dramatically depending on things like occurance of events/disasters that effect Texas. For example Hurricane Harvey saw a rise in enlistments but many don't last long when they find out being a soldier is more BS stuff than movies and TV or the first time they find out you actually have to serve and not just show up when you want or they realize the chain of command does not have your back on job protections if your employer fires you for being gone on state active duty status and not being at work. I can go on and on about too many things to list and would make it sound like I had some personal grievance which is not the case. I enjoyed my service and would not trade it for anything. It gave me a lot of satisfaction and experiences I would have otherwise had and I made some great relationships that I would not have otherwise likley had. On a few occasions I got to actually do something that mattered in some small way. I left as a SNCO.

Finally since State Guard have no contracts nothing keeps most soldiers there after they figure out there is no fast roping out of UH60's or jumping out of planes and it's more than just showing up sometimes in a uniform.

The numbers have stayed pretty consistent for a few decades when averaged. Constantly up and down. They keep talking about maybe having contracts for enlistments and/or doing something to increase state active duty pay and benefits but it's always talk and actually takes an act of the state legislature and of course money that could better be spent of some pet project or other BS. So not much really changes.

Texas State Guard

It has always been a passing curiosity to me. I would like to volunteer and help my fellow countryman in time of need but every time I have started peeling the onion on the Texas State Guard I quickly decide to go another direction.

It might be like your local CERT group if they weren't military-esque.

On the other hand, strange times they are. Didnt know if someone has started seeing a massive shift in the complexion of the TSG from being, well, what they've apparently always been, to something more substantive and serious about an actual defense mission, as states seem to be pulling away from one another while the federal authority is getting darker and darker.

Sounds like a decent overview of your experience. Thanks for volunteering!

I really enjoyed my time - met some great friends.  Dealt with a few Flakes & Nuts (few "Stolen Valor" types).

We had a large number of Austin PD, Travis County Sheriff Deputies, Texas DPS & similar in our unit (2nd Regiment MP at Camp Mabry)

BIGGER_HAMMER

I considered it after I decided to not go Army.

I could never really get a pulse on what the state guard did other than hurricane relief.

At some point I see Texas having to secure its southern border because we are either a nation or because the federal government won't.

I also see Texas, maybe not in my lifetime, defending itself from Washington.

If you haven't done CERT, that is some decent training that you can knock out quickly.  CERT won't cost you anything but a few hours of your time.  I'd start there.

GOV Abbott wants to grow the force dramatically, and when you consider the cost/benefit of the State Guard it's a no brainer.  However with COVID limiting participation of older members and the reorg, TXSG numbers are not growing.  

I'd suggest attending a local drill and see what you think.  Experience varies dramatically unit to unit.

Did you mean militia?

Texas State Guard is part of the Authorized Military Forces of the State of Texas.  

Legally, I believe You can consider them as part of the "Organized Militia" (uniformed & organized by the State).

Can I get info on the cert?

So what is the benefits cost/benefits?

I'm legitimately curious about it and if Texas is really wanting to grow the forces it's required to protect the state, it better get on the ball.

CERT



As far as TXSG cost/benefits go:

Average cost per US military servicemember = $314,000
Average cost per National Guard servicemember = $10,000
Average (government) cost per TXSG servicemember = $1,000

The TXSG trains specifically for disaster relief missions, which are not a full time job, but they can deploy very rapidly (within hours) to respond to major disasters:

Texas State Guard Serves Fellow Texans Following Hurricane Harvey

Texas Governor Wants To Double State Guard In Wake Of Harvey

TXSG can and has made excellent security contributions (i.e. Operation Border Star), but the TXSG security role is currently being kept to a minimum by directive from Austin.

The Federal Flight Deck Officer Program shows that having properly screened and trained armed citizens providing security is extraordinarily cost effective:


15/3300 = 0.45%... An FFDO is MORE THAN 200 TIMES cheaper than a Air Marshal.

If we followed the founders vision as documented in Federalist 46, there would be fully equipped State Guard units in every state with a cost advantage per member of something like 31-to-314 TIMES what we are currently funding.

The Swamp doesn't want that.  They don't want empowered American Citizens.  The swamp prefers to waste our tax money.

...  Double Tap ...

What does the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program (allowing Commercial Licensed Pilots to have a pistol in the cockpit on Commercial flights)  have to do with the Texas State Guard??

Governor "Wheels" is highly unlikely to place T.S.G. members in the cockpits of Southwest flights...

I was in the Texas State Guard for three years and I enjoyed it.  I met some great folks while in.  We mobilized for Hurricane Alex and the Bastrop Fires to set up shelters.  We did have M16 familiarization, pistol qualification, Spur Walk, and did a lot of land nav training.  Lots of D&C every drill and a lot of sitting around waiting to be told what to do.  If I would have stayed at my current job at the time I would have stayed in longer, but I felt like three years was a decent length of service and I got out when I left said job.

I've heard they are creating a unit that will be an armed security force type unit, but I don't really know if that is true.  If you join, be prepared to be stuck doing shelter ops, traffic control at major events, and attending drills.

That was how things were.  TXSG once provided very capable airbase security as well.  Not so much anymore.  They officially disbanded QRT/RRF several years ago.  After months of rioting the top men at HQ decided they need to think about having a new TXSG security unit... and limit it to a very small group of potential candidates.  You have to laugh not to cry.

TXSG is split into distinct brigades and depending on where you live, you are obligated to serve in that brigade unless you have a billet in HQ Austin.  In each brigade your experience may vary.  

In the old days, If you were under a miserable chain of command there was some freedom to transfer into a unit you could live with.  Now not so much.  That accounts for some drop in numbers.