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Turmoil Grips The California Guard

I'm curious why it would be considered unacceptable to use a NG aircraft to survey damage following an earthquake?
 
I'm curious why it would be considered unacceptable to use a NG aircraft to survey damage following an earthquake?

I haven't had a close look at this particular story but in seeing this in the above linked story "the Guard classified the Ridgecrest mission as a federal training exercise to disguise its true purpose", I suspect that the objection was in using the aircraft for a state purpose but not reimbursing the federal government for its use. While the NG may be under the command in chief of the governor until such time as they are federalized, most of their normal day to day function is funded by the federal government. However that funding is based on the notion that what they are doing day to day is fulfilling their "reserve military" training mission. If any elements of the Guard are used for a strictly state function, like dealing with a wildfire, then the feds are to be reimbursed for the manpower and equipment use. There have probably been many instances where NG have done state missions but have just hidden the expense in the (federally provided) O&M budget.
 
The Guard has to operate within their state budget until such time as they are federalized and are then under the control of DoD.
 
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