Bringing In the Guard

National Guardsmen are used for a variety of tasks--from quelling riots to aiding flood victims. Here is how a mobilization works:

Step 1: Local authorities call state Office of Emergency Services. After determining whether guardsmen are needed, the office notifies the governor.

Step 2: Governor approves use of the troops and issues mobilization order (Gov. Pete Wilson issued such an order at 3 a.m. Thursday).

Step 3: State office calls National Guard, which alerts the guardsmen at home to report immediately.

Step 4: The guardsmen report to their local armory and await a call from local authorities on how and where they are needed.

Step 5: Call comes. Guardsmen are deployed by truck, bus or plane to the crisis area. It is up to the local government, in this case Mayor Tom Bradley and Police Chief Daryl F. Gates, to decide how and where the Guard is used.

Gear and Responsibilities

What they bring: In this case, dog tags, gas masks, first aid kits and M-16 rifles. Some may also bring .45-caliber handguns as well.

Can they make arrests? The guardsmen are expected to pair up with police and help with questioning and searches. The Guard has full police powers, but usually is used primarily as a backup for conventional law enforcement forces.

How are the units chosen?

They are picked according to the specific duty. All guardsmen undergo 16 hours of training in riot tactics. MPs receive more riot-related training. In this case, the units are expected to be heavy with MPs.

By air: The Air National Guard was the first Guard segment to take part in riot assistance. Air Wing 146, based in the Channel Islands, helped fly in California Highway Patrol officers aboard six C-130s beginning Wednesday night.

Source: California National Guard