There's an opportunity to take the next step, and make the Texas State Guard even better
By David Erinakes
AUSTIN, Texas (Texas Insider Report) — The last two decades have proven the need for trained "Surge Forces" in Texas to meet disasters such as Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Flooding, and other missions such as Border Operations. And the latest Special Session's legislative actions call for forces like the Texas State Guard (TXSG) to meet the needs of Texas.
The challenge for Texas, however, is that these surge forces often cost millions to prepare, or are delayed in deployment due to various factors.
These include training time, logistics, the need for Emergency Management situational awareness, and Incident Command System (ICS) training.
Recruiting, training, and growing the Texas State Guard (TXSG) must be done in advance of disasters – but currently, the TXSG struggles to recruit the next generation of local heroes.On a tight budget, the State of Texas must carefully balance its ability to rapidly expand support with targeted investment, ensuring it can respond as directed by the Governor. This task becomes even more complicated when considering the Biden Administration's desire to limit state resources in response to the Governors of states such as Texas and Florida, who sought to use those resources for Border Security and to deny illegal entry.
The best and latest example of this is the National Guard being bombarded with DEI programs, restrictions, and DEI-selected personnel, primarily to hamstring the Governors of states like Texas and Florida from independently deploying forces to the border. These programs remained in place long after individual states outlawed them, and were not repealed until the new Administration took power.
The damage from the Biden Administration needs to be addressed, especially since the current world situation and required force posture dynamics ensure the National Guard will not always be available. Add to that the new federal Administration's re-focusing on soldiers essentially on being able to blow things up, being in top physical condition, and breaking things more effectively than anyone else in the world.
As former BG General (TX) Robert Hastings pointed out in his recent article, entitled "State Defense Forces: The Untapped Backbone of Emergency Response" addressing the Army National Guard's 2024 Strategic Outlook: Beyond 2030," it reinforces the urgency for surge forces in Texas and other states.
It also warns that overseas deployments, training burdens, and rising domestic missions are eroding the Guard's "part-time, community-focused" identity, creating increasing opportunity costs and mission fatigue.
Meanwhile, from 1980 to 2023, the U.S. faced more than 360 Environmental Disasters exceeding $1 billion – a trend accelerating both in frequency and cost.
As the National Guard experiences a rise in mission demands, the need for personnel to replace and-or supplement them continues to expand, limiting the State's ability to support disaster response until they do."
That is certainly the case in Texas with the certain deployment of the National Guard's 36th ID sometime in 2026. The question is: Will the State be ready to handle the needed surge of manpower and expertise when disasters or emergencies strike?
In Texas, we have the basis of that surge force already capable of DSCA-Defense Support to Civil Authority. Namely, that is the Texas State Guard. The Texas State Guard is not a force that blows things up and takes the hill, like the soldiers of the National Guard.
They are service members reporting to the Texas Adjutant General, providing service to Texans in need, something a young LT Colonel in the TXSG coined back in a 2006 interview as 'Texans helping Texans'.
While in service for many decades, it first came to modern prominence in 2005, when the Texas State Guard deployed over 1,000 members during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. They deployed without equipment, food, or other logistics, wearing uniforms they had paid for themselves, and without weapons.
They are service members reporting to the Texas Adjutant General, providing service to Texans in need, something a young LT Colonel in the TXSG coined back in a 2006 interview as 'Texans helping Texans'.
While in service for many decades, it first came to modern prominence in 2005, when the Texas State Guard deployed over 1,000 members during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. They deployed without equipment, food, or other logistics, wearing uniforms they had paid for themselves, and without weapons.
That deployment achieved unprecedented success, serving as the bulk of the initial Surge Force while integrating with and carrying out missions for the Principal Federal Officer, Admiral Hereth, several Senators and members of Congress, County Judges, and Mayors to take on any job they needed. They just figured it out and did it because that's what Texas needed.
Soon, these augmentation forces were able to set up logistic operations to feed Texans, shelters for 1,000 were manned, and Texans and Louisiana residents were cared for in their time of need. So how did they do it? Simple; the average age was 10-15 years older for a state guardsman than a national guard soldier, making them ideal for the mission. They had life experience, families, careers, and technical skills – something a 19-year-old National Guardsman by and large did not.
When problems arose, they simply coordinated with local Mayors and County Judges and got it done on a wide range of items – from logistics to utilities and backfilling locals in need of a break.
They also had an overwhelming desire to serve Texas and Texans.
In tomorrow's Part II article, we'll look at legislation passed by the Texas Legislature earlier this year and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in 2025.
And to prepare to achieve the Low Cost/High Reward Surge Force the state needs, we'll hear from Texas State Sen. Phil King, and HouseCommittee Chairman Cecil Bell, Jr., a State Representative who has been active in the TXSG and now chairs the powerful House Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.
It is time for Texas to lead again and ensure they always can be counted upon as Texans Helping Texans.
David Erinakes is a Senior Legislative Reporter and consultant who formerly worked in the Texas Legislature.
