System Failure: The Strain Forced on Our National Guard

I've been thinking a lot about the National Guard lately. The Guard is a critical part of our nation's defense system, but we can never forget that it is comprised of our neighbors, our friends, and our family members. They are citizen-soldiers who hold down full-time civilian jobs and raise their families right here in our communities. They sign up to serve our state and our nation in times of true emergency.

But the current administration is using them in a way that was never intended. The President is calling up the National Guard for long-term domestic policing duties in situations that appear driven more by political optics than genuine necessity, seemingly on a whim.

This is not a theoretical problem. This decision has real-world consequences for the guardsmen and women we know. They are being pulled away from their civilian jobs, putting their livelihoods and careers at risk. They are separated from their families for extended periods, all while being asked to perform a mission that stretches far beyond their core purpose.

As a System Engineer, I see this as a clear system failure. It's a misuse of a vital system. When you use a system for a purpose it wasn't designed for, you don't just get poor results—you risk breaking the system itself. This policy puts unnecessary strain on dedicated people, weakens our overall military readiness, and devalues the contributions of our professional, civilian law enforcement.

Yet, the GOP, including the current representative for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, is silent on this abuse. They lack the courage to provide an essential check on an unbalanced president.

Arizona's 1st District deserves an independent voice in Congress who understands the importance of our institutions and will ensure they are used appropriately and with respect for the service and sacrifice of our troops. That is the kind of representative I aim to be.