An Ode to the State’s National Guard and Citizen Soldiers

 An Ode to the State’s National Guard and Citizen Soldiers

The 2026 Memorial Day Weekend is upon us. Here in the United States the holiday signals the unofficial start of the Summer Season. Most colleges and universities have had their respective graduation ceremonies. I want to extend a special congratulations to those who recently graduated from my alma mater, Virginia Tech. Most High Schools will conclude their academic school year in the coming weeks.

Memorial Day is a U.S. Federal Holiday to commemorate those died in action while in the Armed Military Services. These fallen heroes began receiving special recognition following the American Civil War. The Federal Holiday we recognize and know today was formalized following WWII, and codified into law in the early 1970's. It is, perhaps, the most sacred and revered holiday in the military communities, remembering those who sacrificed their final measure in service to the country.

Folks, professional military units need four vital components for success. Firstly, an army runs on its stomach. It is not a coincidence the very first professional armies formed to defend the recently harvested crops from foreign invaders. Anthropologists tell us, soon after the invention of large-scale farming techniques, foreigners would invade the farming communities at around harvest time, just before the onset of the Winter months. Professional armies were formed to defend against these foreign uncivilized attackers. Then began a 10,000 year-long symbiotic relationship with farmers and the professional military.

Secondly, war is often measured in blood and treasure. The professional military units need gold reserves, or other hard assets, to finance and supply everything needed to defend those crops, granaries, and livestock. Treasuries and banks, traditionally, have provided this function. The commodities markets and banks are civil institutions first formed in Ancient Mesopotamia 6,000 years ago to help share the risks of the uncertainty involved with annual crop harvest yields. The elimination of unnecessary risks and uncertainty of the annual crop yields provided greater stability to the professional military units defending the harvests.  

Thirdly, professional military units require a chain-of-command to act effectively as a unified force. Let's be very clear, armed military units are tasked with the use of violent and lethal force. A chain-of-command should be firmly established to ensure that lethal force is properly used and implemented. A properly established chain-of-command is good for all parties involved, including the individual members of the military unit. We all love Marvel's Captain America. I, personally, have the entire 22-movie Marvel Infinity Saga. However, there really is no such thing as a “one man army.” An effective fighting military unit is made of individuals doing their respective part to make the mission a success for everyone.  

Fourth, a truly effective professional military needs a guiding principle that unites the members in a political, philosophical, religious, or other belief. Geography has traditionally served to unite professional armies, as the members were often extended family members or actual blood-relatives. Modern communications technology has created "online communities" of formerly desperate individuals, inadvertently creating various cohesive units outside of physical geographical constraints. It is not another coincidence the internet technologies were born during the Cold War from a project headed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

As the financial problems of Washington D.C. worsen, the respective State Capitols will reclaim more power and authority. State Governors are elected executives with pardoning powers and command sizable State Militias. Furthermore, State Capitols have none of the debt problems of Washington D.C., and some have large gold reserves at local Federal Reserve Banks. The State Capitol here in Virginia is Richmond. Richmond has one of the twelve Federal Reserve Banks with one of the world's largest gold reserves. Nestled within the southern Virginia farming community, Richmond is ideal to support a healthy and vibrant National Guard and Militia. The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond does not currently have a President, but a recent head of the Virginia National Guard, Major General Timothy Williams, is a fellow Virginia Tech Alumni of the Pamplin College of Business. 

I support the Defend the Guard legislative initiative. It is a legislative initiative that requires a formal Declaration of War by the U.S. Congress before the President can federalize State National Guard Troop units into regular active duty service. Guardsmen are often full-time students, or actual professionals in other career fields. These part-time Citizen Soldiers have professional careers and regular full-time lives outside of the military. Guardsman quite often have areas of professional expertise that cannot be easily found within the broader military communities, but desire to serve their local and State communities. The Defend the Guard Initiative would allow those doing full-time online degree programs, and those acquiring other professional skills, to serve in the State’s National Guard more confidently that their studies would not be interrupted for any significant period of time.

In conclusion, I hope and pray everyone has a fun and safe Memorial Day Holiday weekend and enjoy the unofficial start of Summer 2026, as we remember those fallen in service to the country. If you are a recent graduate you should seriously consider joining your State's National Guard while doing an online degree in Military Science, or other academic discipline. Finally, if the weather this holiday weekend keeps you indoors, I recommend binge-watching the Marvel Infinity 22-movie Saga.