The Texas Military Department has removed an unspecified number of National Guard troops deployed to Chicago for not being “in compliance” with its validation process.
A spokesperson for the Texas Military Department confirmed to Task & Purpose that “a small group” of the 200 National Guard members sent to Illinois this past week have been replaced after they were found to not meet certain standards. The move came amid criticism on social media over pictures that showed some of the Guard members appearing to be overweight, and as an appeals court temporarily blocked the deployment of the Texan troops into Illinois.
“In less than 24 hours, Texas National Guardsmen mobilized for the Federal Protection Mission,” a spokesperson told Task & Purpose by email this weekend. “The speed of the response necessitated a concurrent validation process, during which we identified a small group of service members who were not in compliance and have been replaced.”
A set of viral photos by ABC News earlier this week showed troops arriving in Chicago, with several appearing heavyset. The Texans were met with derision online for their appearance, with several people noting Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s comments about fitness standards during his September speech to top military leaders.
The Texas Military Department’s response was to questions from Task & Purpose about whether Guardsmen were being evaluated for height and weight standards as a result of the pictures.
The Texas Military Department did not say exactly how the 200 deployed National Guard members were out of compliance and being replaced. The National Guard Bureau issued a statement on Oct. 9 saying that “National Guard Soldiers and Airman are required to meet service-specific height, weight and physical fitness standards at all times.” The statement did not include any context about what prompted it, not did it mention the photos criticized on social media.
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“When mobilizing for active duty, members go through a validation process to ensure they meet those requirements. On the rare occasions when members are found not in compliance, they will not go on mission,” the National Guard Bureau statement continued. “They will be returned to their home station, and replacements who do meet standards will take their places.”
Earlier this month the Trump administration federalized 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, orders to protect federal personnel and property in Chicago. 200 members of the Texas National Guard were also sent to the Chicago area to join the force. The troops sent from Texas currently are blocked from deploying to guard federal buildings or conduct patrols. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge April Perry temporarily blocked the deployment of federalized National Guard troops from operating in Chicago and the state of Illinois as a whole. The decision echoed a similar ruling on the deployment of federalized troops to Oregon a few days prior. After an appeal by the Trump administration, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled that troops under Title 10 federal control can remain federalized and stay in Illinois, but cannot deploy.
