--- title: "Some Texas National Guard troops replaced in Illinois after failing to meet standards" description: "An unspecified amount of Texas National Guard troops were replaced in Chicago, shortly after photos of their appearance were mocked." date: "2025-10-12" modified: "2025-10-12" authors: - name: "Nicholas Slayton" job_title: "Contributing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/nicholas-slayton/" - name: "Jeff Schogol" job_title: "Senior Pentagon Reporter" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jeff-schogol/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/texas-national-guard-chicago-standards/" categories: - "Around the World" - "Military Branches" - "National Guard" - "News" - "United States" tags: - "Northern Command" --- # Some Texas National Guard troops replaced in Illinois after failing to meet standards ![ELWOOD, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Members of the Texas National Guard stand guard at an army reserve training facility on October 07, 2025 in Elwood, Illinois. The Trump administration has been threatening for more than a month to send the guard to Illinois to address Chicago's crime problem and to support ICE and CBP during Operation Midway Blitz. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has been outspoken in his opposition to the move, accusing the president of using the guardsmen as political pawns. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)]() *Texas National Guard troops stand guard at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, Illinois on Oct. 7, 2025. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images* 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. “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. ## Author Nicholas Slayton is a contributing editor for Task & Purpose, covering conflict for over 12 years, from the Arab Spring to the war in Ukraine. His previous reporting can be found on the non-profit Aslan Media, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, The New Republic, The American Prospect, Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, and the Los Angeles Downtown News. You can reach him at nicholas@taskandpurpose.com or find him on Twitter @NSlayton and Bluesky at @nslayton.bsky.social. ### Author social links [Twitter]()