Many of the Guardsmen are trained for a situation just like the one in Maryland.
It's called "civil unrest training," and it was recently completed in Tennessee with a local police department.
Troops have also trained in Maryland and Colorado.
"It really helped put it into perspective the person we are going to be up against - the rioter, the unruly person," said one National Guard official.
The training includes gas mask training and practice with shields and batons.
"If we have to use it in the outside world... we are ready for any task possible," said another National Guard official.
Troops plan to remain in Baltimore to help until order in the city returns, or until Maryland is no longer under a "state of emergency." - [Emphasis added - K]
Here's the piece.
Note that the Guard member emphasized above seemingly has no problem putting his skills to work wherever he is told.
If you are a suspicious type, you might just think the riots in Baltimore were deliberately stoked (not necessarily started, but goosed) as a means of testing the training of the Maryland Guard.
But, that's just conspiracy-thinking, right there.
Move along, Citizen - before the Guard gives you a fresh thump on your noggin.
Kerodin
III
