The National Guard is being deployed in too many non-traditional missions outside its core function, potentially undermining its readiness, several former Guard leaders wrote in a Military Times op-ed.

“These missions come at a considerable cost to state and federal taxpayers, and they run the risk of diverting resources that could be dedicated to training and preparedness for core National Guard responsibilities as the primary combat reserve of the United States Army and the United States Air Force,” they wrote, echoing comments they had written in a recent statement suggesting principles for when and how to deploy a Guard unit.

The authors are part of Count Every Hero, a nonpartisan initiative of retired admirals and generals and former service secretaries.

Georgia National Guard photo by Maj. William Carraway