Seven Georgia Lawmakers Urge Kemp to Bring National Guard Home From Washington Before the Holidays
Seven Georgia lawmakers issued a statement on October 21 through the state Senate press office urging Governor Brian Kemp to bring Georgia National Guard troops home from Washington, D.C., before Thanksgiving and Christmas. The group — State Representatives Sandra Scott, Viola Davis, Eric Bell, Derek Jackson and Floyd Griffin, and State Senators Kenya Wicks and Tonya Anderson — are all Democrats with Army service backgrounds.
Prolonged separation significantly raises the risk of chronic stress, anxiety and clinical depression, they said, affecting not only the troops but spouses and children at home; the soldiers have been away for more than a year, missing birthdays, anniversaries and family moments that cannot be recovered. The statement also cited an October 18 incident in which a Guard member was shot while responding to an altercation in Washington, noting the member's home state had not been confirmed.
The lawmakers asked Kemp for a clear withdrawal timeline, an account of current safety measures, and a list of mental-health and financial resources for separated families, with a written response within 10 business days. "This is not a partisan issue; it is a family and health issue," they said. The governor's office had not publicly responded.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：佐治亚州议会大厦（Atlanta）。摄影：DXR，CC BY-SA 4.0（Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. Photo by DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
