A select number of Texas National Guard troops have reportedly been pulled from duty in Illinois for failing to meet the Defense Department’s new “physical fitness standards.”
A spokesperson for the Texas Military Department confirmed the troops’ replacement on Sunday, saying the speed at which Texas mobilized its troops for deployment to Chicago “necessitated a concurrent validation process, during which we identified a small group of service members who were not in compliance and have been replaced.”
“National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are required to meet service-specific height, weight and physical fitness standards at all times,” the National Guard Bureau said in a statement. “When mobilizing for active duty, members go through a validation process to ensure they meet requirements. On the rare occasions when members are found not in compliance, they will not go on mission. They will be returned to their home station, and replacements who do meet standards will take their places.”