Having been in the 7th ID at the time of the riots. We were deployed to LA on that Saturday, I remember because we were on DRF1 and only aloud to travel 20 miles off the planet. Me and some of my buddies were getting ready to go out that night and party, but CQ had other plans. He had his runner come up and started yelling "Blue Bayonet!" So we were of course pissed and found out real quick we were heading to LA.
As I was in the divisional LRSD. We were part of the 1st troops in LA. Me and my platoon showed up on the tarmac wearing our war paint and had our cabbage patch tops on. We didnt get the memo stating no camo or helmets. Our 1st Sgt chewed us out. We got bullshit riot helmets when we got to LAX, but quickly put them in our rucks.
We were trucked over to a place called Huntigan park in LA, I thought it was a park not a freaking city, from there we were dispersed out into South Central. I loved it. We were hearing the rumors about anti tank and AA weapons but it was all talk.
I was a 203 gunner and the only 40 MM I was issued were star cluster, to be used in case our comms went down and we were in contact. Our SAW gunners were given only magazines, but our armorer, who was with us, hooked our gunners up with 6 drums each, just in case. LOL Then to really piss us off we got 3 or 4 CA NG assigned to us and not one of them had firing pins for there m16's, and had only two mags apiece. WTF, over. So our Armorer hooked them up with pins and spare mags.
We guarded a power substation for the duration, 7 days. The citizens welcomed us and even kept us supplied with coffee and donuts. Not one business was touched while we were guarding them.
As soon as we had our perimeter set up and established comms with Batt. we applied our war paint and boonies. The citizens and cops loved it but the shitbird gangbangers actually complained to the NG command, they laughed at em so we kept it on. The shitbirds were constantly probing us but we always had overwatch up and were constantly on 50% security the whole time. We always let them know they were number one when the came around 4 deep in the Impalas. Our ROE were not to have a mag in the weapon unless we had a deliberate act of aggression toward us or citizens. Yeah right. I asked our 1st SGT if we get into a firefight do we get a star on our CIBs. I was doing push up for an hour. But it was worth it
It was my funnest deployment.