People usually ask this because they saw a viral clip on TikTok or caught a snippet of breaking news while scrolling. It’s a fair question. When you see military fatigues in the middle of a massive metropolitan area like Los Angeles, it’s jarring. It feels heavy. But the truth is, the California National Guard gets called into LA way more often than you’d think, and it’s not always for the reasons you’re imagining.
So, was the National Guard deployed to LA? Yes. Multiple times. In fact, they’ve been a semi-regular fixture in the city’s emergency response strategy for decades. But the "why" and the "when" change depending on whether we’re talking about a civil unrest situation, a pandemic, or the state’s perennial battle with wildfires.
The 2024 and 2025 Deployments: Border Support and Fentanyl
Recently, the conversation hasn't been about riots. It’s been about drugs. Governor Gavin Newsom has been leaning hard on the National Guard to tackle the fentanyl crisis. You might not see humvees rolling down Sunset Boulevard, but the Guard is there. They’ve been stationed at ports of entry and working behind the scenes with task forces to intercept high-volume shipments of synthetic opioids.
In late 2023 and throughout 2024, Newsom increased the number of deployed service members by about 50% in certain sectors. This wasn't a "boots on the ground" martial law scenario. It was administrative and logistical support for law enforcement. They’re analyzing data. They’re manning X-ray machines. Honestly, it’s a lot of paperwork and technical surveillance that helps the LAPD and DEA do the flashy busts you see on the evening news.
When the Streets Actually Saw Camouflage: 2020
If you’re remembering actual soldiers standing in front of City Hall, you’re thinking of May and June 2020. That was a different beast entirely. Following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protests erupted across Los Angeles. Things got chaotic. Fast.
Mayor Eric Garcetti made the call. Over 1,000 soldiers from the California National Guard were sent into the city. Their primary mission was "infrastructure protection." Basically, that’s military-speak for standing in front of buildings so the police can go deal with the crowds. You saw them at the Grove, in Santa Monica, and downtown. It was the first time since the 1992 Uprising that the Guard had been used in LA for civil unrest. They stayed for about a week. By June 7, 2020, they were mostly gone.
It’s worth noting that their presence was polarizing. Some residents felt a sense of relief, thinking the looting would stop. Others found it incredibly threatening—an escalation that made a tense situation feel like a war zone.
The Logistics of a Deployment
How does it even work? The Governor is the Commander-in-Chief of the state’s National Guard. A Mayor can’t just order them in. Garcetti had to ask Newsom. Then, the Guard has to mobilize. These are "citizen-soldiers." They’re your neighbors, your mechanics, your teachers. They have to leave their day jobs, put on the uniform, and report to the armory.
- The local government admits they are overwhelmed.
- The Governor signs an executive order.
- The Guard moves in with a specific "Rules of Engagement" (ROE).
Looking Back at 1992: The Benchmark
You can't talk about was the National Guard deployed to LA without mentioning 1992. This is the shadow that hangs over every subsequent deployment. After the "Not Guilty" verdicts for the officers who beat Rodney King, the city basically tore itself apart.
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The deployment back then was massive. We’re talking nearly 10,000 National Guard troops, plus thousands of federal troops from the Army and Marines. It was a total breakdown of order. If you look at the footage from '92 versus 2020, the difference is staggering. In '92, they were essentially an occupying force for weeks. In 2020, they were more like a heavily armed security firm for government buildings.
The "Quiet" Deployments Nobody Talks About
We forget that the Guard is a Swiss Army knife for the state. They were in LA during the height of COVID-19. Remember the massive vaccination site at California State University, Los Angeles? That was run largely by the Guard and FEMA. They weren't carrying rifles; they were carrying clipboards and syringes.
Then there are the fires. When the Woolsey Fire or the Getty Fire kicks off, the Guard's air wing is often in the sky. They fly C-130s equipped with MAFFS (Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems). They drop thousands of gallons of retardant. So, if you're asking if they've been deployed lately, and you see smoke on the horizon, the answer is almost certainly "yes," even if you don't see them on your street corner.
Misconceptions About Martial Law
Social media loves the words "Martial Law." Every time a convoy of trucks is spotted on the 405, people start panicking. But California has never actually declared martial law in the modern era.
Even when the Guard is in LA, the civil courts stay open. The Mayor is still in charge. The police are still the primary law enforcement agency. The Guard acts as "force multipliers." They do the boring stuff—guarding a perimeter or driving trucks—so the police don't have to. It’s a nuance that gets lost in the "World War III" style headlines we see on X (formerly Twitter).
What to Watch For Next
If you are trying to track whether a deployment is happening right now, don't look at rumors. Look at the Office of the Governor’s Press Releases. Newsom is very vocal about when he sends the Guard anywhere because it’s a political statement.
Also, keep an eye on the "State of Emergency" declarations. A deployment almost always follows one of those. Whether it’s for a flood, a fire, or a "public safety emergency," that legal document is the green light.
Actionable Steps for Staying Informed
If you see military vehicles in Los Angeles and want to know what's up, follow these steps to get the real story:
- Check the Cal Guard Socials: The California National Guard (NG.CA.CALGUARD) is surprisingly active on Instagram and X. They usually post photos of their missions, whether it's drug interdiction or flood relief.
- Verify the "Convoy": Most military vehicles on LA freeways are just moving from one armory to another for weekend drills. If you don't see a formal announcement from the Mayor's office, it's likely just routine logistics.
- Look at the Equipment: If they are carrying weapons, it’s security or civil unrest. If they have shovels, water pallets, or medical gear, it’s a humanitarian or natural disaster response.
- Read the Local News Outlets: Stick to the LA Times or KTLA 5. They have direct lines to the Pentagon’s press desk and the Governor’s office. Avoid "citizen journalism" accounts that use dramatic music and no sources.
The National Guard is a permanent part of California’s infrastructure. Their presence in Los Angeles is a tool used by the government to manage crises that exceed the capacity of local police and fire departments. While the sight of a uniform can be unsettling, the reality is usually more about logistics and support than it is about combat. Knowing the difference helps cut through the noise of the 24-hour news cycle.