Mike Bumgarner, director of public safety. There's no real excuse for why the post didn't have a plan to release soldiers if their families were forced to evacuate. The post is revising the plan so it won't happen again, said Don Police, Fort Stewart's plan analyst. Why soldiers can't help in hurricanes Fort Stewart soldiers do not patrol, guard or assist the community during emergencies - even hurricanes. A federal law prohibits the nation's active-duty fighting force from any police action within the United States.
Soldiers are able to provide such help in other countries, as in Bosnia.
In the United States, each state's National Guard force is authorized to patrol streets and perform other duties during disasters. They must be called to action by the governor. The latest plan should be completed later in the summer, and post commanders and civilian leaders should run through an evacuation training exercise in June, Police said. Still, Fort Stewart may not always evacuate when the rest of the community leaves town. The military already has a highly organized and efficient system for notifying its members of any emergency.