Oregon National Guard leader tells troops ahead of Portland deployment: ‘We are professionals’

The head of Oregon’s Military Department urged Oregon National Guard troops to follow their oath and act with professionalism despite any misgivings they may have about President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy 200 Oregon troops to Portland.

In his Monday letter, Adjutant General Alan Gronewold encouraged troops to perform their duties while deployed but also took their potential hesitations into account.

“I know some of you may have strong feelings about this mission. That’s Okay. You are citizens first, but you’re also service members who took an oath to support and defend the Constitution and follow the orders of the President and the Governor,” Gronewold wrote. “That oath doesn’t come with an asterisk that says, ‘Only when I agree with the mission.’”

The letter is a striking acknowledgement of the political pitfalls of the deployment, which has triggered strong and emotional reactions from elected officials in Oregon and the general public. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in his memo to Gov. Tina Kotek on Sunday that he was federalizing the troops to help protect federal personnel and facilities, namely the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland.

Protests outside the ICE building most nights since June have consisted of several dozen people. Federal officers themselves have been accused of “instigating” clashes with protesters and have been filmed hitting and shoving nonviolent protesters. The size of the protests grew after Trump’s Saturday announcement that he was sending troops.

Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein was first to report on Gronewold’s letter. Gronewold confirmed the letter’s authenticity in a text message to The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Kotek appointed Gronewald to lead the Oregon National Guard in 2023. He is a brigadier general and has been deployed in Kuwait, Germany, Afghanistan and Iraq.

In his letter, Gronewold told his guard members that the mobilization “doesn’t diminish” the guard’s overall mission in Oregon responding to wildfires and other natural calamities. He also asked guard members to be careful about what they post on social media, including refraining from posting operational details or getting into political arguments while identifiable as a member of the guard.

“I’ll be honest with you — I know this isn’t easy,” Gronewold wrote. “Some people in Oregon won’t understand or won’t support this mission. Some might even be hostile about it. But we’ve been through tough situations before. We are professionals who do our duties, regardless of how it’s received.”

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