| National Guard | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the National Guard | |
| Active | English colonial militia: since December 13, 1636
|
| Country |  United States |
| Allegiance | Federal(10 U.S.C. § E) State andterritorial(32 U.S.C.) |
| Branch |  U.S. Army U.S. Air Force |
| Type | Reserve force Militia |
| Size | 430,040[1] (Authorized FY 23) |
| Part of |  National Guard Bureau |
| Garrison/HQ | All 50U.S. states, andorganized U.S. territories, theCommonwealth of Puerto Rico, and theDistrict of Columbia |
| Nicknames | "Air Guard", "Army Guard" |
| Mottos | "Always Ready, Always There!" |
| March | Always Ready, Always There |
| Website | nationalguard.mil |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief |  PresidentDonald Trump |
| Chief |  GenSteven S. Nordhaus,USAF |
| Vice Chief |  MGTimothy L. Rieger,USA (acting) |
| Senior Enlisted Advisor |  SEANGBJohn T. Raines III,USA |
| Insignia | |
| Seal of theArmy National Guard |  |
| Emblem of theAir National Guard |  |
TheNational Guard is astate-based military force that becomes part of theU.S. military'sreserve components of theU.S. Army and theU.S. Air Force when activated for federal missions.[2] It is amilitary reserve force composed of National Guard military members or units of each state, the territories ofGuam, theU.S. Virgin Islands,Puerto Rico, and theDistrict of Columbia, for a total of 54 separate organizations. It is officially created underCongress'sArticle I, Section 8enumerated power to "raise and support Armies".[3] All members of the National Guard are also members of theorganized militia of the United States as defined by10 U.S.C. § 246. National Guard units are under the dual control ofU.S. state governments and theU.S. federal government.[2]
The majority of National Guard soldiers and airmen hold a civilian job full-time while serving part-time as a National Guard member.[4][5] These part-time guardsmen are augmented by a full-time cadre ofActive Guard & Reserve (AGR) personnel in both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard, plus Army Reserve Technicians in the Army National Guard andAir Reserve Technicians (ART) in the Air National Guard.[6]
The National Guard is a joint activity of theUnited States Department of Defense (DoD) composed of reserve components of theUnited States Army and theUnited States Air Force: theArmy National Guard[4] and theAir National Guard, respectively.[4][7]
Colonialmilitias were formed during theBritish colonization of the Americas from the 17th century onward. The first colony-wide militia was formed by Massachusetts in 1636 by merging small, older local units, and several National Guard units can be traced back to this militia. The various colonial militias became state militias when the United States became independent. The title "National Guard" was used in 1824 by someNew York State militia units, named after theFrench National Guard in honor of theMarquis de Lafayette. "National Guard" became a standard nationwide militia title in 1903, and has specifically indicated reserve forces under mixed state and federal control since 1933.
On December 13, 1636,[8] the first militia regiments inNorth America were organized in Massachusetts. Based upon an order of theMassachusetts Bay Colony's General Court, the colony's militia was organized into three permanent regiments to better defend the colony. Today, the descendants of these first regiments - the181st Infantry, the182nd Infantry, the101st Field Artillery, and the101st Engineer Battalion of the Massachusetts Army National Guard – share the distinction of being the oldest units in the U.S. military. December 13, 1636, thus marks the beginning of the organized militia, and the birth of the National Guard's oldest organized units is symbolic of the founding of all the state, territory, and District of Columbia militias that collectively make up today's National Guard.
Previous to this, unregulated militias were mustered sporadically in Spanish and English colonies. On September 16, 1565, in the newly established Spanish town ofSt. Augustine, militia were assigned to guard the expedition's supplies while their leader,Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, took the regular troops north to attack the French settlement atFort Caroline on theSt. Johns River.[9] This Spanish militia tradition and the tradition that was established in England's North American colonies provided the basic nucleus for Colonial defense in the New World.
The militia tradition continued with the New World's first permanent English settlements.Jamestown Colony (established in 1607) andPlymouth Colony (established in 1620) both had militia forces, which initially consisted of every able-bodied adult male. By the mid-1600s every town had at least one militia company (usually commanded by an officer with the rank of captain), and the militia companies of a county formed a regiment (usually commanded by an officer with the rank of major in the 1600s or a colonel in the 1700s). The first federal laws regulating the militia were theMilitia acts of 1792.
From the nation's founding through the early 1900s, the United States maintained only a minimal army and relied on state militias, directly related to the earlier Colonial militias to supply the majority of its troops.[10] As a result of theSpanish–American War, Congress was called upon to reform and regulate state militias' training and qualification.
U.S. SenatorCharles W. F. Dick, aMajor General in theOhio National Guard and the chair of theCommittee on the Militia,[11] sponsored the 1903Dick Act towards the end of the57th U.S. Congress. Under this legislation, passed January 21, 1903, the organized militia of the states were given federal funding and required to conform to Regular Army organization within five years. The act also required National Guard units to attend twenty four drills and five days annual training a year, and, for the first time, provided for pay for annual training. In return for the increased federal funding which the act made available, militia units were subject to inspection by Regular Army officers, and had to meet certain standards.
It required the states to divide their militias into two sections. The law recommended the title "National Guard" for the first section, known as the organized militia, and "Reserve Militia" for all others.[12]
DuringWorld War I, Congress passed theNational Defense Act of 1916, which required the use of the term "National Guard" for the state militias and further regulated them. Congress also authorized the states to maintainHome Guards, which were reserve forces outside the National Guards deployed by the federal government.[13]
In 1933, with the passage of the National Guard Mobilization Act, Congress finalized the split between the National Guard and the traditional state militias by mandating that all federally funded soldiers take a dual enlistment/commission and thus enter both the state National Guard and the National Guard of the United States, a newly created federal reserve force. TheNational Defense Act of 1947 created the Air Force as a separate branch of the Armed Forces and concurrently created the Air National Guard of the United States as one of its reserve components, mirroring the Army's structure.
The National Guard of the several states, territories, and the District of Columbia serves as part of the first line of defense for the United States.[14] The state National Guard is organized into units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia, and operates under their respectivestate or territorial governor, except in the instance ofWashington, D.C., where the National Guard operates under thePresident of the United States or their designee. The governors exercise control through thestate adjutants general.[15] Governors may call up the National Guard for active duty to help respond to domestic emergencies and disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes.[15]
The National Guard is administered by theNational Guard Bureau, a joint activity of the Army and Air Force under theDepartment of Defense.[17][18] The National Guard Bureau provides a communication channel for state National Guards to the DoD.[19] The National Guard Bureau also provides policies and requirements for training and funds for state Army National Guard and state Air National Guard units,[20] the allocation of federal funds to the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard,[20] and other administrative responsibilities prescribed under10 U.S.C. § 10503. The National Guard Bureau is headed by theChief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB), who is a four-stargeneral[17] in the Army or Air Force and is a member of theJoint Chiefs of Staff.
The National Guard Bureau is headquartered in Arlington County, Virginia, and is a joint activity of the Department of Defense to conduct all the administrative matters pertaining to theArmy National Guard and theAir National Guard. The chief is either an Army or an Air Force four-stargeneral officer, and is the senior uniformed National Guard officer, and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity, he serves as a military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and is the Department of Defense's official channel of communication to the Governors and to State Adjutants General on all matters pertaining to the National Guard. He is responsible for ensuring that the more than half a million Army and Air National Guard personnel are accessible, capable, and ready to protect the homeland and to provide combat resources to the Army and the Air Force. He is appointed by the President in his capacity asCommander in Chief.[21][22]
The respective state National Guards are authorized by theConstitution of the United States. As originally drafted, the Constitution recognized the existing state militias, and gave them vital roles to fill: "to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasion." (Article I, Section 8, Clause 15). The Constitution distinguished "militias," which were state entities, from "Troops," which were unlawful for states to maintain without Congressional approval. (Article I, Section 10, Clause 3). Under current law, the respective state National Guards and the State Defense Forces are authorized by Congress to the states and are referred to as "troops."32 U.S.C. § 109.
Although originally state entities, the Constitutional "Militia of the Several States" were not entirely independent because they could be federalized. According to Article I, Section 8; Clause 15, theUnited States Congress is given the power to pass laws for "calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions." Congress is also empowered to come up with the guidelines "for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress" (clause 16). The President of the United States is the commander-in-chief of thestate militias "when called into the actual Service of the United States." (Article II, Section 2).
The traditional state militias were redefined and recreated as the "organized militia"—the National Guard, via theMilitia Act of 1903. They were now subject to an increasing amount of federal control, including having arms and accoutrements supplied by the central government, federal funding, and numerous closer ties to the Regular Army.
Proposals for the establishment of a National Guard component for theUnited States Space Force has existed for years, even as early as 2018.[23]
A report by theCongressional Budget Office indicated that the creation of a Space National Guard, as proposed by the National Guard Bureau, would cost an additional $100 million per year in operations and support costs, with a onetime cost of $20 million in the construction of new facilities. This report directly contradicted the statement by theNational Guard Bureau that a Space National Guard would only have a onetime cost at creation, and then be cost-neutral.[24]
The report also analyzed the cost of the creation of a larger Space National Guard, which would be ~33% of the Space Force, calculating that the annual operating cost would be $385 million to $490 million per year.[24]
However, several states already have existing National Guard space operations, includingAlaska,California,Colorado,Florida,New York,Arkansas, andOhio;[25] there is also a space component in theGuam Air National Guard.[26]
Both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard are expected to adhere to the same moral and physical standards as their "full-time" active duty and "part-time" reserve federal counterparts.[27][28] The same ranks and insignia of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force are used by the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, respectively, and National Guard members are eligible to receive allUnited States military awards.[29][30] The respective state National Guards also bestowstate awards for services rendered both at home and abroad. Under Army and Air Force regulations, these awards may be worn while in state, but not federal, duty status. Regular Army and Army Reserve soldiers are also authorized to accept these awards, but are not authorized to wear them.
Many states also maintain their ownstate defense forces. Although not federal entities like the National Guard of the United States, these forces are components of the state militias like the individual state National Guards.
These forces were created by Congress in 1917 as a result of the state National Guards' being deployed and were known as Home Guards. In 1940, with the onset ofWorld War II and as a result of its federalizing the National Guard, Congress amended theNational Defense Act of 1916, and authorized the states to maintain "military forces other than National Guard."[31] This law authorized theWar Department to train and arm the new military forces that became known as State Guards. In 1950, with the outbreak of theKorean War and at the urging of the National Guard, Congress reauthorized the separate state military forces for a time period of two years. These state military forces were authorized military training at federal expense, and "arms, ammunition, clothing, and equipment," as deemed necessary by theSecretary of the Army.[32] In 1956, Congress finally revised the law and authorized "State defense forces" permanently under Title 32, Section 109, of the United States Code.[33]
Although there are no Naval or Marine Corps components of the National Guard of the United States, there is a Naval Militia authorized under federal law,10 U.S.C. § 8901. Like the soldiers and airmen in the National Guard of the United States, members of the Naval Militia are authorized federal appointments or enlistments at the discretion of theSecretary of the Navy.10 U.S.C. § 7852. To receive federal funding and equipment, a state naval militia must be composed of at least 95% of Navy, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps Reservists. As such, some states maintain such units. Some states also maintain naval components of their State Defense Force. Recently,Alaska, California,New Jersey, New York,South Carolina, Texas andOhio have had or currently maintainnaval militias. Other states have laws authorizing them but do not currently have them organized. To receive federal funding, as is the case in the National Guard, a state must meet specific requirements such as having a set percentage of its members in the federal reserves.10 U.S.C. § 7851.
National Guardunits can be mobilized for federal active duty to supplement regular armed forces during times of war ornational emergency declared by Congress,[34] thePresident[34] or theSecretary of Defense.[35] They can also be activated for service in their respective states upon declaration of astate of emergency by the governor of the state or territory where they serve, or in the case of Washington, D.C., by the Commanding General. UnlikeU.S. Army Reserve members, National Guard members cannot be mobilized individually, except through voluntary transfers and Temporary Duty Assignments (TDY). The types of activation are as follows:[36]
| State active duty | Title 32 | Title 10 | |
| Command and control (C2) | Governor | Governor | President |
| Military C2 | Adjutant general | Adjutant general | Combatant commander |
| Duty assignments | In accordance with state law | U.S. | Worldwide |
| Pay | State | Federal | Federal |
| Domestic law enforcement powers | Yes | Yes | No[a] |
| Missions examples | Civil support; law enforcement; others as determined by governor | Training; civil support; law enforcement; counter drug; WMD response; | Overseas training; expeditionary missions; civil support and law enforcement[b] |
| Activation examples | various hurricanes | Border security; post-9/11 airport security; | Bosnia; Afghanistan; Cuba; Iraq; |
The term "activated" simply means that a unit or individual of the reserve components has been placed on orders. The purpose and authority for that activation determine limitations and duration of the activation. The Army and Air National Guard may be activated in a number of ways as prescribed by public law. Broadly, under federal law, there are two titles in the United States Code under which units and troops may be activated: as federal soldiers or airmen under Title 10 ("Armed Forces") and as state soldiers or airmen performing a federally-funded mission under Title 32 ("National Guard").[37] Outside federal activation, the Army and Air National Guard may be activated under state law. This is known as state active duty (SAD).
When National Guard units are not under federal control, the governor is the commander-in-chief of the units of his or her respective state or territory (such as Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands). The President of the United States commands the District of Columbia National Guard, though this command is routinely delegated to the Commanding General of the DC National Guard.[37] States are free to employ their National Guard forces under state control for state purposes and at state expense as provided in the state's constitution and statutes. In doing so, governors, as commanders-in-chief, can directly access and utilize the Guard's federally assigned aircraft, vehicles and other equipment so long as the federal government is reimbursed for the use offungible equipment and supplies such as fuel, food stocks, etc. This is the authority under which governors activate and deploy National Guard forces in response to natural disasters. It is also the authority under which governors deploy National Guard forces in response to human-made emergencies such as riots and civil unrest, or terrorist attacks.[38]
Title 10 service means full-time duty in the active military service of the United States. The term used isfederalized. Federalized National Guard forces have been ordered by the President to active duty either in their reserve component status or by calling them into Federal service in their militia status.[37]There are several forms:
In the categories listed above, Army and Air National Guard units or individuals may also be mobilized for non-combat purposes such as theState Partnership Program, humanitarian missions, counter-drug operations, and peacekeeping or peace enforcement missions.[37] An example of a National Guard being federalized was theStand in the Schoolhouse Door in 1963 where theAlabama National Guard was federalized in order to allow black students to enroll at theUniversity of Alabama.[39]
On December 13, 1636,[40] the General Court of theMassachusetts Bay Colony ordered that the Colony's scattered militia companies be organized into North, South and East Regiments—with the goal of increasing accountability to the colonial government and responsiveness during conflicts with indigenousPequot Indians.[41][42] Under this act, white males between the ages of 16 and 60 were obligated to possess arms and to take part in the defense of their communities by serving in nightly guard details and participating in weekly drills.[43] The modern-day101st Field Artillery Regiment,182nd Infantry Regiment,101st Engineer Battalion and181st Infantry Regiment of theMassachusetts Army National Guard are directly descended from the original colonial regiments formed in 1636.[41]
The Massachusetts militia began theAmerican Revolutionary War at theBattles of Lexington and Concord,[44] The Massachusetts militia units were mobilized either during or shortly after the above battles and used to form, along with units from Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire, theArmy of Observation during theSiege of Boston. On July 3, 1775, GeneralGeorge Washington, under the authority of theContinental Congress, assumed command of the Army of Observation and the new organization became theContinental Army from which theUnited States Army traces its origins.[45][46]
Throughout the war, militia units were mobilized when British forces entered their geographic areas and participated in most of the battles fought during the war.[47][48]
The early United States distrusteda standing army - in emulation of a long-standing British distrust - and kept the number of professional soldiers small. During theNorthwest Indian War, the majority of soldiers were provided by state militias. There are nineteenArmy National Guard units with campaign credit for the War of 1812.[49][50]
The Marquis de Lafayettevisited the U.S. in 1824–25. The 2nd Battalion, 11th New York Artillery, was one of many militia commands who turned out in welcome. This unit decided to adopt the title "National Guard," in honor of Lafayette'sFrench National Guard. The Battalion, later the 7th Regiment, was prominent in the line of march on the occasion of Lafayette's final passage through New York en route home to France. Taking note of the troops named for his old command, Lafayette alighted from his carriage, walked down the line, clasping each officer by the hand as he passed.[51]
Militia units provided 70% of the soldiers that fought in theMexican–American War,[44] and also provided the majority of soldiers in the early months of theAmerican Civil War[52] The majority of soldiers in theSpanish–American War were from the National Guard.[44]
Labor unrest in the industrial and mining sections of the Northeast and Midwest led to demands for a stronger military force within the states.
On July 14, 1877, workers on theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) began to stop trains inMartinsburg, West Virginia in response to wage cuts. This protest developed into the nationalGreat Railroad Strike of 1877. West Virginia governorHenry M. Mathews was the first state commander-in-chief to send in troops to break-up the protests, and this action has been viewed in retrospect as an incident that would transform the National Guard.[53]
After the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, calls for military suppression of labor strikes grew louder, and National Guard units proliferated. In many states, large and elaborate armories, often built to resemble medieval castles, were constructed to house militia units. Businessmen and business associations donated monies for the construction of armories and to supplement funds of the local National Guard units. National Guard officers also came from the middle and upper classes.[54]National Guard troops were deployed to suppress strikers in some of the bloodiest and most significant conflicts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including theHomestead Strike, thePullman Strike of 1894, and theColorado Labor Wars.
Throughout the 19th century the Regular U.S. Army was small, and the state militias provided the majority of the troops during theMexican–American War, theAmerican Civil War, and theSpanish–American War. With theMilitia Act of 1903, the militia was more organized and the name "National Guard" recommended. In 1908, the prohibition on National Guard units serving overseas was dropped. This resulted in constitutional debates within the U.S. government surrounding the legality of the use of the National Guard overseas, culminating in 1912 when U.S. Attorney GeneralGeorge W. Wickersham declared the 1908 amendment to be unconstitutional. TheNational Defense Act of 1916 contained a provision whereby the president could discharge National Guard members from the militia and draft them into the Army in the event of a war, allowing for their use overseas. This resulted in former National Guard members being discharged from the Army entirely (also losing their status as state troops) when they left service, so the1920 amendments to the act defined the National Guard's dual role as a state and federal reserve force; the "National Guard while in the service of the United States" as a component of theArmy of the United States could be ordered to active duty by the president, be deployed overseas if they so wished, and the Guardsmen would then revert to their status as state troops. The dual state and federal status proved confusing, so in 1933, the National Defense Act of 1916 was amended again. It finally severed the National Guard's traditional connection with the militia clause of the Constitution, providing for a new component called the "National Guard of the United States" that was to be a reserve component of the Army of the United States at all times. This is the beginning of the present legal basis of the National Guard. In World War I, National Guard soldiers made up 40 percent of the men in U.S. combat divisions in France. In World War II, the National Guard made up 18 divisions.[55]
One hundred forty thousand Guardsmen were mobilized during theKorean War and over 63,000 forOperation Desert Storm. They have also participated in U.S. peacekeeping operations inSomalia, Haiti,Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,Bosnia, andKosovo and for natural disasters, strikes, riots and security for theOlympic Games when they have been in the States.
Following World War II, the National Guard aviation units that had previously been part of theU.S. Army Air Corps and its successor organization, theU.S. Army Air Forces, became theAir National Guard (ANG), one of two reserve components of the newly establishedUnited States Air Force.
Within hours of the devastatingSan Francisco earthquake and fire of April 1906, theCalifornia National Guard maintained order, protected lives and property and distributed relief supplies. Its role was controversial and it was withdrawn after 40 days. Federal troops also were used.[56]
On September 24, 1957, PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower federalized the entire Arkansas National Guard to ensure the safe entry of theLittle Rock Nine toLittle Rock Central High School the following day. GovernorOrval Faubus had previously used members of the guard to deny the students entry to the school.[57][58]
The New York National Guard were ordered by GovernorNelson A. Rockefeller to respond to theRochester 1964 race riot in July of that year.[59] TheCalifornia Army National Guard were mobilized by the Governor of CaliforniaEdmund Gerald Brown Sr. during theWatts Riots, in August 1965, to provide security and help restore order.[60]
Elements of theOhio Army National Guard were ordered toKent State University by Ohio's governorJim Rhodes to quell anti-Vietnam War protests, culminating in theirshooting into a crowd of students on May 4, 1970, killing four and injuring nine. The massacre was followed by theStudent strike of 1970.[61]
During the Vietnam War, service in the National Guard was highly sought after, as an enlistment in the Guard generally prevented a person from being sent to combat; only a handful of Guard units were ever deployed to Vietnam. In 1968, the National Guard had only 1.26% black soldiers.[62]
During the Vietnam War, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara created theSelective Reserve Force (SRF) in October 1965. Since funding was not available to train and equip the entire National Guard adequately, the SRF would be a core group of 150,000 National Guardsmen available and ready for immediate overseas deployment if needed. SRF units were supposed to be authorized at 100% strength, receive priority training funds and modern equipment,[63] and have more training and do 58 hours of drills of four hours each a year rather than the standard 48 hours of drills.[64]
The 2nd Battalion 138th Field Artillery of theKentucky Army National Guard was ordered to service inVietnam in late 1968. The unit served in support of the regular101st Airborne Division. The Battalion's C Battery lost nine men killed and thirty-two wounded when North Vietnamese troops overran Fire Base Tomahawk on June 19, 1969.[65]
During the early 1980s, the governors of California and Maine refused to allow deployment of their states' National Guard units to Central America. In 1986, Congress passed the Montgomery Amendment, which prohibited state governors from withholding their consent. In 1990, the Supreme Court ruled against the governor of Minnesota, who had sued over the deployment of the state's National Guard units to Central America.[66]
During the1992 Los Angeles Riots, when portions of south central Los Angeles erupted in chaos, overwhelming theLos Angeles Police Department's ability to contain the violence, theCalifornia Army National Guard and selected units of theCalifornia Air National Guard were mobilized to help restore order. The National Guard were attributed with five shootings of people suspected of violating thecurfew order placed on the city.[67][68]
During the 1993Waco siege of theBranch Davidians, elements of theAlabama andTexas Army National Guard were called in to assist theATF and the follow on effort by theFederal Bureau of Investigation; the National Guard's involvement was limited to several specific areas; surveillance and reconnaissance, transport, maintenance and repairs, training and instruction, helicopters, unarmed tactical ground vehicles. The Army National Guard helicopters were also used to do photographic reconnaissance work. Training for ATF agents included such subjects as Close Quarters Combat, and combat medical instruction, and a mock up of the Mount Carmel complex was constructed atFort Hood, Texas for rehearsals. ATF also received several surplus helmets, flack vests, canteens, first aid dressings, empty magazines, and some night-vision equipment, in addition to MREs and diesel fuel. The FBI would request and receive the use of Bradley Armored Fighting Vehicles, and tank retrieval vehicles, as well as overflights by UH-1 and CH-47 helicopters.[69]
As a result of the Bottom Up Review and post-Cold War force cutbacks, the Army National Guard maneuver force was reduced to eight divisions (from ten; the26th Infantry and50th Armored were consolidated in the northeastern states) and fifteen 'enhanced brigades,' which were supposed to be ready for combat operations, augmenting the active force, within 90 days.[note 1]
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National Guard units played a major role in providing security and assisting recovery efforts in the aftermath of theSeptember 11 attacks in 2001 andHurricane Katrina in 2005.[71][72]
In 2005, National Guard members and reservists were said to constitute a larger percentage of frontline fighting forces than in any war in U.S. history (about 43 percent in Iraq and 55 percent in Afghanistan).[73] There were more than 183,366 National Guard members and reservists on active duty nationwide who left behind about 300,000 dependents, according to U.S. Defense Department statistics. In 2011, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. stated that "Every Guard brigade has deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, and over 300,000 Guardsmen have deployed in this war."[74]
In January and February 2007, National Guard troops from 8 states were activated to go help shovel snow, drop hay for starving cattle, deliver food and necessities to stranded people in their houses, and help control traffic and rescue stranded motorists in blizzards dropping feet of snow across the country.[75]
In the first quarter of 2007, United States Secretary of DefenseRobert M. Gates announced changes to the Guard deployment policy aimed at shorter and more predictable deployments for National Guard troops. "Gates said his goal is for Guard members to serve a one-year deployment no more than every five years... Gates is imposing a one-year limit to the length of deployment for National Guard Soldiers, effective immediately." Prior to this time, Guard troops deployed for a standard one-year deployment toIraq orAfghanistan would serve for 18 or more months including training and transit time. During the transition to the new policy for all troops in the pipeline, deployed or soon to be deployed, some will face deployments faster than every five years. "The one-to-five year cycle does not include activations for state emergencies."[76]
Prior to the attacks against the United States onSeptember 11, 2001, the National Guard's general policy regarding mobilization was that Guardsmen would be required to serve no more than one year cumulative on active duty (with no more than six months overseas) for each five years of regular drill. Due to strains placed on active duty units following the attacks, the possible mobilization time was increased to 18 months (with no more than one year overseas). Additional strains placed on military units as a result ofthe invasion of Iraq further increased the amount of time a Guardsman could be mobilized to 24 months. CurrentDepartment of Defense policy is that no Guardsman is involuntarily activated for more than 24 months (cumulative) in one six-year enlistment period.[citation needed]
Traditionally, most National Guard personnel serve "One weekend a month, two weeks a year", although personnel in highly operational or high demand units serve far more frequently. Typical examples are pilots, navigators and aircrewmen in active flying assignments, primarily in theAir National Guard, and to a lesser extent in theArmy National Guard, and special operations airmen and soldiers in both. A significant number also serve in a full-time capacity in roles such as Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) or Air Reserve Technician or Army Reserve Technician (ART).
The "One weekend a month, two weeks a year" slogan has lost most of its relevance since theIraq War, when nearly 28% of total U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan at the end of 2007 consisted of mobilized personnel of the National Guard and other Reserve components.[77] In July 2012, the Army's top general stated his intention to increase the annual drill requirement from two weeks per year toup to seven weeks per year.[78]
Prior to 2008, the functions of Agricultural Development Teams were withinProvincial Reconstruction Teams of the U.S. government. Today, ADTs consist of soldiers and airmen from theArmy National Guard and theAir National Guard. Today, ADTs bring "an effective platform for enhanced dialogue, building confidence, sharing interests, and increasing cooperation amongst the disparate peoples and tribes of Afghanistan."[79] These teams are not only affiliated with the military, they frequently work across agencies, for example withUSAID and theDepartment of State. ADTs provide education and expertise on the ground, while also providing security and order that is traditionally affiliated with the military. These teams have been essential to thecounterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan as apublic diplomacy tool to build relations with the local people in the tribes and provinces of the country.
ADTs provide classroom instruction and teachings to Afghans about how to improve their farming practices during non-seasonal growing months, which allows the farmers to use skills in the winter to prepare for farming in the summer and fall. This enhances agricultural production and the Afghan economy as a whole. Agricultural education also improves lines of communication and builds trust between the people, the U.S. government, and the Host Nation.[80] Additionally, through word of mouth in the provinces ideas are spread that inform others about these farming techniques, that may not have had direct interaction with the ADTs. The National Guard ADTs also introduce their U.S. civilian colleagues to the Afghan University personnel, which further strengthens relations and trust in the U.S. efforts in Afghanistan.[81]
ADTs also enhance public diplomacy in Afghanistan by providing security to the local provinces they are working within. This tool has provided the teams with the civilian-military partnership that is needed to conduct public diplomacy and defeat the insurgents in Afghanistan. PresidentBarack Obama said that the U.S. will enhance agricultural development instead of big reconstruction projects to build Afghanistan's economy, to have an immediate impact on the Afghan people. Today, these projects include "...basic gardening practices, to large watershed and irrigation projects. There are also projects that teach bee keeping and livestock production: all of which will have a positive impact on unemployment, hunger, and the ability to sustain future generations.[79]
More and more Afghan tribal leaders have been requesting additional ADTs, which illustrates how important the use of public diplomacy has been in the efforts to win the trust of the Afghan people. The case study fromNangarhar Province in Afghanistan serves as an excellent example. This province is one of the most stable and secure provinces in Afghanistan. For example, over 100,000 Afghans have returned to province; the province has also been declared poppy-free in 2007 by the UN. Additionally, most districts within the province have all-weather paved roads and it is also one of the most productive agricultural regions in Afghanistan.[79]
In 2006, Congress considered giving the president the full authority to mobilize National Guard units within the U.S. without the consent of state governors.[82] However, this was met with resistance from states governors and members of the National Guard.[83] The act was eventually passed, but instead, the president's authority was expanded to mobilize the reserve components for domestic operations without the consent of the governor, only during a natural disaster, terrorist attack, epidemic or other public health emergency.[84] The following year, that authority was repealed.[85]
In 2020, the National Guard was activated for 11,000,000 "man days" in support of natural disasters,civil unrest, food distribution at food banks, andCOVID-19 testing and vaccination.[86][87] This was the highest number of activation days since World War II.[88]
In 2025, 2,000 soldiers of theCalifornia National Guard were federalized by PresidentDonald Trump by apresidential memorandum to respond to incidents ofviolence andcivil disorder againstImmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other United States Government personnel who were performing Federal functions inLos Angeles for 60 days.[89][90][91] On August 11th, Trump announced the deployment of National Guards to Washington D.C.[92] An additional deployment of National Guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee was announced on September 15.[93]
Proposals for a Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force consisting of two units of 300 soldiers of the National Guard were reported byThe Washington Post in August 2025. The force would be used to supress civil unrest at short notice.[94][95]
Although theU.S. Constitution does not explicitly mention the "National Guard", it uses the term "Militia" to describe a state-based military force.[96]
Clause 15. The Congress shall have Power * * * To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions.Clause 16. The Congress shall have Power * * * To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress.
These clauses serve as the constitutional basis for the modern National Guard. The Constitution outlines the federal and state governments' authority overmilitias in several clauses, including grantingCongress the power to call forth, organize, arm, and discipline the Militia. It also designates thePresident as theCommander in Chief of the state Militias, when they are called into service for the United States.
The National Guard was formally established by Congress through later legislation, as described in the following section.
The United States Congress has enacted various laws that control the National Guard:
Militia service was a common trait amongpresidents of the United States, 18 of whom have served in colonial or state militias and two have served in the National Guard since it was established in 1903. Among these, three served in colonial militias (George Washington,Thomas Jefferson andJames Madison), 15 served in state militias (James Monroe,Andrew Jackson,William Henry Harrison,Millard Fillmore,Franklin Pierce,James Buchanan,Abraham Lincoln,Andrew Johnson,Ulysses S. Grant,Rutherford B. Hayes,James Garfield,Chester A. Arthur,William Henry Harrison,William McKinley andTheodore Roosevelt), one in the Army National Guard (Harry S. Truman)[103] and one (George W. Bush) served in the Air National Guard.[104]
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A member of the National Guard, often called a "guardsman," is a person who has signed an Enlistment Contract and has subscribed to an Enlistment Oath, is still alive, or has not yet been discharged. The subscription to the oath (typically a recitation) and the signature must be witnessed by a person, typically a Guard officer, authorized as an official witness. The term of the enlistment, or membership, runs from the date on the contract through the date on the discharge or the death certificate.[note 2]
The "number of guardsmen" is astatistic generated by theDefense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), an agency of the DoD tasked with tracking the identities of all persons in the active military, its reserves, and civilians employed by it. Membership in the Guard may be regarded as an independent variable. It changes constantly. Its value at any instant cannot be known exactly. It can, however, be estimated from the records of the DMDC. Its data and reports are for the most part inaccessible to the general public, but it does make available some reports under the category "DoD Personal, Workforce Reports & Publications."[117]
The series "Military and Civilian Personnel by Service/Agency by State/Country (Updated Quarterly)," containing the statistics on membership in the National Guard by state, territory, and D.C., is updated every 3rd month at the end of the month. For example, one was generated on June 30, 2017. Like all statistics, these numbers of guardsmen are asample culled according to a certain method. The report states that it uses the sources: "Active Duty Master File, RCCPDS, APF Civilian Master, CTS Deployment File, Civilian Deployment." The probabilities of the statistics being accurate to various percentages are not stated.
Below is a sample summary of a profile of National Guard membership as of September 30, 2020. Only the non-total columns come from the source. The totals are calculated from the data.
| State/Territory | Army National Guard | Air National Guard | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 9,755 | 2,444 | 12,199 |
| Alaska | 1,649 | 2,158 | 3,807 |
| Arizona | 5,345 | 2,570 | 7,910 |
| Arkansas | 6,556 | 1,953 | 8,509 |
| California | 13,240 | 4,896 | 18,136 |
| Colorado | 3,778 | 1,802 | 5,580 |
| Connecticut | 3,664 | 1,171 | 4,835 |
| Delaware | 1,686 | 1,056 | 2,742 |
| Florida | 9,830 | 2,118 | 11,948 |
| Georgia | 11,294 | 2,844 | 14,138 |
| Hawaii | 2,911 | 2,318 | 5,229 |
| Idaho | 3,185 | 1,336 | 4,521 |
| Illinois | 10,469 | 2,911 | 13,380 |
| Indiana | 10,491 | 1,945 | 12,436 |
| Iowa | 6,829 | 1,923 | 8,752 |
| Kansas | 4,446 | 2,180 | 6,626 |
| Kentucky | 6,577 | 1,260 | 7,837 |
| Louisiana | 9,959 | 1,529 | 11,488 |
| Maine | 1,842 | 1,075 | 2,917 |
| Maryland | 4,586 | 1,840 | 6,426 |
| Massachusetts | 5,880 | 2,064 | 7,944 |
| Michigan | 8,378 | 2,448 | 10,826 |
| Minnesota | 10,901 | 2,269 | 13,170 |
| Mississippi | 9,060 | 2,637 | 11,697 |
| Missouri | 9,355 | 2,244 | 11,599 |
| Montana | 2,408 | 932 | 3,340 |
| Nebraska | 3,244 | 1,005 | 4,249 |
| Nevada | 3,302 | 1,199 | 4,501 |
| New Hampshire | 1,642 | 937 | 2,579 |
| New Jersey | 6,113 | 2,373 | 8,486 |
| New Mexico | 2,875 | 989 | 3,864 |
| New York | 10,420 | 5,685 | 16,105 |
| North Carolina | 9,721 | 1,467 | 11,188 |
| North Dakota | 2,990 | 1,163 | 4,153 |
| Ohio | 11,321 | 5,092 | 16,413 |
| Oklahoma | 6,398 | 2,225 | 8,623 |
| Oregon | 5,504 | 2,391 | 7,895 |
| Pennsylvania | 13,806 | 4,069 | 17,875 |
| Rhode Island | 2,049 | 1,019 | 3,068 |
| South Carolina | 9,270 | 1,250 | 10,520 |
| South Dakota | 3,149 | 1,112 | 4,261 |
| Tennessee | 9,256 | 3,490 | 12,746 |
| Texas | 18,617 | 3,390 | 22,007 |
| Utah | 5,666 | 1,473 | 7,139 |
| Vermont | 2,229 | 1,000 | 3,229 |
| Virginia | 7,127 | 1,469 | 8,596 |
| Washington | 5,538 | 2,005 | 7,543 |
| West Virginia | 4,052 | 2,125 | 6,177 |
| Wisconsin | 7,219 | 2,333 | 9,552 |
| Wyoming | 1,586 | 1,250 | 2,836 |
| Puerto Rico | 5,909 | 1,062 | 6,971 |
| Guam | 1,182 | 377 | 1,559 |
| District of Columbia | 1,281 | 1,289 | 2,570 |
| Virgin Islands | 594 | 61 | 655 |
| Totals | 336,129 | 107,414 | 443,543 |
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