National Guard (United States)
The National Guard is a state-based military force that becomes part of the U.S. military's reserve components of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force when activated for federal missions.[1] It is a military reserve force composed of National Guard military members or units of each state and the territories of Guam, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, for a total of 54 separate organizations. It is officially created under Congress's Article 1 Section 8 ability to "raise and support armies".[2] All members of the National Guard are also members of the organized militia of the United States as defined by 10 U.S.C. § 246. National Guard units are under the dual control of state governments and the federal government.[1]
This article is about one of the United States military reserve forces. For other countries that have a National Guard, see National Guard. For other United States military reserves, see Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. For the general idea of militas in the United States, see Militia (United States).National Guard
English colonial militia: since December 13, 1636
- As "National Guard": since 1824 in New York, since 1903 nationwide
- Dual state-federal reserve forces: since 1933
United States
443,543
All 50 U.S. states, and organized U.S. territories, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia
"Air Guard", "Army Guard"
"Always Ready, Always There!"
The majority of National Guard soldiers and airmen hold a civilian job full-time while serving part-time as a National Guard member.[3][4] These part-time guardsmen are augmented by a full-time cadre of Active Guard & Reserve (AGR) personnel in both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard, plus Army Reserve Technicians in the Army National Guard and Air Reserve Technicians (ART) in the Air National Guard.
The National Guard is a joint activity of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) composed of reserve components of the United States Army and the United States Air Force: the Army National Guard[3] and the Air National Guard, respectively.[3]
Colonial militias were formed during the British 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 some New York State militia units, named after the French National Guard in honor of the Marquis 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.
Organization[edit]
Territorial organization[edit]
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.[11] 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 respective state or territorial governor, except in the instance of Washington, D.C., where the National Guard operates under the President of the United States or his designee. The governors exercise control through the state adjutants general.[12] Governors may call up the National Guard for active duty to help respond to domestic emergencies and disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes.[12]
Defend the Guard[edit]
Defend the Guard is state-level legislative initiative which would require Congress to make an official declaration of war before National Guard troops can be transferred from state control to federal active duty combat.[80] Supporters of the bill claim that this law would pressure Congress to conform to the Constitution and declare war when American soldiers are sent overseas to perform military actions.[80] This bill has been introduced in many states and in 2024 passed the New Hampshire House with bipartisan support.[81]
In 2024, over 80% of Texas GOP voters voted in favor of a Defend the Guard non-binding ballot measure which stated, “The Texas Legislature should prohibit the deployment of the Texas National Guard to a foreign conflict unless Congress first formally declares war.”[82] In 2024, the New Hampshire GOP added a Defend the Guard plank to the Federalism section of its platform which states, "(We) Demand that Congress exercise their sole authority over war declarations and protect the New Hampshire National Guard by requiring a Congressional declaration of war prior to any National Guardsman deployment to overseas combat zones."[83]
Notable members[edit]
Presidents[edit]
Militia service was a common trait among presidents 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 and James 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 and Theodore Roosevelt), one in the Army National Guard (Harry S. Truman) and one (George W. Bush) served in the Air National Guard.[84]