National Guard
The National Guard is a vital component of the United States military reserve forces, operating under the control of individual states while also serving federal roles. It is comprised of two main branches: the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, both of which participate in domestic and international missions. Members of the National Guard typically serve part-time, dedicating two weeks annually and one weekend a month for training, unless they are deployed for emergencies or military actions.
Established in response to early colonial defense needs, the Army National Guard is the oldest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, with historical involvement in every major American conflict. The Air National Guard was formally established in 1947, evolving from a growing need for air defense. Both branches have played crucial roles in responding to natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, and have been actively deployed during significant events, including the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
In recent years, the National Guard has continued to support operations on both domestic and international fronts, addressing crises ranging from natural disasters to civil unrest and public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Their diverse missions reflect a commitment to assisting communities and protecting national security throughout the United States and beyond.
National Guard
The National Guard is a branch of the United States military reserve forces under the control of individual states. The reserve forces are part-time organizations mobilized during weather-related emergencies, catastrophes, times of war, or invasions to supplement the Army and Air Force domestically and abroad. Reserve members dedicate part of their time to serving their country. They also complete two full weeks of training each year and train one additional weekend per month when not deployed.
The National Guard is split into the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. The branches operate under the United States Department of Defense (DOD), which supervises all government entities tasked with protecting the United States' national security. The United States Constitution requires every state to have a branch of the National Guard. The National Guard also comprises US territories and the District of Columbia. State governors can call the National Guard into action when needed for domestic matters such as natural disasters, and the president can request the aid of the National Guard on federal issues, including wars.
Early History
The Army National Guard was formed many years before the Air National Guard. It is the oldest branch of the US Armed Forces. It was formed as an unofficial militia company to protect the first English colony in Jamestown in 1607. The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony organized the first official militia in 1636 to defend the colony against attacks from the Native Americans during the Pequot War (1636–1638), fought between the Pequot tribe and English colonists.
The Army National Guard has participated in every American war from colonial times to present day. Some of these early wars included the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), War of 1812 (1812–1815), Mexican-American War (1846–1848), American Civil War (1861–1865), and Spanish-American War (1898). The Army National Guard also assisted in other events, such as providing aid and security during disasters and pandemics.
While it was not officially called the Air National Guard, this branch emerged from a need for increased air combat during conflicts, help with natural disasters, and more before the 1920s. It participated in American wars and conflicts, including World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945).
The Air National Guard was formally established in 1947. During this time, the unit was in charge of policing Native Americans and helping to develop new technology such as aircraft, machine guns, radios, and vehicles to ready for battle against other major industrial powers throughout the world. In the years that followed, the Army and the Air National Guard saw combat in conflicts such as the Korean War (1950–1953), Vietnam War (1955–1975), and Persian Gulf War (1990–1991). After the Persian Gulf War, the National Guard began participating in more federal missions related to conflict outside the United States. This continued through the twenty-first century.
Twenty-First Century
On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda terrorists took control of four commercial airplanes, crashing two of them into the World Trade Center in New York City and one into the Pentagon near Washington DC. The passengers aboard the fourth plane crashed into a field in rural western Pennsylvania. Nearly three thousand people died from the terrorist attacks.
The attacks of 9/11 heightened national security in the United States. Immediately after the attacks, more than eight thousand National Guard personnel were mobilized to affected areas to assist with rescue and recovery efforts. They also provided security in these areas as well as in major airports. Their service continued to be needed in the months that followed when President George W. Bush entered Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan (2001–present) and the Iraq War (2003–2011). During this time, many National Guard units were deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq to assist the Army and Air Force in combat, marking the first deployment of a Guard division to a combat zone since the Korean War.
In addition to the ongoing wars, the National Guard also participated in events on the home front. In 2005, it saw its largest deployment in response to a natural disaster. Hurricane Katrina ravaged the coasts of Mississippi and Louisiana and caused significant flooding in many areas, including New Orleans. Shortly after, Hurricane Rita damaged parts of Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and other regions. More than fifty thousand National Guard members from every state were mobilized to the disaster areas, using National Guard boats and helicopters to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts and provide security to these areas.
Since the mid-2000s and into the 2020s, the National Guard units continued their missions abroad and at home, protecting the citizens of the United States during disasters, weather-related incidents, pandemics, terror attacks, conflicts, and more. In fact, the National Guard has been crucial in responding to various crises, from the COVID-19 pandemic to civil unrest and natural disasters. In 2024, their capabilities were particularly tested by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which struck within two weeks of each other. These Category 3-4 storms prompted the deployment of over 17,000 Guard members across southeastern states, where they conducted rescue operations, cleared roads, and provided essential community support.
Bibliography
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Grabianowski, Ed. "How is the National Guard Different from the Regular Army?" HowStuffWorks, 28 Oct. 2014. http://science.howstuffworks.com/national-guard.htm. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.
Leland, Anne and Mari-Jana Oboroceanu. "American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics." Federation of American Scientists, 29 July. 2020, http://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.
Rosenfeld, Susan and Charles J. Gross. "Air National Guard at 60: A History." Air National Guard. Air National Guard. PDF File. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. http://www.ang.af.mil/history
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"Thousands of National Guard Troops Deploy for Hurricane Helene Relief." Military Times, 30 Sept. 2024, www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2024/09/30/thousands-of-national-guard-troops-deploy-for-hurricane-helene-relief/. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.