Louisiana Army National Guard

The Louisiana Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. When not Federalized the National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status. Those functions range from limited actions during non-emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of Martial law when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control. The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the President or Congress.

Currently, there are approximately 11,500 soldiers serving in the Louisiana Army National Guard. The Louisiana National Guard maintains 74 units in 44 parishes (56 armory locations) across the state.

History
The Louisiana Army National Guard was originally formed in the "18th Century when a militia was formed from among the civilian inhabitants of Colonial Louisiana to assist Royal French and Spanish troops in protecting the colony and preserving the peace" The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various state militias into the present National Guard system.

The 2003 invasion of Iraq saw the call up of several units including the 204th ATSG and the 1083rd, 1084th, 1086th, and 1087th transportation companies which upon entering the theater of operation fell under the command of V Corps during 2003-04. During OIF III (Operation Iraqi Freedom 3) the 256th Infantry Brigade served a combat tour during 2004-2005. Units of the 225th Engineer Brigade have been mobilized for duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, aviation components such as the 1/244th Aviation Helicopter Battalion, 204th Theater Air Operations Group and the 812th Med Company have served in an active capacity for OIF multiple times at one year intervals. 165TH CSS BN Mobilized in 2008. 773RD MP BN has mobilized as separate companies. 159TH Air Guard SQDN has been mobilized. 256TH IBCT mobilized for a second tour to Iraq in 5 January 2010. The 415th Military Intelligence Battalion mobilized for a second tour to Afghanistan on 29 Nov 2010.

After Hurricane Katrina the LA ARNG organised Joint Task Force Gator to assist in relief efforts.

Training
Louisiana Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Louisiana Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Louisiana.

Duties
National Guard units can be mobilized (called up) at any time by presidential order to supplement regular armed forces, and upon declaration of a state of emergency by the governor of the state in which they serve. Unlike Army Reserve members, National Guard members cannot be mobilized individually (except through voluntary transfers and Temporary DutY Assignments TDY), but only as part of their respective units. However, there have also been some amount of individual activations to support Federal military operations (2001-?).

Service
For much of the final decades of the twentieth century, National Guard personnel typically served "One weekend a month, two weeks a year", with a small portion of each unit working for the Guard in a full-time capacity. New forces formation plans of the US Army were announced in early 2007 modifying the recent (2001–2006) National Guard active duty callup pace. The new plan will nominally anticipate that each National Guard unit (or National Guardsman) will serve one year of active duty for every five years of service. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates imposed "a one-year limit to the length of Federal deployments for National Guard Soldiers." Call ups by Louisiana authorities for state emergencies are not included in this policy.

Units and Formations

 * Joint Force Headquarters Louisiana JFHQ-LA
 * 256th Infantry Brigade
 * 225th Engineer Brigade
 * 61st Troop Command
 * 156th Army Band
 * 415th Military Intelligence Battalion (Linguist)
 * 165th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (POL)
 * 773d Military Police Battalion
 * 204th Theater Airfield Operations Group
 * 199 Inf Rgt DUI.jpg 199th Leadership Regiment
 * 199 Spt Bn DUI.png 199th Support Battalion

Facilities

 * Camp Beauregard - Pineville
 * Esler Airfield - Pineville
 * Camp Minden, site of the deactivated Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant; the National Guard headquarters is at Bolin Hall, named for the late Judge James E. Bolin. - Minden
 * Camp Cook - Ball
 * Camp Villere - Slidell
 * Hammond Airport - Hammond
 * Gillis W. Long Center - Carville
 * Jackson Barracks - New Orleans

Historic units

 * 156 INFANTRY REGIMENT COA.jpg 156th Infantry Regiment (United States)
 * 199InfRegtCOA.jpg 199th Infantry Regiment (United States)
 * 108CavRegtCOA.png 108th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
 * 141FARegtCOA.jpg 141st Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
 * 205th Eng bn COA.jpeg 205th Engineer Battalion (United States)

Parishes: Major Command

 * Orleans Parish                                             *
 * St. Tammany Parish                                         *
 * Washington Parish                                          *
 * Tangipahoa Parish                                          *
 * St. John the Baptist Parish                                *
 * Jefferson Parish                                           *
 * Terrebonne Parish                                          *
 * Lafourche Parish                                           *
 * Assumption Parish                                          *
 * Ascension Parish                                           *
 * East Baton Rouge Parish                                    *
 * Pointe Coupee Parish                                       *
 * Iberville Parish                                           *
 * St. Mary Parish                                            *
 * Iberia Parish                                              *
 * St. Martin Parish                                          *
 * Vermilion Parish                                           *
 * Acadia Parish                                              *
 * Jefferson Davis Parish                                     *
 * Calcasieu Parish                                           *
 * Beauregard Parish                                          *
 * Allen Parish                                               *
 * Evangeline Parish                                          *
 * St. Landry Parish                                          *
 * Avoyelles Parish                                           *
 * Rapides Parish                                             *
 * Grant Parish                                               *
 * Natchitoches Parish                                        *
 * La Salle Parish                                            *
 * Catahoula Parish                                           *
 * Concordia Parish                                           *
 * Red River Parish                                           *
 * Winn Parish                                                *
 * Caldwell Parish                                            *
 * Franklin Parish                                            *
 * Richland Parish                                            *
 * Ouachita Parish                                            *
 * Jackson Parish                                             *
 * Caddo Parish                                               *
 * Webster Parish                                             *
 * Lincoln Parish                                             *
 * Union Parish                                               *
 * Morehouse Parish                                           *
 * West Carroll Parish                                        *