Texas Army National Guard

Joint Forces Headquarters Texas Army National Guard
Joint Forces Headquarters Texas Army National Guard distinctive insignia
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Army
Type	ARNG Headquarters Command
Part of	Texas National Guard
Commanders
Commanding General	MG Joyce L. Stevens

Seal of the Army National Guard

The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces (along with the Texas Air National Guard and the Texas State Guard). Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.

Texas 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 Texas Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Texas.

The Texas Army National Guard is composed of approximately 19,000 soldiers, and maintains 117 armories in 102 communities.

Major subordinate commands

• 36th Infantry Division
• Medical Command
• Office of the State Surgeon
• Recruiting and Retention Battalion
• State Army Aviation Office
• 136th Regiment (CA) (RTI)
• Army Ground Safety Office
• Training Centers Command
• 71st Theatre Information Operations Group
• 176th Engineer Brigade

On 1 September 2009, the Texas Army National Guard activated the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment, the only Airborne infantry battalion in the Army National Guard. The unit includes a battalion headquarters and headquarters company (HHC), 3 rifle companies (Cos A, B, and C), a weapons company (Co D), and a forward support company (FSC). Most elements of the battalion will be located in Texas, with Co B in Alaska and Co C in Rhode Island. Rather than converting an existing TX ARNG unit, the battalion is being built from the ground up. [1] According to the US Army Center of Military History, "1st Battalion, 143d Infantry Regiment is a separate infantry battalion." As such, it is not subordinate to other commands in the state, although it may be attached for administrative purposes.

Duties

Federal service

National Guard units can be mobilized 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 has been a significant amount of individual activations to support military operations (2001-?); the legality of this policy is a major issue within the National Guard.^{[citation needed]}

Federal active duty callups

For much of the final decades of the 20th century, National Guard personnel typically served "One weekend a month, two weeks a year", with a portion working for the Guard in a full-time capacity. The current forces formation plans of the US Army call for the typical National Guard unit (or National Guardsman) to serve one year of active duty for every three years of service. More specifically, current Department of Defense policy is that no Guardsman will be involuntarily activated for a total of more than 24 months (cumulative) in one six year enlistment period (this policy is due to change 1 August 2007, the new policy states that soldiers will be given 24 months between deployments of no more than 24 months, individual states have differing policies).

State service

State duties include disaster relief, emergency preparedness, security assistance to state law enforcement agencies, and some aspects of border security. The Governor can activate the National Guard components under his control for state active duty in Texas, and in support of adjacent states.

History

The Texas Army National Guard has its roots in the Texas Militia formed by Sam Houston during the Texas Revolution of 1835 - 1836.

The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various state militias into the present National Guard system.

The 49th Armored Division was ordered to active federal service in October 1961 at Dallas and reverted to state control in August 1962. The 49th was deactivated in 1968 and re-organized into three separate brigades, the 36th Infantry Brigade, 71st Infantry Brigade and 72nd. The division was reactivated on 1 November 1973, with its headquarters at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas.

Historic units

• 141st Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 142nd Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 143rd Infantry Regiment (United States)
• File:144 INFANTRY COA .jpeg 144th Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 112th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
• 124th Armor Regiment (United States)
• 124th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
• 131st Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
• 133rd Field Artillery Regiment (United States)

See also

• State Defense Forces
• Militia
• Home Guard (disambiguation)
• Transformation of the Army National Guard
• Coats of arms of U.S. Armor and Cavalry Regiments
• Coats of arms of U.S. Artillery Regiments
• Coats of arms of U.S. Infantry Regiments
• Coats of arms of U.S. Air Defense Artillery Regiments

External links

• Bibliography of Texas Army National Guard History compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History
• Texas National Guard homepage
• Texas National Guard, accessed 28 Nov 2006
• GlobalSecurity.org Texas Army National Guard, accessed 28 Nov 2006
• Unit Designations in the Army Modular Force, accessed 23 Nov 2006