Minnesota National Guard

Minnesota National Guard
Minnesota National Guard Logo
Active	1850 - Present
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	State of Minnesota
Type	Joint
Size	13,124
Part of	U.S. National Guard
Garrison/HQ	St Paul, Minnesota
Nickname(s)	NorthStar Guard
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief	Governor Mark Dayton
The Adjutant General	Maj. Gen. Richard C. Nash

The Minnesota National Guard is composed of more than 13,000 Soldiers and Airmen, serving in 61 communities across the state. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. 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.

When National Guard troops are called to federal service, the President serves as Commander-in-Chief. The federal mission assigned to the National Guard is: "To provide properly trained and equipped units for prompt mobilization for war, National emergency or as otherwise needed."

The Governor may call individuals or units of the Minnesota National Guard into state service during emergencies or to assist in special situations which lend themselves to use of the National Guard. The state mission assigned to the National Guard is: "To provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law."

Minnesota National Guard Joint Force Headquarters The Minnesota National Guard has units in sixty-two communities statewide. The Minnesota National Guard Joint Force Headquarters is located in the St. Paul Capitol complex.

The Rosemount-based 34th Infantry Division oversees the training and operations of eight National Guard brigades in six different states. Known as the Red Bulls, the 34th Infantry Division is capable of deploying its Main Command Post, Tactical Command Post and Special Troops Battalion in order to provide command and control for Army brigades.
The 34th Infantry Division fought in World War II and continued the legacy when the division assumed control of U.S. Division – South, Iraq, in May 2009.

The Red Bulls provided command and control of military forces in the southern third of Iraq. The area, known as US Division-South, is geographically about the size of Minnesota and is the largest sector in Iraq. Headquartered at Contingency Operating Base Basra, more than 1,200 Minnesota Citizen-Soldiers led a force of approximately 14,000 U.S. Service members throughout nine of Iraq’s 18 provinces.

the Bloomington-based 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division consists of eight major subordinate commands. More than 5,000 Soldiers make up the brigade's combined arms, cavalry, artillery, engineer and brigade support battalions.

The St. Paul-based 34th Combat Aviation Brigade is an Army National Guard unit that supports the 34th Infantry Division and the state of Minnesota by providing aviation capabilities - both UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters and the C-12 Huron fixed-wing aircraft - for federal and state missions.
The Minnesota-based subordinate units of the 34th CAB are the 2nd Battalion, 147th Assault Helicopter Battalion, the 834th Aviation Support Battalion, C Company, 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, B Company and C Company of the 2nd Battalion, 211th General Support Aviation Battalion, and F Company, 1-189 Aviation Regt., General Support Aviation Battalion.
Outside Minnesota, the 34th CAB provides training and operational guidance to the 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment of the N.D., the 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation of the Montana and Missouri National Guard and the 1st Battalion, 183rd Aviation Regiment of the Idaho National Guard.