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U.S. National Guard

National Guard of the United States
Seal of the United States National Guard.svg
Active

English colonial government militias: from December 13, 1636

  • As "National Guard": from 1824 in New York, from 1903 nationwide
  • Dual state-federal reserve forces: from 1933
Country  United States of America
Allegiance Federal (10 U.S.C. § E)
State/Territory (32 U.S.C.)
Branch  United States Army
 United States Air Force
Role State militia, reserve forces
Size 348,000
Part of Seal of the National Guard Bureau (US).svg National Guard Bureau
Garrison/HQ All 50 U.S. states, as well as organized U.S. territories, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia
Nickname(s) "Air Guard"
"Army Guard"
Motto(s) "Always Ready, Always There!"
Commanders
Chief of the National Guard General Joseph L. Lengyel, USAF
Insignia
Seal of the Army National Guard Seal of the United States Army National Guard.svg
Seal of the Air National Guard Air national guard shield.svg

English colonial government militias: from December 13, 1636

The National Guard of the United States, part of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, is a reserve military force, composed of National Guard military members or units of each state and the territories of Guam, of the Virgin Islands, and of Puerto Rico, as well as of the District of Columbia, for a total of 54 separate organizations. All members of the National Guard of the United States are also members of the militia of the United States as defined by 10 U.S.C. § 311. National Guard units are under the dual control of the state and the federal government.

The majority of National Guard soldiers and airmen hold a civilian job full-time while serving part-time as a National Guard member. 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 of the United States and the Air National Guard of the United States respectively.


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Wikipedia

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