Georgia Army National Guard

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Headquarters, State Area Command
Georgia Army National Guard


caption= Georgia Army National Guard Shoulder Sleeve insignia
dates=
country= United States
allegiance= Georgia
branch= Army National Guard
type= ARNG Headquarters Command
role=
size= 9000+
command_structure=Georgia National Guard
current_commander=
garrison=Ellenwood, Georgia
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=Orange, Metallic Gold, Sea Foam
march=
mascot=
battles= Battle of the Guards
current_commander= BG Maria Britt
notable_commanders= John Shemy
anniversaries=

The Georgia National Guard consists of two components: the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. (The State Defense Force is the third military unit of the Georgia Department of Defense.) The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The state 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 by the President under either Title 10 or Title 32 status.

The Georgia Army National Guard is composed of more than 10,000 soldiers. 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 Georgia 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." When activated under Title 10, the Georgia Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and is absorbed into the National Guard of the United States. 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. When activated under Title 32, the Georgia Army National Guard remain under state command as it fulfills a federally assigned mission.

As authorized under the Constitution, Congress has the power to regulate National Guard units; hence they are trained and equipped as a part of the United States Army, even when under state command. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. All Georgia National Guard soldiers are also eligible for a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Georgia.

Units

*48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team consisting of:
**1st Battalion, 121st Infantry
**2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry
**1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry (RSTA)
**1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery
**148th Brigade Support Battalion
**48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion
*116th Army Band
*118th PSD
*185th Aviation Regiment (part of the unit was activated in July 2006 for training; in November 2006 that unit was deployed to Kosovo as a part of Task Force Eagle)
*560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
**3rd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
***Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3-108th CAV
***A Troop, 3-108th CAV
***B Troop, 3-108th CAV
***H Company, 121st Infantry (Airborne) (Long-Range Surveillance)
***165th Quartermaster Company (-) (Airborne)
**221st Military Intelligence Battalion
***Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 221st MI BN
***A Company, 221st MI BN
***B Company, 221st MI BN
***C Company, 221st MI BN
*170th Military Police Battalion - conisisting of
**190th Military Police Company in Kennesaw, GA
**178th Military Police Company in Monroe, GA
**179th Military Police Company in Savannah, GA.
**278th Military Police Company in Augusta, GA (Fort Gordon).The 170th Military Police Battalion was re-activated in mid-2006 due to the Army's increasing mission demands for military police units.
*82nd Maintenance Company
*124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment - returned from Iraq (October 2006) [http://www.dod.state.ga.us/armyguard/arngpages/124thcomeshome.html]
*878th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) - returned from Iraq (June 2004) The 878th mobilized and began training in March 2003 and performed several Transportation Engineering and Base Engineering Mission during OIF & OEF. [http://www.78thtroop.com/878thEN/ 878th Homepage]
*Joint Task Force 781st CERFP - comprises the 877th Engineer Company, the 248th Medical Company, the 138th Chemical Company, the Georgia Air National Guard's 116th Medical Group, the 202nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal, and the 4th Civil Support Team.

Duties

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.

Active duty callups

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 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). The Georgia Army National Guard is composed of 8000 soldiers.

History

The Georgia Army National Guard was originally formed in 1751. The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various state militias into the present National Guard system. After World War II, the 48th Infantry Division was organized in the state, but in 1954-55 reorganised as the 48th Armored Division.

Georgia also maintains its own military force, the Georgia State Defense Force. This force is federally recognized, but is separate from the National Guard and reports to the Governor of Georgia as Commander-in-Chief. The GSDF services the state exclusively, especially when the National Guard is deployed and unavailable.

See History of the United States National Guard for a more complete history of the guard at a national level.

ee also

*State Defense Forces
*Militia
*Home Guard
*United States National Guard
*Georgia State Defense Force

References

* [http://www.dod.state.ga.us/pages/georgiaarmyguard.html Georgia Army National Guard] , accessed 20 November 2006
* [http://www.gasdf.com/ Georgia State Defense Force webpage] , accessed 20 November 2006
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/arng-ga.htm GlobalSecurity.org Georgia Army National Guard] , accessed 20 November 2006

External links

* [http://www.ngb.army.mil/ The National Guard Bureau]
* [http://www.ngb.army.mil/gallery/heritage/index.asp/ The National Guard Bureau Heritage Collection]
* [http://www.1800goguard.com/ The Army National Guard Recruiting Site]
* [http://www.citizentosoldier.com/ Information about joining the guard]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/arng.htm GlobalSecurity.org Army National Guard page]