The National Guard

The National Guard has a unique dual role among the armed forces of the United States. One of its missions is to operate as a federal force, ready to serve the nation in times of war or national emergency. It is also, however, a state force under the command of the governor, ready to serve the local community in times of domestic emergency or disaster.

To provide quick and efficient service at the state level, every one of the 50 states and four territories of the United States has its own National Guard. Within each state, the National Guard is further divided in to a unit of the Air National Guard and the Army National Guard. It is the job of the National Guard Bureau to keep these 100-plus units in contact with each other. The Bureau also ensures unit regularity by designing the programs for personnel training and equipment maintenance that are carried out at the state level. When the National Guard responds as a whole to a national emergency, it is the job of the Bureau to coordinate the response. The Regular Air Force and Army also rely on the Bureau to keep in contact with their respective Guard units.

Currently, the Air and Army National Guard serve as important reserve forces for the regular Air Force and Army. In World War I the National Guard made up 40 percent of the U.S. combat divisions in France, and in World War II National Guard units were among the first to deploy overseas. All of the National Guard's international missions, in cooperation with the Regular Air Force or Army, support overall U.S. national security and military strategies. National Guard initiatives include: helping to foster democracy, encouraging market economies, promoting regional cooperation and stability, and providing opportunities for cross-cultural interaction with U.S. citizens. Air National Guard units have total responsibility for air defense of the entire United States.

The National Guard also has several state- and community-based programs that advance Guard causes on the home front. Guard programs are involved in improving the natural environment, safeguarding states from illegal drug trafficking, educating youth, and connecting with the families and employers of Guard members. In peacetime as well as war, the Guard is active.

The majority of positions within the National Guard are part-time, with a service requirement of one weekend a month and two weeks of training a year. Members maintain a full-time civilian life and gain all the benefits of a career in the military: an excellent benefits package, money for college, career skills, and a regular paycheck. National Guardsmen serve their community and the people closest to them. All that is required is that they be ready for action if they're needed.