Pennsylvania National Guard

Pennsylvania National Guard
Active As militia: 1747-1870
As reserve:1870-present
Country United States
Branch United States Army
United States Air Force
Role State Militia
Reserve force
Size Full Time: 3,500
Part Time: 15,500
Garrison/HQ Fort Indiantown Gap
Motto "Civilian in peace. Soldier in war."
Commanders
Current
commander		 Major General Wesley E. Craig

The Pennsylvania National Guard is composed of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. It is one of the largest National Guards in the nation. It has the largest Army National Guard of all the states and the fourth largest Air National Guard.[1] These forces are respective components of the United States Army and Air Force. The state air and ground national guard forces are governed through the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, headquartered at Fort Indiantown Gap.[1]

John Oppell Foering noted, "without question the Washington Grays (Philadelphia) have been the parent and pattern of the militia of the City and State, as well as the foundation upon which was erected the magnificent National Guard of Pennsylvania if not of the entire country."[2] The sculpture to the 1st Regiment Infantry National Guard of Philadelphia is positioned adjacent to John Wilson's sculpture Washington Grays Monument.

After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, eight Army and Air Guard units from Pennsylvania[3] were mobilized for duty during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Among ANG units involved were the 193rd Special Operations Wing, flying C-130s modified to transmit radio and television signals, and the 171st Air Refueling Wing. Seemingly the four Army units were scheduled to all return home by May 1991.[4] Every member returned home safely.

Following the end of the Cold War, National Guard State Partnership Programs were established across Europe. In 1993, the Pennsylvania – Lithuania National Guard Partnership was initiated.

Quarterly Magazine

Pennsylvania National Guard Quarterly Magazine - Guardians

Leadership

The command element of the Pennsylvania National Guard is the Joint Staff.[5]

Commander-in-Chief: Governor Tom Wolf

The Adjutant General: - Major General Wesley E. Craig, Jr.

Deputy Adjutant General - Army: Major General Randall R. Marchi

Deputy Adjutant General - Air: Brigadier General Anthony J. Carrelli

See also

"PNG" inscribed at the Hamburg Armory

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "About the Pennsylvania National Guard". Pennsylvania DMVA. 2008. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
  2. ↑ John Oppell Foering. "Register of the members of the "Artillery corps, Washington grays" of the city of Philadelphia who served in the war of the rebellion 1861-1865". 1912. p. ix
  3. ↑ Historical Highlights of the Pennsylvania National Guard, accessed January 2014.
  4. ↑ Ron Devlin, State Guard Units Scheduled to Return Home by May, The Morning Call, April 21, 1991.
  5. ↑ "PA Army National Guard". Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-17.

External links