Arkansas Army National Guard

Arkansas Army National Guard

Arkansas STARC Shoulder Sleeve insignia
Active 1804–present
Country United States
Allegiance Arkansas
Branch Army National Guard
Type ARNG Headquarters Command
Part of Arkansas National Guard
Garrison/HQ Camp Joseph T. Robinson North Little Rock, Arkansas
Motto "Arkansas First!"
Commanders
Civilian leadership President Barack Obama
(Commander-in-Chief)
John M. McHugh
(Secretary of the Army)
Governor Asa Hutchinson
(Governor of the State of Arkansas)
State military leadership Major General Mark H. Berry (ANG)
(Adjutant General of Arkansas)
This article is part of a series on the
Arkansas National Guard
Arkansas National Guard
Arkansas Army National Guard
Arkansas Territorial Militia, (1804–1836)
Arkansas Militia, 1836–1879
Arkansas State Guard, 1879–1907
Arkansas State Guard and the Spanish-American War
Arkansas National Guard 1907–1949
Arkansas Air National Guard (1946–Present)
Arkansas Army National Guard (1949–Present)
See also
Arkansas portal

The Arkansas Army National Guard is a component of the Arkansas National Guard and the United States National Guard. 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.

Arkansas Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ran ks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Arkansas National Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Arkansas.

The Arkansas Army National Guard is composed of approximately 8,000 soldiers, and maintains 77 armories in 77 communities. The Arkansas Army National Guard also operates two major training facilities, Chaffee Maneuver Training Center (formerly Fort Chaffee), located near Fort Smith, Arkansas and Robinson Maneuver Training Center (formerly Camp Joseph T. Robinson) located in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Current units

Dual missions, state and federal

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.

Federal mission

For much of the final decades of the 20th 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 six years of service. More specifically, current Department of Defense policy is that individual Guardsman will be given 24 months between deployments of no more than 12 months each.

State mission

When not activated for its Federal mission, the governor through the State Adjutant General commands Guard forces. The governor can call the Guard into action during local or statewide emergencies, such as storms, drought, and civil disturbances, to name a few.[2]

History

The Arkansas National Guard traces its roots to the creation of the Territorial Militia in 1804. Interest in the Militia in Arkansas generally waxed and waned throughout the 19th century as various national emergencies arose and passed. Organizations existed at the county and city level, but regimental designations above the company level did not become stable until the closing years of the 19th century. During much of this time local militia companies were supported by private funds. Arkansas provided troops for the War with Mexico, the American Civil War, and the Spanish–American War during the 19th century. In each case, in answer to the governor's call, local militia companies would turn out and be formed into regiments or battalions for induction into federal service. The militia was also heavily engaged in the violence that characterized the Reconstruction period following the Civil War.

Following the Spanish–American War, the Federal Government slowly began to provide increasing funding and direction to the state militias with the organization formally changing its name from the Arkansas State Guard to the Arkansas National Guard following the passage of the National Defense act of 1903. Arkansas National Guard troops participated in the Mexican Expedition in 1916–1917 and returned home briefly before being mobilized again for World War I. When the Arkansas National Guard units were mustered into Federal Service for World War I, their state designations were removed and they were renumbered in accordance with a national System. These new Regimental numbers are still represented today in the Arkansas Army National Guard by the 153rd Infantry Regiment, formerly the 1st Arkansas Infantry, and the 142nd Field Artillery Regiment, formerly the 2nd Arkansas Infantry.

The Arkansas National Guard experience a massive expansion between World War I and World War II, with the first permanent armories being built and troops now directed to drill four times per month and to participate in a two week encampment in the summers. Arkansas provided many units for World War II. The 142nd Field Artillery, now redesignated as the 936 and 937th Field Artillery Battalions participated in the European Campaigns, while the 206th Coast Artillery and the 153rd Infantry served in the Aleutian Islands.

In 1947, as a result of the creation of the United States Air Force as a separate branch from the United States Army, the Arkansas National Guard was split into the Arkansas Army National Guard and the Arkansas Air National Guard. Both organizations work for the Adjutant General of Arkansas. The Adjutant General may be either a member of the Air National Guard or the Army National Guard.

The 936th and 937th Field Artillery Battalions, along with several other Arkansas Army and Air National Guard units were mobilized again for service in the Korean War. Throughout the Cold War Arkansas National Guard units underwent multiple re-organizations in response to the nation's Cold War strategy. No Arkansas National Guard Troops participated in the Vietnam War, but the state was called upon again to support Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

The years following the first Persian Gulf War saw a dramatic increase in the use of National Guard units for service overseas to support various peace-keeping operations. During the 1980s Arkansas Nation Guard units made multiple training rotations to Honduras during a period of increased Marxist activity. In the 1990s, Arkansas National Guard troops began participating in peace-keeping operations in Bosnia and assisted in the enforcement of a no-fly zone in Iraq by participating in Operation Southern Watch.

Following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, the National Guard transitioned from the nation's strategic reserve to a part of the operational force. In the immediate crisis following the attacks, National Guard troops were deployed to provide security at airports, nuclear plants, and other critical infrastructure in the state and around the nation, as part of Operation Noble Eagle. Arkansas troops participated in operations to support peace-keeping operations in the Sinai and Kosovo to free up regular Army troops for combat, but the state has also contributed multiple troops for the Global War on Terrorism. Every major unit in the Arkansas National Guard has now deployed at least once in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the state's 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team became the first National Guard brigade to deploy to Iraq for a second time when it deployed in 2008.

Throughout its service during times of war, the Arkansas National Guard has continued to perform its role of providing service to the citizens of the state during times of disaster. The Guard has responded to numerous tornadoes, floods and fires, in addition to being called upon to provide security and quell violence in times of civil disturbance. The Guard has also provided support to neighboring states, most notably Louisiana during Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike.

Arkansas National Guard Fallen Soldiers

War with Mexico

World War II

206th Coast Artillery Regiment

Killed in action listed on the Battery C, 206th CA monument in Jonesboro, Arkansas

This monument includes the names of several former 206th Coast Artillery members who were Killed in Action with other units after the breakup of the 206th Coast Artillery Regiment in 1944.[4]

Korea

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2004

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2005

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2006

Died of non-combat related injuries on 20 July 2006 in Baghdad, Iraq.

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2007

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2008

See also

References

  1. ↑ annual_report.indd. (PDF) . Retrieved on 14 August 2010.
  2. ↑ http://www.arng.army.mil/Pages/Default.aspx
  3. ↑ Goldstein, Donald; Dillon, Katherine (1992). Williwaw War: The Arkansas National Guard in the Aleutians in World War II. University of Arkansas Press. ISBN 978-1-55728-242-2.
  4. ↑ "Craighead, Arkansas County Court House". Arkansas Ties.com. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
  5. ↑ Arkansas Online, Fallen Soldiers, accessed 9 September 2010, http://m.arkansasonline.com/warcasualties/

External links

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