Connecticut Army National Guard

Headquarters, State Area Command Connecticut Army National Guard
Active	1903
Country	United States
Allegiance	Connecticut
Branch	Army National Guard
Type	ARNG Headquarters Command
Part of	Connecticut National Guard

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

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

The Connecticut Army National Guard is composed of approximately 5,000 [1] soldiers. It maintains facilities in 22 communities. These facilities include 22 armories, eight maintenance shops, four aviation facilities, four training site facilities and two horse guard facilities. (as of 1999)

Units

• 85th Troop Command
• 143rd Area Support Group
• 14th Civil Support Team (WMD)
• 248th Engineering Company
• 143rd MP Co
• 643rd MP Co
• 141st Medical Company
• 142nd Medical Company
• 143rd CSSB (formerly FSB)
• 1109th Aviation Depot (AVCRAD)
• 169th Regiment (Leadership)
• 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry (86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States))
• 192nd Military Police Battalion

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).

History

The Connecticut Army National Guard was originally formed in 1672. During the War of 1812, the Federalist state government refused to place the state militia under control of the Democratic-Republican national government, which resulted in friction, especially following British attacks on New London and Stonington. The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various state militias into the present National Guard system.

The 102nd Infantry Regiment fought with the 26th Infantry Division in World War I and then served with the 43rd Infantry Division from 1924 to 1951-52, including World War II and a deployment to West Germany during the Korean War.^[1]

Connecticut's 1st & 2nd Cos. Governor's Foot Guard and 1st & 2nd Cos. Governor's Horse Guard are such independent, non-National Guard military forces. While all four companies are primarily ceremonial, the horse companies do drill in mounted search and rescue.

Historic Units

• 102nd Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 169th Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 192nd Field Artillery Regiment (United States)

See also

• Coats of arms of U.S. Armor and Cavalry Regiments
• Coats of arms of U.S. Artillery Regiments
• Coats of arms of U.S. Infantry Regiments
• Coats of arms of U.S. Air Defense Artillery Regiments

References

Military of the United States portal

1. ^ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/1-102in.htm

External links

• Bibliography of Connecticut Army National Guard History compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History
• Connecticut National Guard, accessed 11 Feb 2010
• GlobalSecurity.org Connecticut Army National Guard, accessed 20 Nov 2006
• Martin, Thaddeus (2007). "Connecticut National Guard". http://www.ct.ngb.army.mil/. Retrieved 2007-02-28.