Alabama National Guard

Alabama National Guard
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Active	1807 - Present
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	State (32 U.S.C.) Federal (10 U.S.C.)
Branch	United States Army and United States Air Force
Role	State Militia/Reserve force
Part of	National Guard Bureau Alabama Military Department
Garrison/HQ	JFHQ-AL, Montgomery, Alabama
Motto	"Always Ready, Always There"
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief	Governor Robert Bentley
The Adjutant General	MG Perry Smith

The Alabama National Guard is the National Guard of the U.S State of Alabama, and consists of the Alabama Army National Guard and the Alabama Air National Guard. (The Alabama State Defense Force is the third military unit of the Alabama Military Department, part of the Government of Alabama.) 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. 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 Alabama 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."

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 and United States Air Force, even when under state command. The same respective ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. All Alabama National Guard soldiers are also eligible for a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the State of Alabama.

The Alabama National Guard has a State Partnership Program relationship with Romania.

See also

• State Defense Forces
• Militia
• Combat Aviation Brigade, 36th Infantry Division—approx. 300 Alabama ARNG soldiers deployed to Iraq with the CAB in September 2006.
• Transformation of the Army National Guard
• 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

External links

• Alabama National Guard, accessed 20 Nov 2006
• GlobalSecurity.org Alabama Army National Guard, accessed 20 Nov 2006
• Alabama National Guard article, Encyclopedia of Alabama
• Bibliography of Alabama Army National Guard History compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History