Air National Guard
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Air National Guard
The Air National Guard (ANG) was established as a separate reserve component of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) by the National Security Act of 1947. The Guard's involvement in aviation began before World War I, when a few states established small but poorly funded flying programs. In 1915, the first viable National Guard aviation unit—the First Aero Company of New York—was organized, and a year later it was mobilized during the border crisis with Mexico. All‐Guard aviation units were disbanded by the War Department in 1917. Instead, Guardsmen played important leadership and combat aviation roles as individual volunteers in the U.S. Army Air Service.
After World War I, despite War Department opposition, Guard aviation was placed on a permanent footing. The army organized twenty‐nine Guard observation squadrons during the interwar period. Those units, with 4,800 experienced personnel, were mobilized in 1940–41. Although many remained intact, they lost the majority of their personnel to other units of the Army Air Forces (AAF) during World War II, when Guard aviators served in every operational theater.
A reluctant AAF was compelled by political pressure from National Guard interests to develop a dual‐component postwar reserve system consisting of the ANG, a force with federal and state roles, and the Air Force Reserve (AFRES), an organization with a strictly federal role. At first, the ANG was little more than a poorly trained and equipped flying club.
The Korean War (1950–53) proved a turning point for the ANG. Some 45,000 Air Guard personnel, 80 percent of the force, were called into federal service, but they were unprepared for combat. Eventually, ANG units and individual Guardsmen contributed substantially in the air war in Korea and the USAF's global buildup. Mobilization problems and political controversy forced the USAF to revamp its reserve programs. In 1951, the USAF included the ANG in its war plans. Two years later, ANG units began augmenting the nation's air defense runway alert forces. That program integrated training and operational support of the USAF by the ANG on a daily basis. The innovation served as a precursor for the Total Force policy implemented in 1973 by the Department of Defense.
ANG units gradually improved their readiness after the Korean War and were integrated into a widening circle of planning activities, exercises, and operational missions. The ANG became a mixed force of fighters, airlifters, tankers, and support units.
Mobilization performance continued to improve in the Berlin crisis (1961) and the USS Pueblo and Tet Offensive crises (1968). From 1967 to 1977, ANG volunteers operated a tanker task force in Europe on a continuous basis, foreshadowing the extensive use of reserve forces abroad in a nonmobilized status. During the 1970s, significant numbers of women and minorities began to enter the ANG, and with the draft's end in 1973, it became an All‐Volunteer Force. The ANG evolved into a well‐equipped force capable of rapid global deployment. During the Persian Gulf crisis (1990–91), over 12,000 Air Guard members performed ably. Since then, the ANG has assumed a growing share of the USAF's missions.
[See also Militia and National Guard.]
Bibliography
- Charles J. Gross, The Air National Guard and the Persian Gulf Crisis: From Shield to Storm, 1995.
- Charles J. Gross, Militiaman, Volunteer, and Professional; The Air National Guard and the American Military Tradition, 1996
Oxford Dictionary of the US Military:
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Air National Guard
ANG
A separate reserve component of the U.S. Air Force, its mission is to provide ready units at the national level (to support national security objectives), state level (to protect life and property; to preserve peace, order, and the public safety), and at the community level (to participate in local, state, and national programs).
See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
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Air National Guard
| Air National Guard | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the United States Air National Guard |
|
| Active | 1906– 1947 – present (as part of USAF) |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Size | 106,678 active personnel |
| Part of | Department of Defense United States Department of the Air Force |
| Headquarters | The Pentagon |
| Engagements | Cold War *Korean War *Vietnam War *Grenada War First Persian Gulf War Kosovo War War on Terror *Afghan War *Second Persian Gulf War |
| Commanders | |
| Director, Air National Guard | Lt Gen Harry M. Wyatt III |
| Chief, National Guard Bureau | Gen Craig R. McKinley |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | A-10 |
| Bomber | B-2 |
| Electronic warfare |
E-8, EC-130 |
| Fighter | F-22, F-15C, F-16 |
| Helicopter | HH-60 |
| Reconnaissance | MQ-1 |
| Transport | C-17, C-5, C-130, HC-130, LC-130, C-21, C-38, KC-135 |
The Air National Guard (ANG), often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Air National Guard is part of the state National Guard and is divided up into units stationed in each of the 50 states and U.S. territories and operates under their respective state governor or territorial government.[1] The Air National Guard may be called up for active duty by the state governors or territorial commanding generals to help respond to domestic emergencies and disasters, such as those caused by hurricanes, floods, fires, and earthquakes.[1]
With the consent of state governors, members or units of the Air National Guard may be appointed, temporarily or indefinitely, to be federally recognized members of the armed forces, in the active or inactive service of the United States.[2][3] If federally recognized, the member or unit becomes part of the Air National Guard of the United States,[4][5][6] which is one of two reserve components of the United States Air Force,[4] and part of the National Guard of the United States.[4] Air National Guard of the United States units or members may be called up for federal active duty in times of Congressionally sanctioned war or national emergency.[1] The President may also call up members and units of state Air National Guard, with the consent of state governors, to repel invasion, suppress rebellion, or execute federal laws if the United States or any of its states or territories are invaded or is in danger of invasion by a foreign nation, or if there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the federal government, or if the President is unable to execute the laws of the United States with the regular armed forces.[7] Because both state Air National Guard and the Air National Guard of the United States relatively go hand-in-hand, they are both usually referred to as just Air National Guard.
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Contents
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History
The oldest ANG unit is the 102nd Rescue Squadron, New York Air National Guard. The unit was federalized for service in 1916. It was a component of the Army National Guard at the time, and has the distinction of flying balloons as early as 1908. The 102nd was commanded by Capt Raynal C. Bolling, who was killed in France during World War I. The 102nd was also highlighted in the national best selling book, The Perfect Storm, written by Sebastian Junger, as well as the film by the same title which was based on the book.
Although the ANG was not established until the creation of the USAF on 18 September 1947, throughout the twentieth century National Guard aviators have played significant roles in all wars involving the United States and in most of its major contingencies. ANG units served on active duty during the Korean War, and ANG F-100 squadrons from Colorado, New York, Iowa, and New Mexico served at Phan Rang AB, Vietnam, for eleven months of 1968–1969, flying over 24,000 combat sorties. In recent operations, entire units and individuals have also been activated.
The ANG is often described as a "reserve" force of "part-time airmen," although the demands of maintaining modern aircraft mean that many ANG members work full-time, either as full time Military Technicians or Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) personnel. Even traditional part-time air guardsmen, especially pilots, navigators/combat systems officers, air battle managers and enlisted aircrew, often serve 100 or more man-days annually. As such, the concept of Air National Guard service as representing only "one weekend a month and two weeks a year" is not necessarily valid.[citation needed]
Many ANG pilots work for commercial airlines, but in the ANG they may train to fly any of the aircraft in the USAF inventory, with the current exception of the B-1B Lancer bomber and the AC-130 Gunship. The Georgia Air National Guard and the Kansas Air National Guard previously flew the B-1B Lancer prior to converting to the E-8 Joint STARS and KC-135R Stratotanker, respectively. In addition, the 131st Fighter Wing of the Missouri Air National Guard recently transitioned from flying the F-15C/D Eagle at St. Louis International Airport/Lambert Field Air National Guard Station to the B-2 Spirit. As the redesignated 131st Bomb Wing, the 131st will become an "Associate" bomb wing to the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri.
In the years following the 1991 Gulf War, ANG pilots patrolled Iraq's no-fly zones. During the 9/11 terrorist attacks the first unit to provide air cover was the Happy Hooligans, a North Dakota ANG F-16 unit diverted from flight training while deployed to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. Another ANG F-16 unit from Vermont, the Green Mountain Boys of the 158th Fighter Wing, later patrolled the skies over New York City.
The first fighter unit over New York after the attacks began was the 102nd Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, its F-15s being stationed at Otis Air National Guard Base in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. On 22 May 2002 a Joint Resolution was passed by the Congress of the United States recognizing the members of the 102 FW for their actions on 11 September 2001. The resolution in part states: "Whereas on the morning of 11 September 2001, the 102nd Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard became the Nation's first airborne responder to the terrorist attacks of that day when it scrambled two F-15 fighter aircraft just six minutes after being informed of the terrorist hijackings of commercial airliners".[8]
The United States Air National Guard has about 110,000 men and women in service.
Air National Guard Units
States
Federal District and Territories
List of Air National Guard Leaders
This is a list of the senior leaders or Generals of the Air National Guard. The title has changes over time: The Assistant Chief, National Guard Bureau for Air,; Chief, Air Force Division, National Guard Bureau; Director Air National Guard.[9][10]
| Number | Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | COL William A. R. Robertson | 28 November 1945 | October 1948 |
| 2 | MG Georg G. Finch | October 1948 | 25 September 1950 |
| 3 | MG Earl T. Ricks | 13 October 1950 | 4 January 1954 |
| 4 | MG Winston P. Wilson | 26 January 1954 | 5 August 1962 |
| 5 | MG I. G. Brown | 6 August 1962 | 19 April 1974 |
| 6 | MG John J. Pesch | 20 April 1974 | 31 January 1977 |
| 7 | MG John T. Guice | 1 February 1977 | 1 April 1981 |
| 8 | MG John B. Conaway | 1 April 1981 | 1 November 1988 |
| 9 | MG Philip G. Killey | 1 November 1988 | 28 January 1994 |
| 10 | MG Donald W. Shepperd | 28 January 1994 | 28 January 1998 |
| 11 | MG Paul A. Weaver Jr. | 28 January 1998 | 3 December 2001 |
| (Acting) | BG David A. Brubaker | 3 December 2001 | 3 June 2002 |
| 12 | Lt Gen Daniel James III | 3 June 2002 | 20 May 2006 |
| 13 | Lt Gen Craig R. McKinley | 20 May 2006 | 17 November 2008 |
| (Acting) | MG Emmett R. Titshaw Jr. | 17 November 2008 | 2 February 2009 |
| 14 | Lt Gen Harry M. Wyatt III | 2 February 2009 | Present |
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c [1] Military Reserves Federal Call Up Authority
- ^ [2] 10 USC 12212. Officers: Air National Guard of the United States
- ^ [3] 10 USC 12107. Army National Guard of United States; Air National Guard of the United States: enlistment in
- ^ a b c [4] 32 USC 101. Definitions (NATIONAL GUARD)
- ^ [5] 10 USC 12401. Army and Air National Guard of the United States: status
- ^ [6] 10 USC 10111. Air National Guard of the United States: composition
- ^ [7] 10 USC 12406. National Guard in Federal service: call
- ^ Michael E. Capuano (2002). "Introducing a Joint Resolution Honoring the 102nd Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard". Congressional Record (Government Printing Office) 148: E901-E902. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2002_record&page=E901&position=all.
- ^ Major General Winston P. Wilson Bio, http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioid=7623, retrieved 24 Dwc 2011
- ^ "Active Major Command and ANG Leaders", Air Force Magazine (Air Force Association): 106, May 2011, http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Magazine%20Documents/2011/May%202011/0511leaders.pdf, retrieved 20 December 2011
External links
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Oxford Companion to US Military History
The Oxford Companion to American Military History. Copyright © 2000 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Oxford Dictionary of the US Military
The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. Copyright © 2001, 2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
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