In the United States military, a general is the most senior general -grade officer; it is the highest achievable commissioned officer rank (or echelon) that may be attained in the United States Armed Forces , with exception of the Navy and Coast Guard , which have the equivalent rank of admiral instead. The official and formal insignia of "general" is defined by its four stars (commonly silver and in a row).
59-739: The chief of the National Guard Bureau ( CNGB ) is the highest-ranking officer of the National Guard and the head of the National Guard Bureau . The position is a statutory office ( 10 U.S.C. § 10502 ), held by a federally recognized commissioned officer who has served at least 10 years of federally recognized active duty in the National Guard; the Army National Guard or
118-863: A state of emergency by the governor of the state or territory where they serve, or in the case of Washington, D.C., by the Commanding General. Unlike U.S. Army Reserve members, National Guard members cannot be mobilized individually, except through voluntary transfers and Temporary Duty Assignments (TDY). The types of activation are as follows: law enforcement; others as determined by governor civil support; law enforcement; counter drug; WMD response; expeditionary missions; civil support and law enforcement Oklahoma City bombing ; Kansas tornadoes ; California wildfires ; various hurricanes post- 9/11 airport security; SLC Olympics ; Hurricane Katrina Cuba; Iraq; 1992 Los Angeles riots The term "activated" simply means that
177-537: A federally-funded mission under Title 32 ("National Guard"). Outside federal activation, the Army and Air National Guard may be activated under state law. This is known as state active duty (SAD). When National Guard units are not under federal control, the governor is the commander-in-chief of the units of his or her respective state or territory (such as Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands). The President of
236-473: A nominee deemed to serve national interests. The nominee must be confirmed by the United States Senate before the appointee can take office and assume the rank. General ranks may also be given by act of Congress but this is extremely rare. The standard tour for most general/flag officers is a two-year term with the possibility of being renominated for an additional term(s). Note: Chairman of
295-476: A three-star lieutenant general and below the special wartime five-star ranks of General of the Army or General of the Air Force . The Marine Corps and Space Force do not have an established grade above general. The pay grade of general is O-10. It is equivalent to the rank of admiral in the other United States uniformed services which use naval ranks . It is abbreviated as GEN in the Army and Gen in
354-567: A unit or individual of the reserve components has been placed on orders. The purpose and authority for that activation determine limitations and duration of the activation. The Army and Air National Guard may be activated in a number of ways as prescribed by public law. Broadly, under federal law, there are two titles in the United States Code under which units and troops may be activated: as federal soldiers or airmen under Title 10 ("Armed Forces") and as state soldiers or airmen performing
413-800: Is either an Army or an Air Force four-star general officer , and is the senior uniformed National Guard officer, and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity, he serves as a military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and is the Department of Defense's official channel of communication to the Governors and to State Adjutants General on all matters pertaining to
472-793: Is given the power to pass laws for "calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions." Congress is also empowered to come up with the guidelines "for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of
531-661: Is headed by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB), who is a four-star general in the Army or Air Force and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . The National Guard Bureau is headquartered in Arlington County, Virginia, and is a joint activity of the Department of Defense to conduct all the administrative matters pertaining to the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard . The chief
590-424: Is temporary; the active rank of general can only be held for so long- though upon retirement, if satisfactory service requirements are met, the general or admiral is normally allowed to hold that rank in retirement, rather than reverting to a lower position, as was formerly the usual case. Their active rank expires with the expiration of their term of office, which is usually set by statute. Generals are nominated for
649-597: Is the case in the National Guard, a state must meet specific requirements such as having a set percentage of its members in the federal reserves. 10 U.S.C. § 7851 . National Guard units can be mobilized for federal active duty to supplement regular armed forces during times of war or national emergency declared by Congress, the President or the Secretary of Defense . They can also be activated for service in their respective states upon declaration of
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#1732776003162708-589: The Air National Guard . In a separate capacity as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( 10 U.S.C. § 151 ), the chief is a military adviser to the National Security Council , the Homeland Security Council , the secretary of defense , and the president on matters pertaining to the National Guard. The chief is nominated for appointment by the president from any eligible National Guard officers holding
767-465: The Committee on the Militia , sponsored the 1903 Dick Act towards the end of the 57th U.S. Congress . Under this legislation, passed 21 January 1903, the organized militia of the states were given federal funding and required to conform to Regular Army organization within five years. The act also required National Guard units to attend twenty four drills and five days annual training a year, and, for
826-735: The French National Guard in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette . "National Guard" became a standard nationwide militia title in 1903, and has specifically indicated reserve forces under mixed state and federal control since 1933. On December 13, 1636, the first militia regiments in North America were organized in Massachusetts. Based upon an order of the Massachusetts Bay Colony's General Court ,
885-1115: The Guam Air National Guard . Both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard are expected to adhere to the same moral and physical standards as their "full-time" active duty and "part-time" reserve federal counterparts. The same ranks and insignia of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force are used by the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, respectively, and National Guard members are eligible to receive all United States military awards . The respective state National Guards also bestow state awards for services rendered both at home and abroad. Under Army and Air Force regulations, these awards may be worn while in state, but not federal, duty status. Regular Army and Army Reserve soldiers are also authorized to accept these awards, but are not authorized to wear them. Many states also maintain their own state defense forces . Although not federal entities like
944-719: The Militia Act of 1903 . They were now subject to an increasing amount of federal control, including having arms and accoutrements supplied by the central government, federal funding, and numerous closer ties to the Regular Army. Proposals for the establishment of a National Guard component for the United States Space Force has existed for years, even as early as 2018. A report by the Congressional Budget Office indicated that
1003-702: The National Defense Act of 1916 , which required the use of the term "National Guard" for the state militias and further regulated them. Congress also authorized the states to maintain Home Guards , which were reserve forces outside the National Guards deployed by the federal government. In 1933, with the passage of the National Guard Mobilization Act, Congress finalized the split between the National Guard and
1062-402: The Secretary of the Army . In 1956, Congress finally revised the law and authorized "State defense forces" permanently under Title 32, Section 109, of the United States Code. Although there are no Naval or Marine Corps components of the National Guard of the United States, there is a Naval Militia authorized under federal law. 10 U.S.C. § 8901 . Like the soldiers and airmen in
1121-462: The Americas from the 17th century onward. The first colony-wide militia was formed by Massachusetts in 1636 by merging small, older local units, and several National Guard units can be traced back to this militia. The various colonial militias became state militias when the United States became independent. The title "National Guard" was used in 1824 by some New York State militia units, named after
1180-689: The Army National Guard and Air Reserve Technicians (ART) in the Air National Guard. The National Guard is a joint activity of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) composed of reserve components of the United States Army and the United States Air Force : the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard , respectively. Colonial militias were formed during the British colonization of
1239-631: The Army and Air Force under the Department of Defense . The National Guard Bureau provides a communication channel for state National Guards to the DoD. The National Guard Bureau also provides policies and requirements for training and funds for state Army National Guard and state Air National Guard units, the allocation of federal funds to the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, and other administrative responsibilities prescribed under 10 U.S.C. § 10503 . The National Guard Bureau
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#17327760031621298-714: The Army the Chief of Staff and the Vice Chief of Staff are generals; for the Marine Corps, the Commandant and the Assistant Commandant are both generals; for the Air Force, the Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff are generals; and for the Space Force, the Chief of Space Operations , and the Vice Chief of Space Operations are generals. In addition, for the National Guard, the Chief of
1357-486: The Army's structure. The National Guard of the several states, territories, and the District of Columbia serves as part of the first line of defense for the United States. The state National Guard is organized into units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia, and operates under their respective state or territorial governor , except in the instance of Washington, D.C. , where
1416-480: The Constitution recognized the existing state militias, and gave them vital roles to fill: "to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasion." (Article I, Section 8, Clause 15). The Constitution distinguished "militias," which were state entities, from "Troops," which were unlawful for states to maintain without Congressional approval. (Article I, Section 10, Clause 3). Under current law,
1475-606: The Guard's federally assigned aircraft, vehicles and other equipment so long as the federal government is reimbursed for the use of fungible equipment and supplies such as fuel, food stocks, etc. This is the authority under which governors activate and deploy National Guard forces in response to natural disasters. It is also the authority under which governors deploy National Guard forces in response to human-made emergencies such as riots and civil unrest, or terrorist attacks. General (United States) The rank of general ranks above
1534-482: The JCS, Vice Chairman of the JCS and Service chiefs, to include the Chief of the National Guard Bureau are usually renominated for a second two-year term. Appointment of general/flag officers (3-star or above) is a temporary promotion lasting only for the duration of the job assignment. Upon retirement general/flag officers revert to their permanent two-star rank of Major General or Rear Admiral unless they are nominated by
1593-490: The Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force. Since the ranks of General of the Army and General of the Air Force are reserved for wartime use only, the rank of general is the highest general officer rank in peacetime. Formally, the term "General" is always used when referring to a four-star general. However, a number of different terms may refer to them informally, since lower-ranking generals may also be referred to as simply "General". The United States Code explicitly limits
1652-401: The National Guard Bureau is a general under active duty in the Army or Air Force. There are several exceptions to these limits allowing more than allotted within the statute: Finally, all statutory limits may be waived at the President's discretion during time of war or national emergency. Four-star grades go hand-in-hand with the positions of office to which they are linked, so the rank
1711-512: The National Guard as part of implementing the Militia Act of 1903 . From 1908 to 1911, Erasmus M. Weaver Jr. served as head of the Army's Militia Bureau, the first person to hold the position. The National Defense Act of 1920 included a provision that the chief of the Militia Bureau must be a National Guard officer. In 1921 Pennsylvania National Guard officer George C. Rickards became the first Guardsman to serve as Chief, and he held
1770-835: The National Guard of the United States, members of the Naval Militia are authorized federal appointments or enlistments at the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy . 10 U.S.C. § 7852 . To receive federal funding and equipment, a state naval militia must be composed of at least 95% of Navy, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps Reservists. As such, some states maintain such units. Some states also maintain naval components of their State Defense Force. Recently, Alaska , California, New Jersey , New York, South Carolina , Texas and Ohio have had or currently maintain naval militias . Other states have laws authorizing them but do not currently have them organized. To receive federal funding, as
1829-435: The National Guard of the United States, these forces are components of the state militias like the individual state National Guards. These forces were created by Congress in 1917 as a result of the state National Guards' being deployed and were known as Home Guards. In 1940, with the onset of World War II and as a result of its federalizing the National Guard, Congress amended the National Defense Act of 1916 , and authorized
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1888-407: The National Guard operates under the President of the United States or their designee. The governors exercise control through the state adjutants general . Governors may call up the National Guard for active duty to help respond to domestic emergencies and disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. The National Guard is administered by the National Guard Bureau , a joint activity of
1947-553: The National Guard. He is responsible for ensuring that the more than half a million Army and Air National Guard personnel are accessible, capable, and ready to protect the homeland and to provide combat resources to the Army and the Air Force. He is appointed by the President in his capacity as Commander in Chief . The respective state National Guards are authorized by the Constitution of the United States . As originally drafted,
2006-516: The Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress" (clause 16). The President of the United States is the commander-in-chief of the state militias "when called into the actual Service of the United States." (Article II, Section 2). The traditional state militias were redefined and recreated as the "organized militia"—the National Guard, via
2065-544: The President to retire at a higher rank (which has become the normal practice in recent years.) Extensions of the standard tour length can be approved, within statutory limits but these are rare, as they block other officers from being promoted. Some statutory limits can be waived in times of national emergency or war. Other than voluntary retirement, statute sets a number of mandates for retirement. A general must retire after 40 years of service unless they are reappointed to serve longer. Otherwise all general officers must retire
2124-492: The Senate. The chief serves a four-year term of office at the pleasure of the President. By statute, the Chief is appointed as a four-star general in the Army or Air Force, serving as a reserve officer on active duty. The current Chief of the National Guard Bureau is General Steven Nordhaus , who assumed command on 2 October 2024. In 1908, the United States Army created the Militia Bureau to oversee training and readiness for
2183-479: The United States commands the District of Columbia National Guard, though this command is routinely delegated to the Commanding General of the DC National Guard. States are free to employ their National Guard forces under state control for state purposes and at state expense as provided in the state's constitution and statutes. In doing so, governors, as commanders-in-chief, can directly access and utilize
2242-537: The United States maintained only a minimal army and relied on state militias, directly related to the earlier Colonial militias to supply the majority of its troops. As a result of the Spanish–American War , Congress was called upon to reform and regulate state militias' training and qualification. U.S. Senator Charles W. F. Dick , a Major General in the Ohio National Guard and the chair of
2301-431: The appointment by the President from any eligible officers holding the rank of brigadier general or above who meet the requirements for the position, with the advice of the Secretary of Defense , service secretary ( Secretary of the Army , Secretary of the Navy , or Secretary of the Air Force ), and if applicable the Joint Chiefs of Staff . For some positions, statute allows the President to waive those requirements for
2360-501: The colony's militia was organized into three permanent regiments to better defend the colony. Today, the descendants of these first regiments - the 181st Infantry , the 182nd Infantry , the 101st Field Artillery , and the 101st Engineer Battalion of the Massachusetts Army National Guard – share the distinction of being the oldest units in the U.S. military. December 13, 1636, thus marks the beginning of
2419-400: The cost of the creation of a larger Space National Guard, which would be ~33% of the Space Force, calculating that the annual operating cost would be $ 385 million to $ 490 million per year. However, several states already have existing National Guard space operations, including Alaska , California , Colorado , Florida , New York , Arkansas , and Ohio ; there is also a space component in
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2478-440: The creation of a Space National Guard, as proposed by the National Guard Bureau, would cost an additional $ 100 million per year in operations and support costs, with a onetime cost of $ 20 million in the construction of new facilities. This report directly contradicted the statement by the National Guard Bureau that a Space National Guard would only have a onetime cost at creation, and then be cost-neutral. The report also analyzed
2537-401: The dual control of state governments and the federal government. The majority of National Guard soldiers and airmen hold a civilian job full-time while serving part-time as a National Guard member. These part-time guardsmen are augmented by a full-time cadre of Active Guard & Reserve (AGR) personnel in both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard, plus Army Reserve Technicians in
2596-830: The expedition's supplies while their leader, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés , took the regular troops north to attack the French settlement at Fort Caroline on the St. Johns River . This Spanish militia tradition and the tradition that was established in England's North American colonies provided the basic nucleus for Colonial defense in the New World. The militia tradition continued with the New World's first permanent English settlements. Jamestown Colony (established in 1607) and Plymouth Colony (established in 1620) both had militia forces, which initially consisted of every able-bodied adult male. By
2655-479: The first time, provided for pay for annual training. In return for the increased federal funding which the act made available, militia units were subject to inspection by Regular Army officers, and had to meet certain standards. It required the states to divide their militias into two sections. The law recommended the title "National Guard" for the first section, known as the organized militia, and "Reserve Militia" for all others. During World War I , Congress passed
2714-457: The mid-1600s every town had at least one militia company (usually commanded by an officer with the rank of captain), and the militia companies of a county formed a regiment (usually commanded by an officer with the rank of major in the 1600s or a colonel in the 1700s). The first federal laws regulating the militia were the Militia acts of 1792 . From the nation's founding through the early 1900s,
2773-418: The mid-1970s, the chief of the National Guard Bureau position was elevated from major general to lieutenant general , and La Vern E. Weber became the first NGB chief to wear three stars. The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act elevated the chief of the National Guard Bureau to the four-star rank of general making Craig McKinley the first National Guard officer to achieve four-star rank. In 2012,
2832-492: The organized militia, and the birth of the National Guard's oldest organized units is symbolic of the founding of all the state, territory, and District of Columbia militias that collectively make up today's National Guard. Previous to this, unregulated militias were mustered sporadically in Spanish and English colonies. On September 16, 1565, in the newly established Spanish town of St. Augustine , militia were assigned to guard
2891-412: The position became the seventh member of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff via the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act , which was signed into law by President Obama on 31 December 2011. The sitting Joint Chiefs at the time, had opposed the addition of another member, but the president promised in his 2008 campaign to elevate the office. This positional flag for the chief of the National Guard Bureau
2950-594: The post until his 1925 retirement. In September 1947, the Air National Guard was created, and the positions of Chief the Army Division and Chief of the Air Division were established, with the directors subordinate to the NGB Chief. In 1953, Air National Guard Director Earl T. Ricks served as acting chief of the National Guard Bureau, making him the first Air Guard officer to hold the chief's position. In
3009-418: The rank of major general or above, who also meets the requirements for the position as determined by defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , under the advice and/or recommendation from their respective state governors and their service secretary. The chief and vice chief of the National Guard Bureau cannot be from the same service. The nominee must be confirmed via majority vote from
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#17327760031623068-677: The respective state National Guards and the State Defense Forces are authorized by Congress to the states and are referred to as "troops." 32 U.S.C. § 109 . Although originally state entities, the Constitutional "Militia of the Several States" were not entirely independent because they could be federalized. According to Article I, Section 8; Clause 15, the United States Congress
3127-637: The states to maintain "military forces other than National Guard." This law authorized the War Department to train and arm the new military forces that became known as State Guards. In 1950, with the outbreak of the Korean War and at the urging of the National Guard, Congress reauthorized the separate state military forces for a time period of two years. These state military forces were authorized military training at federal expense, and "arms, ammunition, clothing, and equipment," as deemed necessary by
3186-539: The territories of Guam , the Virgin Islands , Puerto Rico , and the District of Columbia , for a total of 54 separate organizations. It is officially created under Congress's Article 1 Section 8 ability to "raise and support armies". All members of the National Guard are also members of the organized militia of the United States as defined by 10 U.S.C. § 246 . National Guard units are under
3245-410: The total number of four-star officers allowed in each service. This is set at eight Army generals, two Marine generals, nine Air Force generals, two Space Force generals, six Navy admirals, and two Coast Guard admirals. Several of these slots are reserved by statute. For example, the two highest-ranking members of each service (the service chief and deputy service chief) are designated as generals. For
3304-411: The total number of general officers (termed flag officers in the Navy and Coast Guard) that may be on active duty at any given time. The total number of active duty general officers is capped at 231 for the Army, 62 for the Marine Corps, 198 for the Air Force, and 162 for the Navy. No more than about 25% of a service's active duty general or flag officers may have more than two stars, and statute sets
3363-513: The traditional state militias by mandating that all federally funded soldiers take a dual enlistment/commission and thus enter both the state National Guard and the National Guard of the United States, a newly created federal reserve force. The National Defense Act of 1947 created the Air Force as a separate branch of the Armed Forces and concurrently created the Air National Guard of the United States as one of its reserve components, mirroring
3422-479: Was upgraded to four-star general . [REDACTED] Media related to Chiefs of the National Guard Bureau at Wikimedia Commons National Guard (United States) The National Guard is a state-based military force that becomes part of the U.S. military's reserve components of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force when activated for federal missions. It is a military reserve force composed of National Guard military members or units of each state and
3481-413: Was used from 1998 to 2008. The dark blue represented the Army National Guard, the light blue represented the Air National Guard. The badge in the center is the branch insignia of the National Guard Bureau. The two triangles in the upper fly are "flight devices" and represent the Air National Guard. The current version of the flag was adopted in 2008 when the position of Chief of the National Guard Bureau
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