Arizona National Guard
Encyclopedia
The Arizona National Guard is the National Guard of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 state of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

. It consists of the Arizona Army National Guard
Arizona Army National Guard
The Arizona 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...

 and the Arizona Air National Guard
Arizona Air National Guard
The Arizona Air National Guard is the branch of the United States Air National Guard operating within the state of Arizona. It was founded by Barry Goldwater, and was integrated two years before President Truman's military integration order.-Units:...

.

Both components are part of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. The Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA) consists of the Army and the Air National Guard, the Division of Emergency Management, and the Joint Programs Division. As of late 2011, the department is headed by Major General (Arizona) Hugo E. Salazar.

The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the United States National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...

 with dual federal and state missions. Those missions range from limited actions during non-emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...

 when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control. The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 or United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

.

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 Arizona 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."

The State Defense Force (SDF) is a military entity authorized by both Federal Code and Executive Order. The SDF is a state’s authorized militia and assumes a state's mission of the National Guard in the event the Guard is mobilized. The SDF comprises retired active and reserve military personnel and selected professional persons who volunteer their time and talents in further service to their state. Currently, Arizona does not have an active State Defense Force, but state law allows the organization of one if necessary.
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