Kansas Army National Guard
Encyclopedia
The Kansas 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.
Kansas Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ran
ks
and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards
. The Kansas Guard also bestows a number of state awards
for local services rendered in or to the state of Kansas
.
The Kansas National Guard consists of both Army
and Air National Guard
components. The Constitution of the United States
specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The National Guard is the only United States
military force empowered to function in a state status. Those 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 Commander-in-Chief of the Kansas National Guard while it is performing state missions is the Governor of the State of Kansas. The highest ranking military officer in the Kansas National Guard is the Adjutant General of Kansas
.
The State Defense force is a military entity authorized by both the Kansas Constitution and Kansas statutes. The State Defense Force (SDF) is the state’s authorized militia and assumes the state mission of the Kansas 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.
may call individuals or units of the Kansas 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." Kansas National Guardsmen serve to protect the lives and property of Kansans in response to disasters and emergencies throughout the state, including tornadoes, floods, snowstorms, and other weather-related and man-made disasters and emergencies. Through mutual aid agreements with other states they may be called to serve with National Guard units in those states for disasters and emergencies.
The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the President
or Congress
. 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."
Because of the dual missions of the National Guard, Guardsmen are required to take two oaths of enlistment; one for the United States and one for the State of Kansas.
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.
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).
Historic Units Include
1855. On Jan. 29, 1861, six years after the formation of the territorial militia, Kansas
became the 34th state and the state militia was organized into units of the Kansas National
Guard. Article 8, Section 4 of the Kansas Constitution designates the Governor of Kansas
as the commander in chief for state duties. The U.S. Congress passed the Militia Act of 1903
, which organized the various state
militia
s into the present National Guard system.
The Kansas Army National Guard has been involved in the nation’s conflicts since the state’s
inception as a territory. The Kansas Guard actively participated in the Civil War, 1861–1865;
6 Indian Wars, 1864–1870; Spanish-American War, 1898–1899; Mexican Border, 1916; World War I, 1917–1919; World War II, 1940–1946; Korean War, 1950–1952; Vietnam War, 1966–1969; Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, 1990–1991; Operations Northern and Southern Watch in Southwest Asia, 1992–2002; Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, 1992–1993; Operations Joint Endeavor, Deny Flight and Joint Guardian in Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1995–2003; Operations Phoenix Scorpion, Phoenix Scorpion III and Desert Fox in Southwest Asia, 1997 and 1998; Operation Allied Force in Kosovo, 1999–present; the Global War on Terrorism (Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Noble Eagle), 2001–present; and Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003–present, CJTF-HOA (Horn of Africa)2010-2011.
In 1918, Kansas Army National Guard Lieutenant Erwin R. Bleckley
, who volunteered for aviation duty, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
for his actions during an aerial sortie in World War I
. He was the first National Guard aviator to earn the award and one of only three to earn it during the 20th century.
The state maintained the 69th Infantry Brigade as part of the 35th Infantry Division from the 1980s to the 1990s or later.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and 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...
. Nationwide, the Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
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.
Kansas Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ran
United States Army enlisted rank insignia
The chart below represents the current enlisted rank insignia of the United States Army.This chart represents the U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia with seniority increasing left-to-right inside a given pay grade...
ks
United States Army officer rank insignia
United States Army officer rank insignia in use today.-History:The structure of U.S. ranks has its roots in British military traditions. At the start of the American Revolutionary War, uniforms, let alone insignia, were barely affordable and recognition of ranks in the field was problematic...
and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards
Awards and decorations of the United States military
Awards and decorations of the United States Military are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces...
. The Kansas Guard also bestows a number of state awards
Awards and decorations of the National Guard
Awards and decorations of the National Guard are presented to members of the United States National Guard and sometimes to members of the State Defense Forces in addition to regular United States military decorations...
for local services rendered in or to the state of Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
.
The Kansas National Guard consists of both Army
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
and Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , 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...
components. The Constitution of the United States
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The National Guard is the only United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military force empowered to function in a state status. Those functions 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 Commander-in-Chief of the Kansas National Guard while it is performing state missions is the Governor of the State of Kansas. The highest ranking military officer in the Kansas National Guard is the Adjutant General of Kansas
Adjutant General of Kansas
The Adjutant General of Kansas is the highest ranking military official in the State of Kansas and is subordinate to the Governor of Kansas. The Adjutant General is a member of the Governor's Cabinet and advises the Governor on military and emergency management matters...
.
The State Defense force is a military entity authorized by both the Kansas Constitution and Kansas statutes. The State Defense Force (SDF) is the state’s authorized militia and assumes the state mission of the Kansas 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.
Mission
The GovernorGovernor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
may call individuals or units of the Kansas 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." Kansas National Guardsmen serve to protect the lives and property of Kansans in response to disasters and emergencies throughout the state, including tornadoes, floods, snowstorms, and other weather-related and man-made disasters and emergencies. Through mutual aid agreements with other states they may be called to serve with National Guard units in those states for disasters and emergencies.
The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the President
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 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
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
. 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."
Because of the dual missions of the National Guard, Guardsmen are required to take two oaths of enlistment; one for the United States and one for the State of Kansas.
Active Duty Callups
National Guard units can be mobilized at any time by presidential orderPresident 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....
to supplement regular armed forces, and upon declaration of a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
by the governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the state in which they serve. Unlike Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
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.
For much of the final decades of the twentieth century, National Guard personnel typically served "One weekend a month, two weeks a year
One weekend a month, two weeks a year
"One weekend a month, two weeks a year" is a former recruiting slogan used by the U.S. Army National Guard. It indicated the amount of time an individual would need to spend actively in the Guard to be a Guardsman with benefits...
", 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
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
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).
Units
The Kansas Army National Guard is authorized 5538 soldiers. Subordinate units within the Kansas Army National Guard include:- Joint Forces Headquarters-Kansas
- 287th Sustainment Brigade
- HHC 287th
- 287th Special Troops Battalion
- 891st Engineer Battalion
- 169th Corps Support Sustainment Battalion (CSSB)
- 69th Troop Command
- 35th MP Company
- 2nd Battalion 137th Combined Arms Battalion
- 1st Battalion 108th Aviation Battalion
- 35th Infantry Division (Mechanized)
- 235th Regiment (RTI)
- 635th RSG - Regional Support Group
- 2nd Battalion 130th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
- 1st Battalion 161st Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
Historic Units Include
- 130th Field Artillery Brigade Deactivated after returning from Iraq.
- 1st Battalion, 635th Armor, part of the 40th Infantry Division (California) as of 2002. This unit was deactivated in September 2008, and is now part of the 2-137 Combined Arms Battalion.
History
The forerunner of the Kansas National Guard, the Kansas Territorial Militia, was formed on Aug. 30,1855. On Jan. 29, 1861, six years after the formation of the territorial militia, Kansas
became the 34th state and the state militia was organized into units of the Kansas National
Guard. Article 8, Section 4 of the Kansas Constitution designates the Governor of Kansas
as the commander in chief for state duties. The U.S. Congress passed the Militia Act of 1903
Militia Act of 1903
The National Guard Bureau is the federal instrument responsible for the administration of the National Guard of the United States established by the United States Congress as a joint bureau of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It was created by the Militia Act of 1903...
, which organized the various state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
s into the present National Guard system.
The Kansas Army National Guard has been involved in the nation’s conflicts since the state’s
inception as a territory. The Kansas Guard actively participated in the Civil War, 1861–1865;
6 Indian Wars, 1864–1870; Spanish-American War, 1898–1899; Mexican Border, 1916; World War I, 1917–1919; World War II, 1940–1946; Korean War, 1950–1952; Vietnam War, 1966–1969; Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, 1990–1991; Operations Northern and Southern Watch in Southwest Asia, 1992–2002; Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, 1992–1993; Operations Joint Endeavor, Deny Flight and Joint Guardian in Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1995–2003; Operations Phoenix Scorpion, Phoenix Scorpion III and Desert Fox in Southwest Asia, 1997 and 1998; Operation Allied Force in Kosovo, 1999–present; the Global War on Terrorism (Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Noble Eagle), 2001–present; and Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003–present, CJTF-HOA (Horn of Africa)2010-2011.
In 1918, Kansas Army National Guard Lieutenant Erwin R. Bleckley
Erwin R. Bleckley
Erwin Russell Bleckley was a United States Army Air Service aviator during World War I, and posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor, killed in action on October 6, 1918. Bleckley entered service as a member of the Kansas National Guard, was commissioned as an artillery officer, then volunteered...
, who volunteered for aviation duty, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions during an aerial sortie in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was the first National Guard aviator to earn the award and one of only three to earn it during the 20th century.
The state maintained the 69th Infantry Brigade as part of the 35th Infantry Division from the 1980s to the 1990s or later.
Historic units
- 108th Aviation Regiment (United States)
- 114th Cavalry (now 127th Field Artillery)
- 130th Field artillery Regiment (United States)
- 161st Field artillery Regiment (United States)
- 235th Field artillery Regiment (United States)
See also
- History of the United States National Guard
- Kansas Air National GuardKansas Air National GuardThe Kansas Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Kansas. It is, along with the Kansas Army National Guard, an element of the Kansas National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as of the state....
- State Defense ForcesState Defense ForcesState defense forces in the United States are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state government; they are partially regulated by the National Guard Bureau but they are not a part of the Army National Guard of the United States...
- MilitiaMilitiaThe term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
- Coats of arms of U.S. Armor and Cavalry RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Armor and Cavalry RegimentsThis page has been split as follows:* Coats of arms of U.S. Armor Regiments* Coats of arms of U.S. Cavalry Regiments-See also:* commons:Field Army insignia of the United States Army* Corps insignia of the United States Army...
- Coats of arms of U.S. Artillery RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Artillery RegimentsCoats of arms of US Artillery Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with field artillery, air defense artillery, and coast artillery regiments in the US Army...
- Coats of arms of U.S. Infantry RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Infantry RegimentsCoats of arms of US Infantry Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with infantry regiments in the US Army. By Army regulation, all regiments of the US Army organized under a Table of Organization and Equipment are authorized a coat of arms to be displayed on the organization's standard, called...
- Coats of arms of U.S. Air Defense Artillery RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Air Defense Artillery RegimentsCoats of arms of US Air Defense Artillery Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with Field artillery, Air Defense Artillery, and coast artillery regiments in the US Army...
- Coats of arms of U.S. Army Aviation RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Army Aviation RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Army Aviation Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with aviation regiments in the US Army. By Army regulation, all regiments of the US Army organized under a Table of Organization and Equipment are authorized a coat of arms to be displayed on the organization's standard,...
External links
- Bibliography of Kansas Army National Guard History compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History