Ohio Army National Guard - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Ohio Army National Guard is a part of 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...

and a reserve component of the United States Army

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...

. It is also a component of the organized militia of the state of Ohio, which also includes the Ohio Naval Militia

Ohio Naval Militia

The Ohio Naval Militia is an organized, unarmed unit that has been serving the State of Ohio and the United States since 1896. It is the naval arm of the State of Ohio's Adjutant General's Department, and is therefore part of Ohio's State Defense Forces....

, the Ohio Military Reserve

Ohio Military Reserve

The Ohio Military Reserve is a military force which supports the State of Ohio along with the Ohio Army National Guard and Ohio Air National Guard in times of natural disaster and state and national emergencies....

and the Ohio Air National Guard

Ohio Air National Guard

The Ohio Air National Guard is a part of the United States National Guard and an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is composed of approximately 5,000 airmen and officers assigned to four flying wings and eight non-flying support units. OHANG units are based in Columbus,...

. The Ohio Army National Guard consists of a variety of combat, combat support and combat service support units. As of September 2010, its end strength exceeded 11,400 soldiers. Its headquarters is the Beightler Armory in Columbus, Ohio. Many units conduct Annual Training at Camp Grayling, Michigan.

On May 4, 1970, the Ohio Army National Guard infamously opened fire onto a crowd of both Vietnam War protestors and simple bystanders on the campus of Kent State University

Kent State University

Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...

, killing four and wounding nine others, an event known as the Kent State shootings

Kent State shootings

The Kent State shootings—also known as the May 4 massacre or the Kent State massacre—occurred at Kent State University in the city of Kent, Ohio, and involved the shooting of unarmed college students by members of the Ohio National Guard on Monday, May 4, 1970...

. The President's Commission on Campus Unrest

President's Commission on Campus Unrest

On June 13, 1970, President Richard Nixon established the President's Commission on Campus Unrest, which became known as the Scranton Commission after its chairman, former Pennsylvania governor William Scranton....

concluded that the Guard's actions were "unnecessary, unwarranted, and inexcusable."

Founding militia

The Ohio National Guard can be traced back to the initial settlement at Marietta, Ohio

Marietta, Ohio

Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...

, in July 1788. Rooted in the English and early colonial tradition of citizen-soldiers providing local protection and law enforcement, these Revolutionary War veterans and their families quickly organized into local militia

Militia (United States)

The role of militia, also known as military service and duty, in the United States is complex and has transformed over time.Spitzer, Robert J.: The Politics of Gun Control, Page 36. Chatham House Publishers, Inc., 1995. " The term militia can be used to describe any number of groups within the...

units. Reflecting the provisions of the U.S. Constitution establishing the need for "a well regulated militia being necessary for the security of a free state," the federal government passed the Militia Act of 1792

Militia Act of 1792

The Militia Act of 1792 was a series of statutes enacted by the second United States Congress in 1792. The act provided for the President of the United States to take command of the state militias in times of imminent invasion or insurrection.-History:...

which required all able bodied men ages 18 to 45 to serve in their local militia units and provide their own weapons and equipment. It further authorized the Governor of each state to appoint an Adjutant General to enact the orders of the Governor and to supervise unit training and organization. Reflecting the Founding Fathers'

Founding Fathers of the United States

The Founding Fathers of the United States of America were political leaders and statesmen who participated in the American Revolution by signing the United States Declaration of Independence, taking part in the American Revolutionary War, establishing the United States Constitution, or by some...

distrust of a large standing army, it strictly limited the ability of the militia to serve outside of their state borders and placed effective control with the Governor rather than the federal government.

The occupation of the Ohio Territory

Northwest Territory

The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...

by the United States was contested by the region's native inhabitants. A confederation of Indian tribes

Western Confederacy

The Western Confederacy, also known as Western Indian Confederacy, was a loose confederacy of North American Natives in the Great Lakes region following the American Revolutionary War...

with British backing engaged in a campaign of raids and depredations upon the scattered settlements, resulting in full-scale war

Northwest Indian War

The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...

by the 1790s. The disastrous campaigns led by Generals Josiah Harmar

Josiah Harmar

Josiah Harmar was an officer in the United States Army during the American Revolution and the Northwest Indian War. He was the senior officer in the Army for seven years....

and Arthur St. Clair

Arthur St. Clair

Arthur St. Clair was an American soldier and politician. Born in Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office...

only intensified Indian resistance to white migration and threatened the existence of white Ohio settlements. The decisive victory of General "Mad" Anthony Wayne

Anthony Wayne

Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...

at the Battle of Fallen Timbers

Battle of Fallen Timbers

The Battle of Fallen Timbers was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between American Indian tribes affiliated with the Western Confederacy and the United States for control of the Northwest Territory...

(1794), outside of present day Toledo

Toledo, Ohio

Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...

and the subsequent Treaty of Greenville

Treaty of Greenville

The Treaty of Greenville was signed at Fort Greenville , on August 3, 1795, between a coalition of Native Americans & Frontiers men, known as the Western Confederacy, and the United States following the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. It put an end to the Northwest Indian War...

(1795) removed the combined British-Indian military threat to Ohio settlers for the time being. While only limited numbers of Ohio militia played a part in these campaigns, the local militia units formed an important bulwark defending their local communities against potential attack.

War of 1812

After achieving statehood in 1803 Ohio continued the law creating a body of "state troops" and each significant village or county providing its own local unit. The military readiness of these local militia units varied greatly as did their uniform and armament. The monthly militia muster was supposed to train the members in close order drill and marksmanship, but in many cases was more of a social and political event. Moreover, each unit was responsible for electing its own officers with the victors often being the most popular or the one best able to furnish a ready supply of sour mash.

With the advent of war with Great Britain in 1812, there was renewed interest in beefing up the size and effectiveness of the militia. Ohio Governor Josiah Meigs

Josiah Meigs

Josiah Meigs was an American academic, journalist and government official.-History:Meigs was the 13th and last child of Jonathan Meigs and Elizabeth Hamlin Meigs. His older brother was Return J. Meigs, Sr., whose son was Return J...

formed three regiments of Ohio militia in response to the proposed invasion to drive the British and their Indian allies from Canada with a view towards annexing it to the United States. The first attempt ended with the surrender of Fort Detroit

Fort Shelby (Michigan)

Fort Shelby was a military fort in Detroit, Michigan that played a significant role in the War of 1812. It was built by the British in 1779 as Fort Lernoult, and was ceded to the United States by the Jay Treaty in 1796. It was renamed Fort Detroit by Secretary of War Henry Dearborn in 1805...

to the British by General William Hull

William Hull

William Hull was an American soldier and politician. He fought in the American Revolution, was Governor of Michigan Territory, and was a general in the War of 1812, for which he is best remembered for surrendering Fort Detroit to the British.- Early life and Revolutionary War :He was born in...

in late 1812. Although not present in large numbers, Ohio militia were present and paroled shortly thereafter with the promise not to engage in any further hostilities. Ohio militia also played a role in the efforts of Gen. William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...

to re-capture Fort Detroit and decisively defeat the British at the Battle of the Thames

Battle of the Thames

The Battle of the Thames, also known as the Battle of Moraviantown, was a decisive American victory in the War of 1812. It took place on October 5, 1813, near present-day Chatham, Ontario in Upper Canada...

Mexican-American War

After the end of the inconclusive War of 1812, the militia system in Ohio abandoned its regimental formations and reverted to multiple small units representing the various municipalities throughout the rapidly growing state. With the last Indians expelled from the state's borders and peaceful relations along the Canadian border, there seemed little need for a fully armed and trained militia. With the brief exception of a border dispute with Michigan

Toledo War

The Toledo War , also known as the Michigan-Ohio War, was the almost entirely bloodless boundary dispute between the U.S. state of Ohio and the adjoining territory of Michigan....

that caused the Governor to issue a militia call up, meaningful local militia musters and drills again became more the exception than the rule. The Mexican-American War in 1848 saw a renewed interest in vitalizing the militia throughout the entire country. With the regular U.S. Army at a strength of just over 13,000, it became evident that any successful military campaign against Mexico was going to require extensive militia involvement. Ohio played a significant role, raising several regiments of infantry and artillery batteries from existing militia units and volunteers. The 1st Ohio Volunteers comprised part of the army under Gen. Zachary Taylor

Zachary Taylor

Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...

and took part in the battlefield victories of Monterrey

Battle of Monterrey

In the Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican-American War, General Pedro de Ampudia and the Mexican Army of the North was defeated by U.S...

and Buena Vista

Battle of Buena Vista

The Battle of Buena Vista , also known as the Battle of Angostura, saw the United States Army use artillery to repulse the much larger Mexican army in the Mexican-American War...

The American Civil War

It was during the great Civil War however, that the Ohio National Guard can directly trace its start. Ohio played a critical part in the Union war effort and was one of the leading contributors of manpower (including a crop of gifted generals to include Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, McPherson, Griffin,). As most of the existing militia units were incorporated into federalized volunteer regiments, the mission of local defense and order fell to organized units of those exempted from federal service, youths, middle aged men and a sprinkling of veterans who had completed their active duty enlistments. Numerous battalions were organized statewide that were for the first time titled "National Guard.". During the war the Ohio National Guard served in a variety of roles, providing not only guards at the Camp Chase

Camp Chase

Camp Chase was a military staging, training and prison camp in Columbus, Ohio, during the American Civil War. All that remains of the camp today is a Confederate cemetery containing 2,260 graves. The cemetery is located in what is now the Hilltop neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio.- History :Camp Chase...

and Johnson Island

Johnson Island

Johnson Island is a bar in the Greenbrier River at its confluence with Muddy Creek in Alderson, West Virginia. The island lies in Greenbrier County, with the Alderson Federal Prison Camp located to its southwest across the county line in Summers County....

POW camps, but serving in a number of combat situations. During the September 1862 Confederate incursion into southeast Ohio and the famed Morgan’s Raid in July 1863, Ohio guardsmen were actively involved. While subjected to ridicule as a result of the lackluster performance of some poorly trained and armed local units, the Ohio National Guard in actuality played a key role in the ultimate defeat of Morgan and his much vaunted force of Confederate cavalry. Instrumental in defending the approaches to Pomeroy and its river fords, Ohio Guardsmen also were responsible for blocking Morgan’s escape route at Buffington Island

Buffington Island

Buffington Island is an island in the Ohio River in Jackson County, West Virginia, United States, east of Racine, Ohio. During the American Civil War, the Battle of Buffington Island took place on July 19, 1863, just south of the Ohio community of Portland....

until pursuing Union forces caught up and administered a stinging defeat to Morgan on July 19, 1863 – the last battle fought on Ohio soil.

Over 35,000 Ohio Guardsmen were federalized and organized into regiments for 100 days service in May 1864. Shipped to the Eastern Theater, they were designed to be placed into "safe" rear area duty to protect the railroads and supply points thereby freeing regular troops for Grant’s push on the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. As events transpired, many units found themselves in the thick of combat, stationed in the path of Confederate Gen. Jubal Early’s veteran Army of the Valley during its famed Raid on Washington. These Guard units participated in the battles of Monacacy, Fort Stevens, Maryland Heights, and in the siege of Petersburg. Ohio Guard units met the battle tested foe head on and helped blunt the Confederate offensive thereby saving The District of Columbia

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

from capture. Significant casualties were incurred but the Ohio Guard had proved itself the equal of regular units on the field of battle.

Mexican Border Crisis

With the end of the Civil War, the Ohio National Guard was rapidly demobilized and its extensive inventory placed into mothballs maintained by a few non-commissioned officers. From a war-time strength in excess of 50,000, by 1870 the Ohio National Guard had been allowed to dwindle to fewer than 500 officers and enlisted men. Yet Ohio officials soon rediscovered that the Ohio Guard was an essential asset in situations other than war. Like the rest of the nation, labor unrest started to spread in the latter part of the century resulting in violent strikes and crippling shutdowns, especially in the railroad industry. Ohio Governors repeatedly called upon Ohio Guardsmen to keep the peace. In numerous situations the Guard’s intervention resulted in the immediate restoration of peace and order and succeeded in keeping violence and property damage to a minimum. Having demonstrated its value beyond the battlefield, the Ohio Guard was boosted in numbers and funding to a meaningful level.

The breakout of hostilities with Spain over Cuba in 1898 also led to an increase in the size and improved equipment and training for the Ohio National Guard. Several regiments of infantry and artillery were formed and shipped to Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....

for training and eventual transport to the front lines in Cuba. Due to the rapid American success, the war ended prior to any of these units actually being deployed in a combat situation. The Spanish-American War thrust the United States into the role of a world power and both military and civilian leaders recognized that it was necessary to maintain a uniformly trained and armed military force. This reflected the slow evolution of the Ohio militia into a National Guard which in addition to being a state force for quelling civil disturbances, was assuming a key role in the national defense.

Leading the effort to accomplish this was Major General Charles Dick of the Ohio National Guard. After serving in the Spanish-American War he was later elected to the U.S. Senate where he was instrumental in passing the Dick Act of 1903. This benchmark legislation repealed the antiquated militia laws and effectively converted the various volunteer militias into the National Guard as we know it today. Under the Dick Act Guard units received increased federal funding and equipment. In return each state National Guard was required to conform to federal standards for training and organization. Rather than the periodic muster, each unit was expected to muster for a set number of monthly drills and an extended summer camp. Also, for the first time state Adjutant Generals had a formal relationship with the War Department. These common sense reforms were to pay their first dividends in 1916 when Ohio National Guard units were mobilized to serve as part of Gen. John Pershing’s punitive expedition

Punitive expedition

A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a state or any group of persons outside the borders of the punishing state. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavior, but may be also be a covered revenge...

against Pancho Villa along the Mexican Border. Although the expedition failed to capture or dispatch the notorious Villa and his army of bandits, valuable lessons were learned in combined operations and mobile warfare. The relatively speedy and seamless mobilization and deployment to the desert regions of the southwest also served as a confidence builder for the units and their active duty counterparts. The errors and problems of the 1916 mobilization also proved to be excellent teaching tools that were to pay dividends when the entire Ohio Guard was to be mobilized by President Woodrow Wilson a scant 10 months later in April 1917

World War I

As war had broken out in Europe in 1914, the original intent of the United States was to avoid the conflict and maintain a stance of neutrality. As hostilities between the great European powers bogged down into a bloody stalemate, each side sought an edge to break the deadlock. For Germany, it was unrestricted submarine warfare. While this assisted in slowing down trade and supplies between the Allies and the United States, the end result was to propel the United States into war as American merchant ships began to be targeted. After the United States joined the war in April 1917, the manpower requirements for a modern field army were so great that only with a draft could the ranks be filled. Congress passed the Selective Service Act, which decentralized the selection to local draft boards within each state. With this massive mobilization the strength of the Ohio National Guard expanded and was eventually organized into the 37th Division. To preserve its Ohio identity, they adopted the nickname of the "Buckeye" Division. Again under the overall leadership of "Black Jack" Pershing, Ohio Guardsmen were a key component of the American Expeditionary Force sent over to France. Rated by the German General Staff as one of the best six American divisions for combat effectiveness, the "Buckeye" Division proved its worth in numerous battles including the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and the St. Mihiel Salient. This reputation for being a crack unit came with a considerable cost as the Buckeye Division alone suffered almost 5400 casualties while in France. Ohio Guard units also formed part of the 42nd "Rainbow" Division which won an enviable combat record along the front lines.

World War II

During the period between the two World Wars, the Ohio National Guard found itself frequently called upon to perform relief duties during natural disasters. Noteworthy were efforts during the almost annual flooding of the Ohio River and the great tornado of 1924 in the Lorain and Sandusky area. Units were again utilized to keep the peace during a series of bitter strikes in the coal-mining region of southeast Ohio. Although initially perceived as being brought in to aid and assist the mine operators, they won begrudging respect for adopting a fair and even-handed approach. Unlike the bloody history associated with the use of the National Guard in labor disputes in many other states, the Ohio Guard’s non-partisan approach alleviated numerous potentially explosive labor conflicts.

As the year 1939 brought yet another world war, the Ohio Guard found itself in a moderate state of readiness and under the leadership of Major General Robert S. Beightler

Robert S. Beightler

Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beightler was an American military officer and Ohio political insider, engineer, and business owner...

. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared a state of emergency and brought the National Guard under federal control in October 1940, the Buckeye Division was among their ranks. Notably, Company C, 192nd Tank Battalion

192nd Tank Battalion

The 192nd Tank Battalion of the United States Army was a federalized Army National Guard unit activated in November 1940. Deployed to the Philippines, the battalion was engaged in combat during the Japanese invasion and the US retreat to the Bataan Peninsula; being part of the force that...

, from Camp Perry, Ohio, joined a provisional unit sent to the Philippines to bolster the active duty and Filipino forces there. When the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 brought the country into a declared war, the Ohio tankers found themselves under attack as Japanese forces landed in the Philippines within days. As the remnant defenders withdrew to Bataan, the 192nd disintegrated as a unit, its members eventually captured along with the others in 1942. These Ohioans, who had fought from the very beginning of the war, remained as prisoners for the duration.

The Buckeye Division participated in the Pacific theater of the war, serving in the Northern Solomons and Luzon (Philippines) campaigns. Entering combat in June 1943, they fought at New Georgia

Battle of New Georgia

The New Georgia Campaign was a series of battles of the Pacific campaign of World War II. It was part of Operation Cartwheel, the Allied grand strategy in the South Pacific...

and Bougainville (in November 1943) alongside the 3rd Marine Division and others. March 1944 saw a ferocious attack by Japanese forces against the division at Bougainville, one which the stretched and weakened division fought off. January 1945 saw the division go ashore in Luzon as part of the XIV Corps, and by February it had liberated Manila.

The Buckeye Division produced seven 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...

recipients during World War II. MG Beightler led the Buckeye Division throughout the course of the war, the only one of 32 National Guard division commanders to accomplish this.

The Cold War

The 37th Infantry Division was reformed in the OH ARNG in 1945-46. During this time period the Air Force also broke off from the Army to become a separate service branch. Within the Ohio Guard this was reflected in the creation of the Ohio Air National Guard

Ohio Air National Guard

Korean War era

The demobilization from World War II had barely taken place when once again the Ohio National Guard was mobilized for the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

. As part of the mobilization of National Guard divisions across the country, in 1952 the Buckeye Division activated to serve as a training division at then-Camp Polk

Fort Polk

Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....

, Louisiana. While no major Ohio Guard units were deployed to Korea during hostilities, almost every soldier in the 37th Infantry Division was as an individual replacement.

After the Armistice Agreement was signed in Korea, the Ohio Guard's focus returned to its state mission and reorganization in accordance with federal mandates. Significant challenges were met by the continuing changes and advances in technology which required a flexible and better educated force. World events also continued to impact the Ohio Guard. The Berlin Crisis of 1961 resulted in the mobilization of ten Ohio Air and Army National Guard units to help counter the Soviet threat. It was during this period that the Ohio Guard's units switched over to the new Reorganisation Objective Army Division (ROAD) framework directed by the Department of Defense

United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

. Most notable among these changes was the deactivation of the storied 37th "Buckeye" Division on February 15, 1968. Much of the former division's units became part of the 73d Infantry Brigade, 38th Infantry Division.

Vietnam and Kent State

With the escalation of the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

, the Ohio Guard was again called upon to engage in combat upon foreign shores. Both the Ohio Army and Air National Guards deployed units to Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...

during the Vietnam War. The mission to support state authorities still continued during this time with the Ohio Guard playing a key role in quelling a full scale riot at the Ohio Penitentiary

Ohio Penitentiary

The Ohio Penitentiary, also known as the Ohio State Penitentiary, or less formally, the Ohio Pen or State Pen, was a prison operated from 1834-1983 in downtown Columbus, Ohio, in what is now known as the Arena District. The prison housed 5,235 prisoners at its peak in 1955...

in 1968 and in helping to curb the violence associated with the trucker's strike in 1970. It was subsequent to this latter event that the Ohio Guard was involved in one of the most unfortunate events in its long history, the Kent State shootings

Kent State shootings

of May 4, 1970. Called to the campus Kent State University

Kent State University

to quell demonstrations and anti-war protests, members of the guard — in what was recently described as "one of America's most horrific campus tragedies" — killed four students and wounded several more, garnering severely negative international attention and criticism, especially as some of the victims were simply passersby.

Later years

After the United States withdrew from Vietnam, the Ohio Guard, like the rest of the military, was faced by the challenges of significantly decreased funding and adapting to new missions. Increasing attention was directed towards peace-keeping and civic assistance missions. Of particular success were the efforts of the Ohio Guard in saving lives and aiding hard pressed local authorities during the winter blizzards of 1977 and 1978. Also of note was the extensive mission to Honduras

Honduras

Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...

which provided considerable infrastructure improvement and medical assistance to an impoverished nation while at the same time providing valuable training experience to Ohio Guard personnel.

In organization terms, the 73d Brigade was released from assignment to the 38th ID in 1977 and was redesignated the 73d Infantry Brigade, a separate brigade. During the draw down of forces after the Cold War, units of the 73rd and the 107th Armored Cavalry Regiment consolidated to form the 37th Brigade, 28th Infantry Division. A year later, the brigade was reunited with the 38th Infantry Division.

Desert Storm and beyond

When Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, the Ohio National Guard provided numerous transportation, logistical and other combat support units to assist in Operation Desert Storm. Additionally, numerous individual Ohio Guardsmen with specialty skills volunteered and served in Operation Desert Storm.

Although active hostilities ceased in February 1991 after a lightning campaign, the continuing presence of Saddam Hussein required continued military presence in the Persian Gulf region. The Ohio Guard continued in its role as key player as its Air National Guard units were routinely deployed to enforce the no-fly zones over Iraq as part of Operation Northern Watch. Other Ohio Guard units were periodically deployed to the Persian Gulf and Kuwait to engage in joint desert warfare training. Ohio Guardsmen also saw overseas service in a demanding environment when deployed to the Balkans to provide peacekeeping support in war–torn Bosnia and Kosovo. Units of the Ohio Guard continued to take a role in providing humanitarian assistance in impoverished areas of Central America. Engineering, transportation and medical detachments provided medical care as well as building roads, wells, bridges, schools and other infrastructure.

On the domestic front the Ohio Guard fulfilled its role in assisting civilian authorities in maintaining order in extraordinary circumstances. A significant number of Ohio Guardsmen were activated in 1993 to help quell the deadly prison riots at the Lucasville Correctional Facility

Southern Ohio Correctional Facility

The Southern Ohio Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio, United States. The prison was constructed in 1972 and currently contains the death house for Ohio where death row inmates are executed...

. Personnel from the Ohio Guard also provided crucial advice and stood by to provide law enforcement support during rioting in Cincinnati and civic unrest surrounding the operation of a toxic waste incinerator plant near East Liverpool. Disaster relief also continued to be a priority mission with service during the Shadyside floods

Shadyside, Ohio

Shadyside is a village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area...

, tornadoes, snow emergencies and Ohio River flooding.

After the attacks of September 11, aircraft from both the 178th and the 180th Fighter Wings were immediately scrambled to provide air cover and homeland security within minutes of being alerted. Numerous units from the Army Guard supplemented by security police units of the Air Guard were mobilized on short notice in the following days and executed critical security missions at various locations for extended periods of time. Other communications and engineering units deployed to the Persian Gulf area and Afghanistan in support of the war on terrorism.

In 2005 The Ohio Army National Guard deployed the 37th Brigade Combat Team, 73rd Troop Command, 16th Engineer Brigade, 416th Engineer group, 145th Regiment (Regional Training Institute), 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 112th Engineer Battalion, 216th Engineer Battalion, 731st Transportation Battalion in response to Hurricane Katrina.

Transformation

As of late 2006, the Ohio Army National Guard began a process of transformation in line with the overall transformation of all active and National Guard units. Ohio will activate two new modular units, the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)

The 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a modular Infantry Brigade of the United States Army National Guard with the Brigade Headquarters and four Battalions stationed throughout Ohio and a Battalion and Cavalry Squadron stationed in Michigan...

and the 371st Sustainment Brigade

371st Sustainment Brigade (United States)

The 371st Sustainment Brigade is an Ohio Army National Guard sustainment Brigade. It is based out of Springfield and Newark, Ohio. It is the new and larger incarnation of the 371st Corps Support Group, which had been based at Kettering, Ohio...

. The 16th Engineer Brigade

16th Engineer Brigade (United States)

The 16th Engineer Brigade is a combat engineer brigade of the United States Army National Guard of Ohio.The Brigade is responsible for a number of units throughout Ohio, most of which are also combat Engineer units.-History:...

, a current formation, will have two of its subordinate commands, the 512th and 612th Engineer Battalions, inactivated. Some parts of the 73rd Troop Command will also undergo changes.

The result, when completed by September 2007, will be an Ohio Army National Guard organized under a Joint Force Headquarters and made up of five major commands: the 37th Infantry BCT, the 16th Engineer Brigade, the 174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, the 73rd Joint Task Force, and the 371st Sustainment Brigade. All of this will occur with minimal changes in the end strength of the OHARNG at 10,300 Soldiers.

The 37th Infantry BCT will be one of 34 combat brigades in the Army National Guard. Its core is two infantry battalions and a fires battalion:

1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment (United States)
148th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 148th Infantry Regiment, Ohio Army National Guard, is a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, with headquarters at Lima, Ohio...
1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment (United States), (Michigan Army National Guard
Michigan Army National Guard
- Units :* Joint Forces Headquarters, Lansing, MI* 177th Military Police Brigade, Taylor, MI* 210th Military Police Battalion, Taylor, MI* 1st Battalion, 182nd Field Artillery, Detroit, MI* 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery, Lansing, MI...

).
1st Battalion, 134th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
1st Squadron (RSTA), 126th Cavalry Regiment (United States), (Michigan Army National Guard
Michigan Army National Guard
- Units :* Joint Forces Headquarters, Lansing, MI* 177th Military Police Brigade, Taylor, MI* 210th Military Police Battalion, Taylor, MI* 1st Battalion, 182nd Field Artillery, Detroit, MI* 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery, Lansing, MI...

)
237th Brigade Support Battalion
37th Special Troops Battalion

Remaining combat units in the State of Ohio have also been realigned. The 1st Battalion, 107th Cavalry, along with one company from the 148th Infantry and one company from the 112th Engineer Battalion, transformed into the 1st Battalion, 145th Armored Regiment and, together with the 2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry, were briefly elements of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard

Pennsylvania Army National Guard

The Pennsylvania Army National Guard, abbreviated PAARNG, is part of the United States Army National Guard and is based in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...

. Currently, both the 1st Battalion, 145th Armor and the 2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry belong to the 174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade for day-to-day command and control purposes.

Additional changes will occur with the subsidiary units of the 73rd Troop Command.

As a consequence of the transformation of the 37th into an infantry brigade combat team, the unit is to be given the old Buckeye Patch of the 37th Infantry Division of World War I and World War II.

Foreign partnerships

The Ohio Army National Guard has maintained military partnerships with foreign militaries under the National Guard State Partnership Program. The OARNG, together with the Ohio Air National Guard, has worked with Hungary

Military of Hungary

The Hungarian Defence Force is the national military of Hungary. It currently has two branches, the Hungarian Ground Force and the Hungarian Air Force....

since 1993, and the program's inception, and in September 2006 initiated a second program with Serbia

Military of Serbia

The Serbian Armed Forces are the armed services of Serbia. They consist of the Serbian Army and the Serbian Air Force and Air Defence...

. The purpose of the program is to provide assistance to the host countries in establishing reserve military forces like the National Guard, before transitioning to follow-on programs designed to assist the citizen-soldiers in their non-military lives.

Leadership

The commander-in-chief of the Ohio Army National Guard is the governor of the state of Ohio. If the Ohio Army National Guard is called to federal service, then the commander-in-chief becomes the President of the United States. The military commander of all forces in the State of Ohio is the Adjutant General, Major General

Major General

Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...

Deborah A. Ashenhurst (the first female to hold this position) is responsible for the command of 17,000 members, preparedness and readiness, installation management and budget of the Ohio National Guard. The current Assistant Adjutant General for Army, with responsibility for overseeing the Ohio Army National Guard training and operations, is Colonel(P) John C. Harris Jr. The current Assistant Adjutant General for Air is Brigadier General Mark E. Bartman, with responsibility for overseeing the Ohio Air National Guard.

Major units

The Ohio Army National Guard presently consists of the following major commands or units:

Joint Force Headquarters
73rd Joint Task Force
37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)
The 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a modular Infantry Brigade of the United States Army National Guard with the Brigade Headquarters and four Battalions stationed throughout Ohio and a Battalion and Cavalry Squadron stationed in Michigan...

(BCT)
16th Engineer Brigade
16th Engineer Brigade (United States)
The 16th Engineer Brigade is a combat engineer brigade of the United States Army National Guard of Ohio.The Brigade is responsible for a number of units throughout Ohio, most of which are also combat Engineer units.-History:...
371st Sustainment Brigade
371st Sustainment Brigade (United States)
The 371st Sustainment Brigade is an Ohio Army National Guard sustainment Brigade. It is based out of Springfield and Newark, Ohio. It is the new and larger incarnation of the 371st Corps Support Group, which had been based at Kettering, Ohio...
174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
147th Regiment (Regional Training Institute)
52nd Weapons of Mass Destruction / Civil Support Team (WMD / CST)

Duties

Ohio Army and Air National Guard units can be mobilized at any time 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 of Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

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...

or by the presidential order

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....

to supplement regular armed federal forces. 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 or TDY), but only as part of their respective units. However, there has been a significant amount of individual activations to support military operations since 2001. The legality of this policy has been a source of contention in some quarters.

Historic Units

107th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
107th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
The 107th Cavalry Regiment, Ohio Army National Guard, is a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, with headquarters at Cincinnati, Ohio...
145th Infantry Regiment (United States)
147th Infantry Regiment (United States)
148th Infantry Regiment (United States)
148th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 148th Infantry Regiment, Ohio Army National Guard, is a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, with headquarters at Lima, Ohio...
134th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)

External links

Bibliography of Ohio Army National Guard History compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History
The 122nd Ohio Army National Guard Band

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