Facts About the Army National Guard
Members of the Army National Guard are responsible for upholding the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of their individual states, giving them a unique dual role in preserving the freedom of the United States. The Army National Guard is one of seven U.S. armed forces reserve units. It has more than 320,000 members, making it responsible for 38 percent of the entire Army force structure. The most recent statistics show that Army National Guard members were deployed to 81 different countries around the world.
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History
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The Army National Guard was established even before the United States itself. The Guard was founded in 1636 in Massachusetts Bay Colony as one of the New World's first permanent militias. The Guard first fought in the Pequot War of 1637 and has participated in every American military conflict since that battle. The early twentieth century saw the first instance of the National Guard participating in conflicts outside U.S. borders. The Guard played a key role in World Wars I and II and continued to play a role in other conflicts of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Administration
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The Army National Guard is overseen by a group of made up of both Army and Air Force departments, called the National Guard Bureau. The Bureau was founded as part of the military reform efforts instituted by the Secretary of War, Elihu Root, after the Spanish-American War ended in 1898.
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Consititutional Basis
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The Army National Guard's creation is founded in Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution, which gives Congress the power to call on the militia "to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions." In peacetime, the National Guard operates under the jurisdiction of individual states, but in times of national crisis, the Guard comes under federal jurisdiction.
Enlistment Requirements
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If you want to join the Army National Guard, you must meet certain specific requirements: You must be between the ages of 17 and 40 and in good physical health. You must have a diploma or GED. You must receive a passing score on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery exam, or ASVAB. You must also meet certain citizenship requirements. You may be asked to meet other requirements, as well.
Benefits
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Enlisting in the Army National Guard provides many the same benefits as enlisting in the active branches of the military. Reservists are eligible for tuition assistance and loan repayment programs through the U.S. military, as well financial incentives and a retirement program.
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