Texas Army National Guard

**Texas Army National Guard**
Texas Army National Guard
	Seal of the Texas Army National Guard
Founded	18 February 1823 (as Texas militia)
Country	United States
Allegiance	Texas
Type	Army
Role	Land warfare
Size	18,160 (2017)
Part of	Texas Military Department Texas Military Forces; Department of Defense United States Army; U.S. National Guard;
Headquarters	Building Eight; Command Sergeant Major Michelle Thompson
Insignia
Shoulder sleeve insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the

United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces (along with the Texas Air National Guard and the Texas State Guard

).

Texas Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same

state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Texas

.

The Texas Army National Guard is composed of approximately 19,000 soldiers, and maintains 117 armories in 102 communities.^[citation needed] State duties include disaster relief, emergency preparedness, security assistance to state law enforcement agencies, and some aspects of border security. The Governor can activate the National Guard components under his control for state active duty in Texas, and in support of adjacent states.

History

The Texas Army National Guard has its roots in the Texas Militia formed by Stephen F. Austin at his headquarters village of San Felipe de Austin. Austin was empowered to "organize the Colonists into a body of National Militia" in the 18 February 1823 decree authorizing Austin to form his colony in Mexican Texas. Commissioned as Lieutenant Colonel, Austin organized the 5-company battalion at San Felipe de Austin on 22 June 1824. Three companies were formed on the Brazos River and two on the Colorado. This militia structure formed the basis for several of the volunteer companies raised to fight in the Texas Revolution of 1836.{}

The

49th Armored Division.^[2]

The 49th Armored Division was ordered to active federal service in October 1961 at Dallas, for the

36th Infantry Brigade, 71st Infantry Brigade

and 72d Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) (Dallas). The division was reactivated on 1 November 1973, with its headquarters at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas.

McGrath says the 36th Brigade insignia with star was authorized for wear from 10 May 1967 – 1 November 1973, but never worn, because the brigade at the time was designated 71st.[3] The 36th Airborne Brigade was active from 1973, and inactivated on 1 April 1980.

In November 1976 the Texas Army National Guard, in the words of the AG Report 1975-76, was "organized into a State Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Public Information Detachment, the 49th Armored Division, and the Base Units Command of the State," both commanded by

Combat Support Hospital

(117th), with an authorized strength of 2,603 officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel (p. 5).

The 36th Brigade was reconstituted as a divisional formation (36th Brigade,

49th Armored Division based at Houston, TX. It seems likely to have been active between 1992 and May 2004 when the 49th Armored Division became the 36th Infantry Division

.

Major subordinate commands

36th Infantry Division
- 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
- 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team
- 36th Division Artillery
- 36th Combat Aviation Brigade
  - 449th Aviation Support Battalion - based at Martindale Army Airfield - due to move to Kelly Field, Joint Base San Antonio^[4]
  - Company C(-), 2nd Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment (UH-60) - based at Martindale Army Airfield - due to move to Kelly Field, Joint Base San Antonio^[4]
- 36th Sustainment Brigade
- 136th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade
- 176th Engineer Brigade
Detachment 7, Company B, 641st Aviation Regiment
- Detachment 49, Operational Support Airlift Command^[5]
Company C, 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment
4th Battalion, 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade^[6]
71st Troop Command^[7]
- Special Operations Detachment - Africa^[7]
- 197th Special Troops Support Company, 528th Sustainment Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne)^[8]
- Company A, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group
- Company C, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group
- 71st Theater Information Operations Group (71st TIOG)^[7]
- 71st Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade^[7]^[9]
  - 636th Military Intelligence Battalion^[9]
  - 250th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Battalion^[9]
- 136th Expeditionary Signal Battalion^[7]
- 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment^[7]
- Detachment 1, 178th Cyber Protection Team^[7]
- 136th Regiment (CA) (RTI)^[7]
Medical Command
Office of the State Surgeon
Recruiting and Retention Battalion
State Army Aviation Office
Army Ground Safety Office
Training Centers Command

On 1 September 2009, the Texas Army National Guard activated the 1st Battalion (Airborne),

71st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade for local administration. In 2016 Company B, which was originally located in Bethel, Alaska, was inactivated as part of the Alaska ARNG.^[11] Troop C (LRS), 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, Texas ARNG in Terrell, Texas was then used to reform Company B. During the same year, the battalion became affiliated with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy, and adopted the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 173rd ABCT.^[12]