United States National Guard facts for kids

The United States National Guard is an organization of the United States Army and the United States Air Force. The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force are both branches of the United States military. The National Guard is a militia (an emergency army) for the United States. Each U.S. State has its own National Guard, usually under the control of that state's government. When needed, they are mobilized under control of the United States.

There are two parts of the United States National Guard, administered by the National Guard Bureau of the United States Department of Defense. The Air National Guard is part of the United States Air Force; the Army National Guard is part of the United States Army. The two National Guard groups are identified by the kinds of jobs they do. The Air National Guard does mainly air defense jobs, while the Army National Guard does the jobs on the ground.

Related pages

• United States Army Reserve

Images for kids

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  Seal of the National Guard Bureau, 2013 to present

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  First muster of the East Regiment (present-day Massachusetts Army National Guard) in Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Spring 1637

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  A National Guardsman in 1917

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  Following the 1992 Los Angeles riots, 4,000 National Guardsmen patrolled the city.

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  The National Guard Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

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  An Army National Guardsman of the 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment in Parun, Afghanistan. Note that he is wearing a 10th Mountain Division Former Wartime Service SSI.

See also

In Spanish: Guardia Nacional de los Estados Unidos para niños