California National Guard

The California National Guard is part of the National Guard of the United States, a dual federal-state military reserve force. The CA National Guard has three components: the CA Army National Guard, CA Air National Guard, and CA State Guard. With a total strength of over 24,000 troops, it is the largest National Guard in the United States. As of January 2012^[update], California National Guardsmen have been deployed overseas more than 38,000 times since 2001,^[1] during which time twenty-nine Guardsmen have been killed in Iraq and two have died in Afghanistan.^[2]

California National Guard
Seal of the California National Guard
Active	27 July 1849 (1849-07-27)
Country	United States
Allegiance	California
Branch	United States Army  United States Air Force
Type	National Guard
Role	Organized militia
Size	24,000
Part of	National Guard Bureau California Military Department
Headquarters	9800 Goethe Road, Sacramento, California 95827
Nickname(s)	CalGuard CNG
Commanders
Commander in Chief (Title 10 USC)	President of the United States (when federalized)
Commander in Chief (Title 32 USC)	Governor of California
Adjutant General	MG Matthew P. Beevers
Senior Enlisted Leader	CMSgt Lynn E. Williams

California National Guardsmen boarding a UH-60 Black Hawk military helicopter during training at Camp Williams, Utah in 2014

The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. When under the control of its state governor, National Guard 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 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."

Troops of the 160th Infantry Regiment of the California National Guard arriving in Los Angeles, August 17, 1924

California National Guard MPs, 1950

The governor of California may call individuals or units of the California National Guard into state service during emergencies or special situations. The state mission of the National Guard is: "To provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law."

Components

• California Army National Guard (CA ARNG)
• California Air National Guard (CA ANG)
• California State Guard (CSG)

Military Museum Command

California State Guard's Military Museum Command interim state museum is Camp Roberts Historical Museum.^[3] militarymuseum.org is provided as a public service by the California Military Department.^[3]

Adjutant General

Major General Matthew Beevers serves as the Adjutant General of California since he was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom on 1 August 2022.

Adjutants General of California

• Theron R. Perlee, 12 April – 5 October 1850
• William H. Richardson, 5 October 1850 – 2 May 1852
• William Chauncey Kibbe, 2 May 1852 – 30 April 1864
• Robert Robinson, 1 January 1864 – 1 May 1864
• George S. Evans, 1 May 1864 – 1 May 1868
• James M. Allen, 1 May 1868 – 23 Nov. 1870
• Thomas N. Cazneau, 23 Nov. 1870 – 21 December 1871
• Lucius H. Foote, 21 December 1871 – 13 December 1875
• Patrick F. Walsh, 13 December 1875 – 9 January 1880
• Samuel W. Backus, 9 January 1880 – 1 July 1882
• John F. Sheehan, 1 July 1892 – 11 January 1893
• George B. Crosby, 11 January 1883 – 1 November 1887
• Richard H. Orton, 1 November 1887 – 9 January 1891
• Charles Carroll Allen, 9 January 1891 – 24 May 1895
• Andrew W. Bartlett, 24 May 1895 – 23 December 1898
• Robert L. Peeler, 23 December 1898 – 1 June 1899
• William H. Seamans, 1 June 1899 – 3 January 1902 (died in office)
• George Stone, 13 January 1902 – 15 February 1904
• Joseph B. Lauck, 15 February 1904 – 7 January 1911
• Edwin A. Forbes, 7 January 1911 – 18 June 1915 (died in office)
• Charles W. Thomas Jr., 19 June 1915 – 15 December 1916
• James J. Borree, 16 December 1916 – 30 November 1923
• Richard E. Mittelstaedt, 1 December 1923 – 5 January 1931
• Seth E.P. Howard, 6 January 1931 – 26 June 1935 (died in office)
• Paul Arndt, 27 June – 17 October 1935
• Harry H. Moorehead, 18 October 1935 – 3 January 1939
• Patrick J.H. Farrell, 4 January 1939 – 10 June 1940
• Richard E. Mittelstaedt, 10 June 1940 – 3 March 1941
• Joseph O. Donovan, 3 March 1941 – 10 July 1942
• Junnius Pierce, 14 July 1942 – 13 January 1943
• Ray W. Hays, 14 January 1943 – 30 November 1944
• Victor R. Hansen, 27 December 1944 – 28 April 1946
• Curtis D. O'Sullivan, 29 April 1946 – 15 July 1951
• Earl M. Jones, 16 July 1951 – 31 December 1960
• Roderic L. Hill, 1 January 1961 – 1 January 1967
• Glenn C. Ames, 22 March 1967 – 5 June 1975
• Frank J. Schober, 6 June 1975 – 31 December 1982
• Willard A. Shank, 3 January 1983 – 13 February 1987
• Robert C. Thrasher, 14 February 1987 – 9 October 1992
• Robert W. Barrow, 10 October – 31 December 1992
• Tandy K. Bozeman, 1 January 1993 – 27 April 1999
• Paul D. Monroe Jr., 29 April 1999 – March 2004
• Thomas Eres, March 2004 – 6 June 2005
• John Alexander, 7 June – 1 August 2005
• William H. Wade II, 1 September 2005 – 1 February 2010
• Mary J. Kight, 2 February 2010 – 15 April 2011
• David S. Baldwin, 16 April 2011 – 31 July 2022
• Matthew P. Beevers, 1 August 2022 - Present

Military academy

The California National Guard maintains the California Military Academy at Camp San Luis Obispo for the use and training of National Guard units from California and other states. Upon completion of Army Basic Training, OCS cadets will train a minimum of one weekend per month over a 16-18 month period before commissioning as a second Lieutenant in the Army National Guard.

Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 185th Armor (Combined Arms Battalion) maneuver in a "wedge formation" in Bradley Fighting Vehicles at Fort Irwin National Training Center, 2011

See also

• List of California State Militia Units 1850–60
• List of California State Militia civil war units
• California Military Department
• California State Guard
• California during World War II

References

1. Gretel C. Kovach (18 January 2013). "S.D. National Guard Unit Preps For A Final Afghan Deployment". San Diego Union Tribune. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2013. California troops have served abroad in the "fight against terrorism" more than 38,000 times since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
2. Gretel C. Kovach (18 January 2013). "S.D. National Guard Unit Preps For A Final Afghan Deployment". San Diego Union Tribune. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2013. Since 2001, 29 Cal Guard soldiers have been killed in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. Many more were seriously injured.
3. "California State Military Museums Program". militarymuseum.org. Retrieved 10 November 2022.

Further reading

• Hudson, James J. "The California National Guard: In the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906." California Historical Quarterly 55.2 (1976): 137-149. online

External links

• Bibliography of California Army National Guard History compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History
• Office of The Adjutant General
• California National Guard
• California State Guard
• California Military Museum
• California National Guard Photograph Collection US Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, Pennsylvania