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The Air National Guard is administered by the National Guard Bureau,
a joint bureau of the departments of the Army and Air Force, located
in the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Mission
The ANG's state and federal mission is to provide trained, well-equipped
men and women who can augment the active force during national emergencies
or war, and provide assistance during natural disasters and civil disturbances.
When Guard units are in a non-mobilized status they are commanded by
the governor of their respective state, Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands
and the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard.
The governors (except in the District of Columbia) are represented in
the chain of command by the adjutant general of the state or territory.
State Mission
The ANG, under order of state authorities, provides protection of life
and property, and preserves peace, order and public safety. State missions,
which are funded by the individual states, include disaster relief in
times of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and forest fires; search and
rescue; protection of vital public services; and support to civil defense.
 Federal Mission
As part of the total Air Force, the ANG provides operationally ready
combat units and combat support units and qualified personnel for active
duty in the Air Force to fulfill war and contingency commitments. ANG
units are assigned to most major commands during peacetime to accomplish
this mission. The major commands establish training standards, provide
advisory assistance and evaluate ANG units for unit training, readiness
and safety programs.
Personnel and Resources
The primary means of providing full-time support for ANG units is through
use of dual-status military technicians, plus guardsmen on active duty.
These full-time support personnel perform day-to-day management, administration
and maintenance. By law, dual-status military technicians are civil service
employees of the federal government who must be military members of the
unit in which they are employed. They participate in training activities
and are mobilized with the unit when it is ordered to active duty. Active
duty members serve under the command authority of their respective state
and territorial governors until mobilized, and are not a part of the
worldwide pool of Air Force manpower until that time.
The ANG has more than 109,000 officers and enlisted personnel who serve
in 89 flying units and 242 mission support units.
Flying Units
The ANG provides 100 percent of the Air Force's air defense interceptor
force, 33 percent of the general purpose fighter force, 45 percent of
the tactical airlift and 6 percent of the special operations capability.
In addition, the ANG provides 43 percent of the air refueling KC-135
tankers, 28 percent of the rescue and recovery capability, 23 percent
of tactical air support forces, 10 percent of the bomber force and 8
percent of the strategic airlift forces.
Airlift squadrons, flying C-130 Hercules aircraft, transport personnel,
equipment and supplies. Eleven aeromedical evacuation units and 23 aerial
port units augment the Air Force. The ANG's airlift capability includes
one C-5 Galaxy and two C-141 Starlifter units. Air refueling units, flying
KC-135 Stratotankers, provide air-to-air refueling for strategic and
tactical missions. The ANG has one special operations unit flying EC-130
aircraft.
Rescue units, flying HH-60 helicopters and HC-130 aircraft, provide
a lifesaving capability to military and civilian agencies. The ANG has
three rescue and recovery squadrons.
The first heavy bomber unit was activated in 1994. Flying B-1 bomber
aircraft, the unit provides strategic strike and deterrence capabilities.
Air support units, flying OA-10s, provide forward air control support
for close air support missions. The general-purpose fighter force is
equipped with F-15, F-16, A-10 and F-4G Wild Weasel aircraft.
Support Units
Support units are essential to the Air Force mission. In the ANG they
include: air control units; combat communications squadrons; civil engineering,
engineering installation and civil engineering heavy repair squadrons;
and communication flights and squadrons. Support units also include weather
flights, aircraft control and warning squadrons, a range control squadron
and an electronic security unit.
ANG men and women provide 80 percent of the Air Force's combat communication
units and 74 percent of the engineering installation capability. Other
mission support units contribute 49 percent of the total Air Force civil
engineering forces, 68 percent of air control, and 100 percent of the
aircraft control and warning forces.
ANG weather flights provide weather support to Air Force as well as
Army National Guard and Army Reserve divisions and brigades. The gaining
command for the weather flights is Air Combat Command, except for one
unit gained by Pacific Air Forces.
Civil engineering squadrons provide engineer and firefighter forces
trained and equipped to deploy on short notice. Other civil engineering
squadrons provide self-sufficient, deployable civil engineering teams
to perform heavy repair and maintenance on air bases and remote sites.
Medical units, located with parent flying organizations, provide day-to-day
health care for flying and non-flying personnel during their two-week
annual training period or during monthly two-day unit training assemblies.
Training and Education
Training in the ANG is categorized into two general areas for officers
and enlisted personnel -- technical skills training and professional
military education. ANG officers and airmen have opportunities to participate
in the same professional military education as their active-duty Air
Force counterparts. Professional military education also is available
through correspondence courses, on-base seminars and video teleconferencing.
Point of Contact
Air National Guard Bureau, Office
of Public Affairs; 2500 Army Pentagon; Washington, D.C. 20310-2500; DSN
225-0421 or (703) 695-0421.
Above Information Courtesy
of United States Air Force
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