The California Army National Guard (CA ARNG) is one of three components of the California National Guard, a reserve of the United States Army, and part of the National Guard of the United States. The California Army National Guard is composed of 18,450 soldiers. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
California Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same enlisted and officer ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The California Army National Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of California.
Units
40th Infantry Division
79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States) (79th IBCT) 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment 1st Squadron, 18th Cavalry Regiment 1st Battalion, 143rd Field Artillery Regiment (1-143rd FAR) 578th Brigade Engineer Battalion (578th BEB) 40th Brigade Support Battalion (40th BSB) 65th Infantry Regiment .1/65th. (Puerto Rico National Guard) 1st Battalion: Company’s A,B,C,D and HHC. (Reg. Temporarily Attached) 40th Combat Aviation Brigade (40th CAB) Company C, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment (HH-60L) Company B, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment (CH-47F) 1st Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment (United States) HHC and Company A, 3rd Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment (United States) 640th Aviation Support Battalion (640th ASB) 100th Troop Command 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion (223rd MIB) 250th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Battalion (250th EMIB) 1st Battalion, 144th Field Artillery Regiment (1-144th FAR) 1st Battalion, 185th Infantry Regiment 49th Military Police Brigade (49th MPB) 185th Military Police Battalion (185th MPB) 143rd Military Police Battalion (143rd MPB) 579th Engineer Battalion (579th EN BN) 224th Sustainment Brigade 224th Sustainment Brigade Special Troops Battalion 746th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion 1st Battalion, 144th Field Artillery Regiment 749th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion 223rd Regimental Training Institute (223rd RTI) 115th Regional Support Group (115th RSG) Special Operations Detachment-North (SOD-N) Company A, 5/19th Special Forces Group
History
Formation of the California State Militia and its early years
The California Army National Guard was formed with the passing of the Militia Act of 1903, also known as the Dick Act. Prior to that time, the California Army Guard originated from the state militia established by the Constitution of California in 1849. On 4 April 1850, the first California Legislature in San Jose adopted enabling legislation formally establishing a militia of volunteer or independent companies. The law required every free, white, able-bodied male citizen of the State to perform military duty or to pay a $2 fee for nonperformance of this duty. Such payment exempted the person from duty except in case of war, insurrection, invasion, assistance to the sheriff, or a requisition of the militia. It provided that a judge of the superior court of a county should cause a suitable person to open a book, and enter the names of persons who apply and are able to perform military duty. After required notice, the volunteers were to be organized, and their officers and non-commissioned officers selected by election. The volunteer or independent companies were to be armed and equipped as in the Army of the United States. The units were to adopt a constitution and by-laws as well as rules and regulations for the government of its personnel and determination of fines and penalties to enforce them.
The legislature then provided for the organization of these enrolled state militia, volunteers or independent companies into four divisions, each commanded by a major general and consisting of two brigades, with a statewide adjutant general responsible to the Governor of California. From 1852, the Quartermaster General of California was subsumed under the office of Adjutant General of California, when William H. Richardson resigned and Quartermaster General William Chauncey Kibbe became adjutant general by a law of 1852.