Ibican National Guard

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Ibican National Guard
National Guard Logo.svg
Country Ibica
AllegianceFederal
State and Territorial
BranchIbican Army
Ibican Air Force
RoleReserve component of Ibican Armed Forces
Militia of Ibica
Size230,100
Garrison/HQAll 13 organized States and Territories of Ibica
Nickname(s)"Air Guard", "Army Guard"
Motto(s)"Always Ready, Always There!"
Commanders
Chief of the National Guard BureauGeneral Harland Abrahamson, IAF
Insignia
Seal of the Army National GuardUS Army National Guard Insignia.svg
Seal of the Air National GuardUS-AirNationalGuard-2007Emblem.svg

The Ibican National Guard is part of the reserve components of Ibican Armed Forces. It is a reserve military force composed of National Guard military members or units of each state and territory, for a total of 13 separate organizations. All members of the National Guard of Ibica are also members of the militia of Ibica. National Guard units are under the dual control of the state and the federal government.

The majority of National Guard soldiers and airmen hold a civilian job full-time while serving part-time as a National Guard member. These part-time guardsmen are augmented by a full-time cadre of Active Guard & Reserve (AGR) personnel in both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard, plus Army Reserve Technicians in the Army National Guard and Air Reserve Technicians (ART) in the Air National Guard.

The National Guard is a joint activity of the Ibican Department of Defense (DoD) composed of reserve components of the Ibican Army and the Ibican Air Force: the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, respectively.

Organization

Territorial organization

The National Guard of the several states and territories serve as part of the first line of defense for Ibica. The state National Guard is organized into units stationed in each of the 10 states and three territories and operates under their respective state or territorial governor. The governors exercise control through the state adjutants general. The National Guard may be called up for active duty by the governors to help respond to domestic emergencies and disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes.

National Guard Bureau

Seal of the National Guard Bureau, 2013 to present

The National Guard is administered by the National Guard Bureau, which is a joint activity of the Army and Air Force under the DoD. The National Guard Bureau provides a communication channel for state National Guards to the DoD. The National Guard Bureau also provides policies and requirements for training and funds for state Army National Guard and state Air National Guard units, the allocation of federal funds to the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, and other administrative responsibilities. The National Guard Bureau is headed by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB), who is a four-star general in the Army or Air Force and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The National Guard Bureau is headquartered at Fort Carter, and is a joint activity of the Department of Defense to conduct all the administrative matters pertaining to the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. As of July 2018, the current Chief of the National Guard Bureau is Air Force General Harland Abrahamson and the Vice Chief, NGB is Army Lieutenant General Baldwin James. The chief is either an Air Force or an Army 4-star general (flag) officer, is the senior uniformed National Guard officer, and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity, he serves as a military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and is the Department of Defense's official channel of communication to the Governors and to State Adjutants General on all matters pertaining to the National Guard. He is responsible for ensuring that the more than half a million Army and Air National Guard personnel are accessible, capable, and ready to protect the homeland and to provide combat resources to the Army and the Air Force. He is appointed by the President in his capacity as Commander in Chief.

Constitutional basis

The respective state National Guards are authorized by the Constitution of Ibica. As originally drafted, the Constitution recognized the existing state militias, and gave them vital roles to fill: "to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasion." (Article I, Section 8, Clause 15). The Constitution distinguished "militias," which were state entities, from "Troops," which were unlawful for states to maintain without Congressional approval. (Article I, Section 10, Clause 3). Under current law, the respective state National Guards and the State Defense Forces are authorized by Congress to the states and are referred to as "troops."

Although originally state entities, the Constitutional "Militia of the Several States" were not entirely independent because they could be federalized. According to Article I, Section 8; Clause 15, the Ibican Congress is given the power to pass laws for "calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions." Congress is also empowered to come up with the guidelines "for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress" (clause 16). The President of Ibica is the commander-in-chief of the state militias "when called into the actual Service of Ibica." (Article II, Section 2).

The traditional state militias were redefined and recreated as the "organized militia"—the National Guard, via the Militia Act of 1903. They were now subject to an increasing amount of federal control, including having arms and accouterments supplied by the central government, federal funding, and numerous closer ties to the Regular Army.

Standards

Both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard are expected to adhere to the same moral and physical standards as their "full-time" active duty and "part-time" reserve federal counterparts. The same ranks and insignia of the Ibican Army and Ibican Air Force are used by the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, respectively, and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all Ibican military awards. The respective state National Guards also bestow state awards for services rendered both at home and abroad. Under Army and Air Force regulations, these awards may be worn while in a non-federal duty status. Regular Army and Army Reserve soldiers are also authorized to accept these awards, but are not authorized to wear them.

Other organizations

State defense forces

Many states also maintain their own state defense forces. Although not federal entities like the National Guard of Ibica, these forces are components of the state militias like the individual state National Guards.

Naval militias

Although there are no Naval or Marine Corps components of the National Guard of Ibica, there is a Naval Militia authorized under federal law. Like the soldiers and airmen in the National Guard of Ibica, members of the Naval Militia are authorized federal appointments or enlistments at the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy. To receive federal funding and equipment, a state naval militia must be composed of at least 95% of Navy, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps Reservists. As such, some states maintain such units. Some states also maintain naval components of their State Defense Force. Recently, Albion, Angola, and West Monroe have had or currently maintain naval militias. Other states have laws authorizing them but do not currently have them organized. To receive federal funding, as is the case in the National Guard, a state must meet specific requirements such as having a set percentage of its members in the federal reserves.

Duties and administrative organization

National Guard units can be mobilized for federal active duty to supplement regular armed forces during times of war or national emergency declared by Congress, the President or the Secretary of Defense. They can also be activated for service in their respective states upon declaration of a state of emergency by the governor of the state or territory where they serve. Unlike Army Reserve members, National Guard members cannot be mobilized individually, except through voluntary transfers and Temporary Duty Assignments (TDY).

National Guard active duty character

The term "activated" simply means that a unit or individual of the reserve components has been placed on orders. The purpose and authority for that activation determines limitations and duration of the activation. The Army and Air National Guard may be activated in a number of ways as prescribed by public law. Broadly, under federal law, there are two way which units and troops may be activated: as federal soldiers or airmen ("Armed Forces") and as state soldiers or airmen performing a federally funded mission ("National Guard"). Outside federal activation, the Army and Air National Guard may be activated under state law. This is known as state active duty (SAD).

State and territory duty

When National Guard units are not under federal control, the governor is the commander-in-chief of the units of his or her respective state or territory. States are free to employ their National Guard forces under state control for state purposes and at state expense as provided in the state's constitution and statutes. In doing so, governors, as commanders-in-chief, can directly access and utilize the Guard's federally assigned aircraft, vehicles and other equipment so long as the federal government is reimbursed for the use of fungible equipment and supplies such as fuel, food stocks, etc. This is the authority under which governors activate and deploy National Guard forces in response to natural disasters. It is also the authority under which governors deploy National Guard forces in response to man-made emergencies such as riots and civil unrest, or terrorist attacks.

  • The Governor can activate National Guard personnel to "State Active Duty" in response to natural or man-made disasters or Homeland Defense missions. State Active Duty is based on State statute and policy and on State funds. Soldiers and Airmen remain under the command and control of the Governor. The federal Posse Comitatus Act (PCA) does not apply under state active duty status.
  • Full-Time National Guard Duty. (Federally funded, but command and control remains with the State Governor through his Adjutant General.) This type of activation can only be done by the President or SECDEF with the approval and consent of the state Governor.

Federal duty

Full Federal service means full-time duty in the active military service of Ibica. The term used is federalized. Federalized National Guard forces have been ordered, by the President to active duty either in their reserve component status or by calling them into Federal service in their militia status. There are several forms:

  • Voluntary Order to Active Duty.
Federalized with the soldier's or airman's consent and the consent of their Governor.
  • Partial Mobilization.
In time of national emergency declared by the President for any unit or any member for not more than 24 consecutive months.
  • Presidential Reserve Call Up.
When the President determines that it is necessary to augment the active forces for any operational mission for any unit or any member for not more than 270 days.
  • Federal Aid for State Governments.
Whenever an insurrection occurs in any state against its government, the President may, upon the request of its legislature or of its governor call into Federal service such of the militia of the other states. This is a statutory exception to the PCA
  • Use of Militia and Armed Forces to Enforce Federal Authority.
Whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, assemblages, or rebellion make it impracticable to enforce the laws of Ibica in any state or territory, he may call into Federal service such of the militia of any state. This is another statutory exception to the PCA.
  • Interference with State and Federal law.
The President, by using the militia or the armed forces, or both, or by any other means, shall take such measures as he considers necessary to suppress, in a state, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy.
  • Air and Army National Guard.
Air and Army National Guard can specifically be called into Federal service in case of invasion, rebellion, or inability to execute Federal law with active forces.

In the categories listed above, Army and Air National Guard units or individuals may also be mobilized for non-combat purposes such as the State Partnership Program, humanitarian missions, counter-drug operations, and peacekeeping or peace enforcement missions.