Texas State Guard

. [http://www.utexas.edu/cee/cpe/community/winners/2006/index.php?page=tmf]

History

The Texas State Guard has its roots in Stephen F. Austin's colonial militia. On February 18, 1823, Emperor of Mexico Agustín de Iturbide authorized Stephen F. Austin, the leader of the first efforts at Anglo settlement of Texas, "to organize the colonists into a body of the national militia, to preserve tranquility." [http://www.ausa.org/PDFdocs/LWPapers/LWP_61.pdf] Austin was appointed to the rank of lieutenant colonel and allowed the colonists to elect all subordinate militia officers. Soon after, Austin’s militia was authorized to make war on Indian tribes who were hostile and molested the settlement. In 1827, in a move contrary to modern perceptions of Anglo-Texan colonists in Mexico, Austin's militia mobilized in support of the Mexican government to put down the Fredonian Rebellion, a group of Anglo-Americans who tried to declare a part of Texas as an independent republic separate from Mexico.

In 1835 all of the local militias in Texas were annexed by Sam Houston to provide a unified military command for the provisional government of the Republic of Texas. After becoming an independent republic in 1836, these forces were eventually replaced by the Army of the Republic of Texas. In 1845 with the annexation of Texas by the United States, this structure was supplanted by the United States Army, but local militia companies were maintained for ready response. After secession from the Union in 1861, existing militia companies rallied and new militia regiments were formed which were made available to the various armies of the Confederacy. (For example, many Texas companies were assigned to the Army of Northern Virginia.)

It was officially founded as the "State Guard" in 1871 during Reconstruction to unify the independent militia companies and regiments throughout the state and continued in operation until 1903, when it was replaced by the nationalized Texas Army National Guard. [http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/TT/qnt2.html] It was revived in 1941, after thousands of Texas troops were deployed overseas in WWII, to provide state military forces and support for wartime civil defense. It has continued in various forms until the present day.

Current Structure

The Texas State Guard is a state military force which assists and augments Texas military and civil authorities in times of state emergencies, and in on-going support of National Guard units and local communities. The Texas State Guard consists of six Civil Affairs Regiments, two Air Wings, a Medical Reserve Brigade ["The Medical Rangers"] , and a Maritime Regiment.

Texas State Guard personnel actively support the state in the event of catastrophic events, and ongoing military missions. Members receive duty pay when activated by the Governor and placed on paid state active duty, and starting in 2008, for a limited number of mandatory training days. At this time duty pay is an honorarium of $121 per day, regardless of rank. Other service is not compensated, other than simply the satisfaction from helping others in need, and supporting military and community service missions.

The organizational structure follows the active military component structure, with comparable positions, ranks, protocols, and authorities. Members wear the Texas military uniform according to branch of service (in accordance with branch regulations) in regards to state military forces when conducting activities while on duty. TXSG personnel are also eligible for the same military awards and decorations as members of the Texas Army & Air National Guard. For example, deployed members of the Texas State Guard received the for Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief in 2005. The Texas military uniform is similar to US military uniforms, though with different markings.

Units and Formations

Army

* [http://www.txsg.state.tx.us/locations/units/units.aspx?regid=hq Texas State Guard Headquarters Camp Mabry (Austin)]
* [http://www.gotxsg.com/units/1st-Regiment.html 1st Regiment (Alamo Guards) San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Weslaco, Zapata.]
* [http://www.txsg2regt.net 2nd Regiment (Austin Greys) Temple, Brownwood, Clifton, Killeen, Waco, San Marcos, Austin.]
* [http://www.gotxsg.com/units/4th-Regiment.html 4th Regiment (Panther City Fencibles) Arlington, Fort Worth, Denton, Wichita Falls, Mineral Wells.]
* [http://www.gotxsg.com/units/8th-Regiment.html 8th Regiment (Terry's Texas Rangers) Houston, Bryan, Huntsville, Beaumont, Port Arthur.]
* [http://www.gotxsg.com/units/19th-Regiment.html 19th Regiment (Parson's Brigade) Dallas, Grand Prairie, Wylie, Kilgore, New Boston.]
* [http://www.gotxsg.com/units/39th-Regiment.html 39th Regiment (Roughnecks) Lubbock, El Paso, Midland, Amarillo.]

Air

* [http://txsgair.ipower.com/pr/index.html 4th Air Wing]
* [http://txsgair.ipower.com/pr/index.html 5th Air Wing]

Medical

* [http://www.texasmedicalrangers.com/ Texas State Guard Medical Reserve Brigade (The Texas Medical Rangers)]

* [http://www.geocities.com/austinmedicalrangers/ Austin Medical Response Company]
* [http://ccmedicalbrigade.org/ Corpus Christi Medical Response Company]
* [http://www.dfwmrg.org/ Dallas-Fort Worth Medical Response Group]
* [http://www.galvestontexasmedicalrangers.com/ Galveston Medical Response Company]
* [http://swc2.hccs.edu/texasmedicalrangers/ Houston Medical Response Group]
* [http://www.alamogroup.net./ San Antonio Medical Response Group]
* [http://64.23.83.237/newtylerhome.html/ Tyler Medical Response Group]
* [http://www.dfwmrg.org/wichita/index.html Wichita Falls Medical Response Company]

Maritime

* [http://www.gotxsg.com/units/Maritime-Regiment.html Maritime Regiment, Serving statewide.]

Duties

* Military Emergency Management Specialists
* Emergency Shelter Management (Operations & Security)
* Emergency Medical Services (Doctors, Nurses & Paramedics)
* Assists Local Civil Authorities
* Radio Emergency Communications
* Volunteer Coordination
* Legal Support (Attorneys & Paralegals)
* Information Management & Communications
* Chaplain Services
* Search & Rescue
* Operational Support to Texas Army and Air National Guards
* Annual Free Medical Care mission along the Texas border with Mexico ("Operation Lone Star")
* Border Monitoring

Recent Operations and Deployments

*Hurricane Ike in 2008
*Hurricane Gustav in 2008
* Hurricane Dolly in 2008
* Hurricane Rita
* Hurricane Katrina
* Hurricane Dean
* Marble Falls Flood
* Eagle Pass Tornado
* Operation Wrangler
* Operation Border Star 1-V (Ongoing)
* Operation Lone Star [Annual OPTIONAL Active Duty in the Rio Grande Valley]

ee also

* State Defense Forces

External links

* [http://www.txsg.state.tx.us/ Texas State Guard]
* [http://www.gotxsg.com Texas State Guard Recruiting and Career Center]
* [http://64.23.83.237/newrecruiter.html/ Texas Medical Brigade Recruiting Information]
* [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/TT/qnt2_print.html/ Handbook of Texas]
* [http://www.agd.state.tx.us/stateguard/air/state_awards.asp Texas Military Awards and Ribbons]
* [http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/tmpc Texas Military Preparedness Commission]
* [http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/GV/content/pdf/gv.004.00.000431.00.pdf Texas Government Code Chapter 431. State Militia]