How is the National Guard different from the regular Army?
The National Guard serves a dual role. Most of the time, it’s under the control of individual states, with the state governor acting as commander in chief. However, the president can activate the National Guard and place it under federal control. When this occurs, guard units are used to supplement the regular Army, bolstering its forces with additional combat units. Soldiers in the National Guard train one weekend each month, with one two-week training period each year. They’re typically called into action by a state governor, who can send them to the site of any officially declared emergency in the state. This is usually a weather-related emergency, but civil unrest or terrorist attacks are other emergencies they may respond to. Guard troops can also be used for security details at borders and airports. While state governors command their state’s guard troops, each state has an adjutant general who acts as a liaison, interpreting the governor’s orders into specific tactical decisions
