1 www.nationalguard.mil/features/ngps
Proven in Combat and our Community

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General Craig R. McKinley 

Chief, National Guard Bureau

“Allowing the 

National Guard to 

regress back to 

a Cold War-style 

strategic force 

would damage 

U.S. national 

security.”

—Center for New 

American Security
National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Executive Overview

General Craig R. McKinley 

Chief, National Guard Bureau

The National Guard is the DoD’s 

most cost effective component

TNational Guardsmen serve longer 

and retire later than their active 

counterparts, maintaining expertise 

and increasing the value of the 

training 

TAn “as-needed” force, nearly 85% of 

the National Guard is part-time

TNational Guardsmen respond to the 

vast majority of all emergencies in 

the United States 

TThe ANG has access to $12 billion 

in community infrastructure (civilian 

airports) for $120 million per year 

TThe ANG operates for less than 

two cents of every dollar spent on 

defense

TNational Guard members serve 

for one-third the cost of their 

active duty counterparts

TFor 11% of the Army budget, the 

Army National Guard provides 

32% of the Army’s total personnel 

and 40% of its operating forces 

TFor 6% of the Air Force budget, 

the Air National Guard provides 

19% of the Air Force’s total 

personnel and 30-40% of the Air 

Force fighter, tanker and airlift 

capacity 

TANG operates and trains in onefourth the space at one-tenth the 

cost of an active duty installation

F

or 375 years, the National Guard has played a 

significant role in maintaining peace and security for 

our states, territories, the District of Columbia and the 

nation. I am very proud of our rich heritage and our present 

day resolve as we continue our role in the preservation of 

the ideals upon which our country was established. 

Today, we are faced with a historic opportunity as we stand 

at the confluence of a new fiscal environment, the transition 

from combat to stability operations and a new military 

strategy. This convergence is leading to new defensewide budgetary realities and challenging our decision 

makers as they formulate difficult spending choices that are 

sustainable and keep America safe and secure. 

Today’s global security environment is characterized 

as having asymmetric threats which pose danger to the 

United States. In light of this, we must remain vigilant 

and capable. The United States faces greater security 

challenges today than at the end of the Cold War, the last 

time the military was significantly downsized. Therefore, 

we must look beyond simple cost accounting methods 

calling for across the board spending reductions. This 

Security America Can Afford 

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National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Executive Overview

method was used in the past and it did not serve 

us well. The result was widely characterized 

as a hollow force. Our new military strategy 

ensures we will not risk a hollow National 

Guard in the future.

Congress recently validated the National 

Guard’s critical role in defense of this nation 

both at home and abroad by passing the 2012 

National Defense Authorization Act (signed 

into law Dec. 31, 2011). One of the provisions 

formally designated the Chief of the National 

Guard Bureau as a statutory member of the 

Joint Chiefs of Staff. I am extremely honored 

to represent the more than 460,000 men and 

women of the National Guard as the first 

National Guard Bureau Chief to join the Joint 

Chiefs of Staff. I stand ready to continue 

working alongside the other Joint Chiefs 

to provide our nation’s senior leaders with 

a broader picture of the National Guard’s 

responsibilities and capabilities.

The past ten years brought vast improvements 

in the overall training, equipping, and readiness 

of our force. This reality, combined with 

significant combat experience, has created a 

“dividend” in the National Guard. We have 

the most proficient, capable, accessible, and 

battle-tested National Guard in the history of the 

United States. Failure to continue the reliance 

on, and modernization of, the National Guard 

would squander a decade’s worth of progress 

and result in an enormous loss of experience and 

capability. 

By capitalizing on past investments, the 

National Guard is one of the best options 

available for our nation to concurrently preserve 

military capability, capacity, and depth, while 

helping to decrease overall defense expenditures. 

The Department of Defense recognizes the 

National Guard as an irreplaceable and costeffective element of the Total Force. As such, 

Army National Guard and Air National Guard 

members have become fully integrated into 

Army and Air Force operations. 

The National Guard provides a cost effective, 

proven solution to our country’s budgetary crisis 

while helping to ensure our security. More 

importantly, the National Guard adds value 

beyond the budget ledger by investing in the 

safety and quality of life of our communities. 

Fully integrated into over 3,000 communities 

across the country and embedded into the fabric 

of America, the National Guard is America’s 

force of first choice for homeland emergencies 

as well as our nation’s strategic and operational 

hedge.

The new fiscal realities facing the Department 

of Defense offer an opportunity to review what 

the National Guard has contributed over the 

past decade, but more importantly, where the 

National Guard will be ten years from now. 

With sizable defense funding and force structure 

reductions on the horizon, the National Guard 

offers America not only affordable defense, but 

also a “reversibility” option -- a strategic hedge 

for unforeseen world events which could dictate 

a change of course for our nation’s military 

strategy. When it comes to world events, not 

even the best and brightest can fully predict 

what the future will look like. There must 

be sufficient depth in National Guard force 

structure to ensure we are a credible strategic 

hedge for the nation. Subsequently, as the nation 

confronts new fiscal realities the National Guard 

is a great insurance policy for the unanticipated. 

The National Guard allows the nation to 

maintain a robust military capability at 

the least possible cost to the taxpayer. 

The military community has 

made many sacrifices over 

the past decade -- indeed 

over the course of our 

entire history. For the 

National Guard, many 

of these sacrifices mirror 

the achievements of our 

active-duty counterparts’, 

while others are unique to 

the reserve components and 

our community-based posture. 

Our fiscal environment 

demands that the entire military 

family continues to make sacrifices 

in order to sustain a capable force. 

The National Guard has 

reaffirmed its value to our 

parent services and to 

America. We must now 

begin to embrace the 

opportunity at hand by 

ensuring we continue 

to be capable, fully 

integrated components 

of the United States Army 

and the United States Air Force as we 

prepare for future threats. 

As the Department of Defense 

transforms to meet new and evolving 

mission areas, so will the National 

Guard. Always Ready, Always There!
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National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Executive Overview

Director, Army National Guard 

Lieutenant General William E. Ingram Jr.

Always Ready, Always There

T358,200 Citizen Soldiers in 50 states, three 

territories, and the District of Columbia 

T2,800 readiness centers (armories) across 

the country

TProvides nearly 32% of the Total Army force

TConsists of 8 division headquarters and 128 

brigades; this includes 28 Brigade Combat 

Teams (infantry, heavy, and Stryker), 52 

multi-functional brigades (including combat 

aviation, surveillance, and sustainment 

brigades), and 48 functional brigades 

(including military police and chemical) 

TIncreased number of Soldiers medically 

available for deployment by 3%

Poised for future challenges 

O

ur nation has endured a decade at war 

relying upon an all-volunteer force. 

Despite the challenges this has presented, 

we continue to see young people who want to 

join the Army National Guard, along with an 

impressive retention rate among those who are 

already serving. Army Guard Soldiers continue 

the proud tradition of serving both our local 

communities and our nation at home and around 

the world. In 2011 alone, Citizen Soldiers 

responded to floods, wildfires, tornadoes, and 

hurricanes, while deploying overseas in support 

of peacekeeping, humanitarian relief and combat 

operations. 

Each mission enhances our value, showcases our 

vigilance, and sharpens our capabilities. More 

than 80% of our Soldiers joined the military 

after 9/11 and more than 50% are now seasoned 

combat veterans. We plan to retain this level of 

experience by keeping our troops trained, ready, 

and resilient to the stresses that they experience. 

Our heart-breaking suicide rate profoundly alarms 

us, and senior leaders are aggressively addressing 

this mental health challenge. We developed creative 

programs to build resilience and our determined 

staff of mental health professionals and volunteers 

provide a supportive network of friends and family 

members to our Citizen Soldiers in need.

The Army Guard functions as an accessible and 

experienced operational force, providing trained 

and ready Soldiers from each of our 50 states, 

three territories, and the District of Columbia 

for domestic and international missions. We 

continue to maintain our end-strength up to the 

Congressionally-authorized level of 358,200. As 

of Oct. 6, 2011, the Army Guard has completed 

nearly 488,000 Soldier mobilizations in support 

of overseas missions since 9/11. Worldwide 

deployments have included Iraq, Afghanistan, the 

Balkans, Guantanamo Bay, Djibouti, the Sinai, 

and other locations across the globe. Domestic 

operations include counterdrug missions, support 
National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Executive Overview

of $873.6 million across 

48 projects in 32 states 

and territories, achieving 

a fund execution rate of 

over 90% in FY11. This 

is the fourth consecutive 

year that the Army Guard 

has achieved this level of 

execution. We have replaced 

or modernized 15 readiness 

centers and constructed 13 

training ranges and facilities 

to support unit rotation 

requirements and unit 

readiness. In addition, we have renovated six aviation 

facilities and replaced or modernized nine logistics 

facilities to support equipment upgrades. 

However, aging critical infrastructure, including 

readiness centers that are on average over 50 years 

old, combined with budget constraints, will create 

unavoidable challenges. As we prepare to institute 

necessary changes, the National 

Guard remains committed 

to maintaining a ready 

and integrated force 

with the Active 

Army and Army 

Reserve. 

bailiffs, paralegals, law 

clerks, legal advisors); 

and 511 plumbers. Our 

agribusiness development 

teams are proof positive 

of the successful merge 

of civilian skill sets and 

military occupational 

specialties. These teams 

help Afghan farmers grow 

their agriculture base by 

using techniques from the 

heartland of America in 

order to build a more stable 

Afghanistan.

Since 9/11, the Army has allocated more than 

$41 billion to equip the ARNG with critical 

new equipment and capabilities. As a result 

our on-hand percentage for all equipment 

and capabilities. As a result our on-hand 

percentage for all equipment has increased 

to 88%. The Army Guard executed a 

Military Construction budget 

for U.S. Customs and Border Protection on the 

southwest border, and state active duty missions 

under the command of our governors. 

National Guard Soldiers exemplify a unique 

blend of civilian and military skills that our 

active component counterparts do not possess, 

enabling them to conduct a wide spectrum 

of civil-military missions with exceptional 

effectiveness. Our Soldiers include: 5,798 

emergency first responders (firefighters, law 

enforcement, emergency medical technicians, 

emergency analysts); 5,503 pilots, 5,186 

educators; 3,655 medical professionals (not 

including emergency medical technicians); 

2,804 truck drivers; 2,655 engineers; 2,296 

mechanics; 1,794 cooks; 1,402 sales associates; 

1,119 agricultural specialists; 778 legal 

professionals (lawyers/attorneys, 

prosecutors, judges, 

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National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Executive Overview

Director, Air National Guard

Lieutenant General Harry M. Wyatt III

Indispensable and Accessible 

T106,700 Air Guard members in 50 

states, three territories, and the 

District of Columbia 

TCommunity-based facilities provides 

America immediate regional support 

at less cost than large military 

installations

TCosts taxpayers less than two cents 

of every dollar spent on defense 

TOperates 17 of 18 air defense alert 

sites across the U.S.

TBoasts the highest retention rate of 

any Active or Reserve service 

TFilled nearly 90% of all manpower 

requests with volunteers

Proven, cost effective air power

F

or more than two decades the United 

States Air Force has provided the “proof of 

concept” for how our military can operate 

as a Total Force. Our Air Guardsmen have 

demonstrated their commitment to this concept 

and are indispensable to the Air Force’s Total 

Force effort. The world is a very different place 

today than when Secretary of Defense Melvin 

Laird established the Total Force in August 

1970, but the underlying principle of the Total 

Force remains true: the nation can maintain 

defense capabilities at less total cost through a 

careful and thoughtful balancing of Active and 

Reserve Component forces.

As the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review 

concluded, effective use of the Guard and 

Reserves “will lower overall personnel and 

operating costs, better ensure the right mix 

and availability of equipment, provide more 

efficient and effective use of defense assets, 

and contribute to the sustainability of both the 

Active and Reserve components.” It is time for 

us to settle and move past the cost comparison 

debate and begin making decisions based on this 

new environment of austerity we find ourselves 

navigating.

Last fiscal year Air Guardsmen, 89.5% of those 

whom volunteered to serve, filled almost 56,000 

manpower requests. On March 17, 2011, as 

the United Nations Security Council debated 

the Libyan no-fly zone resolution, Air National 

Guard aircraft and air crews were already en 

route to Forward Operating Bases to await 

orders.

Air Guardsmen have deployed to support 

contingency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, 

provide air logistics support to the National 

Science Foundation in Antarctica, and help to 

defend U.S. interests on every continent around 
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National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Executive Overview

essential and cost effective element of the 

Total Force. 

For the Air National Guard to be effective, it must 

have equipment capable of performing the mission 

and the ability to integrate seamlessly into joint 

operations. Investment in the Air National Guard 

is as good a business decision today as it was at 

the dawn of the Total Force in 1970. For less than 

two cents of every dollar spent on defense, the Air 

National Guard provides 35% of the Air Force’s 

capability. There is no better value 

for fielding air power to 

both our nation and its 

governors.

Missouri, and Nebraska. Almost 600 Air 

Guardsmen supported local and national 

counterdrug programs, and 121 Airmen assisted 

the U.S. Border Patrol on our southwest border. 

Air National Guard C-130 crews, equipped 

with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, 

dropped 20,000 gallons of fire retardant on 

Southwest fires in support of the National 

Forestry Service, part of more than 360,000 

gallons dropped during the entire wildfire 

season.

Air Guard members want to continue their 

service to their country, state, and local 

community. These men and women are very 

proud of the National Guard’s 375 years of 

service, but they also understand that the 

nation’s needs are changing. They are dedicated 

to ensuring the Air National Guard remains an 

the globe. As demands upon the U.S. Air Force 

expanded beyond flight operations in Iraq and 

Afghanistan, Air Guard men and women were 

there, providing medical assistance, explosive 

ordnance disposal experts, security forces, and 

other combat and support capabilities.

The Air National Guard’s contribution 

encompasses more than just overseas 

contingencies; our Air Guardsmen provide 

critical support to homeland defense and civil 

authorities. On October 1, 2011, Air Guard men 

and women were actively engaged in homeland 

defense and support to civil authorities. These 

missions included protecting American skies 

through the Aerospace Control Alert mission, 

assisting with critical infrastructure protection 

and assisting their local communities with 

disaster recovery in North and South Dakota, 
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“There have been 

no finer set of 

Soldiers than the 

National Guard 

who have deployed 

here. They have 

shown flexibility, 

adaptability and 

judgment that are 

frankly without 

peer.”

— Ambassador 

David Satterfield, 

Director General of the 

Multinational Force and 

Observers
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National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Overseas Defense Mission

11,000

6,040

488,000

* The Army Guard / Air Guard 

numbers above include National 

Guard Soldiers and Airmen who have 

mobilized multiple times.

179,700

10,470

2,380

FY11 National Guard 

Mobilizations in 

support of Overseas 

Missions 

BATTLE READY: 

TSince 9/11, National Guard Citizen Soldiers 

and Airmen have been mobilized more than 

660,000 times in support of the overseas and 

domestic missions, some multiple times

TOver 115,000 former and current Army 

National Guard Soldiers have mobilized more 

than once since 9/11

TWhen the United Nations Security Council 

declared a no-fly zone resolution over 

Libya, Air National Guard aerial refueling 

aircraft and crews were the first to respond, 

providing 14 of the 24 tankers 

TAir Guardsmen filled over 56,000 Air Force 

manpower requests in FY11. Nearly 90 

percent of those were voluntary

TMore than half of National Guard members 

are now combat veterans 

TMore than 19,500 Air Guardsmen deployed 

to more than 60 countries and every 

continent last year

T

Structured for the Future

T

he National Guard has structured itself 

for the future. As an operational force, the 

National Guard is the most cost-effective 

means of adjusting capability to respond to 

changing demand. The active component 

structure generates high costs regardless of 

the demand for forces. A flexibly resourced 

operational force, such as the National Guard, 

can meet our national security requirements 

efficiently in an era of uncertainty and 

declining defense resources.

Force Rotation

Today’s Citizen Soldier is likely to 

have deployed at least once since 

9/11 with an expectation that he or 

she will deploy again. To support 

national security needs, the Army 

National Guard has provided 55,000 

Soldiers each year to the combatant 

commanders. Currently, the Army 

National Guard’s rotation cycle is averaging one year 

mobilized for every 3.3 years at home. However, the 

goal is to reach a ratio that allows for 5 years at home 

for every 1 year mobilized. 
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National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Overseas Defense Mission

Currently, the Air National Guard has six standalone DCGS nodes in Alabama, Arkansas, 

Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, and Nevada, 

and two classic associate units co-located with 

the active AF nodes in Virginia and California. 

Smartly Equipped 

TOverall equipment on hand in the Army 

National Guard is at 87% 

TUsing National Guard and Reserve 

Equipment Account (NGREA) funding, the 

Air National Guard spent $15 million for 

urban search and rescue and $20 million for 

command and control equipment to improve 

domestic response coordination 

TModernization of critical dual-use 

equipment ensures the National Guard 

has the right tools for both homeland and 

wartime missions 

future while defending our critical military 

networks today. 

The National Guard has access to a wealth of 

information technology talent within its ranks, 

including Guardsmen working at world-class 

companies. These Soldiers and Airmen have 

a unique blend of civilian and military skills 

across the information technology spectrum, 

making the National Guard a ready defense asset 

in the national cyber security mission. 

Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS)

The DCGS weapons system serves as the 

“virtual back end” of the U-2 Dragon Lady, 

RQ-4 Global Hawk, MQ-1 Predator, and MQ-9 

Reaper. Air Force DCGS locations around the 

globe receive raw data feeds from these secure 

platforms and provide finished analysis to 

coalition forces and combatant commanders.

Since 9/11, annual mobilization rates have 

varied from about 17,000 to over 100,000 

Soldiers per year out of an authorized force 

of 358,200 Soldiers. The Army Guard has 

completed more than 488,000 mobilizations in 

support of domestic and overseas missions to 

Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans, Guantanamo 

Bay, Djibouti (Horn of Africa), and the Sinai. 

This number includes 19,744 AGR and 29,748 

military technician mobilizations. The Army 

Guard has also contributed over 4 million Title 

32 mandays and an additional 4.8 million days 

of State Active Duty in support of domestic 

operations. Air National Guard annual Title 

10 activations since 9/11 ranged from 6,000 to 

63,000 and annual Title 32 activations ranged 

from 1,000 to 11,000.

Positioned for Cyber 

The Department of Defense is currently refining 

its framework to thwart cyber attacks in the 
National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement

13

Overseas Defense Mission

Efficient and cost-effective modernization 

will become even more important as budgets 

decline and legacy systems remain in the Air 

National Guard inventory well past their original 

design lives. The Air National Guard pursues 

“good enough” 80% solutions to modernization 

shortfalls using readily available, off-the-shelf 

technology to provide capabilities at much 

lower cost than comparable DoD programs. This 

approach uses NGREA funding more efficiently 

and increases capability across more weapon 

systems and mission areas. 

To save money, the Air National Guard is 

pursuing a $125,000 helmet-mounted cueing 

system for its A-10 and F-16s that allows the 

pilot to quickly acquire high value, fleeting 

targets in seconds versus minutes by simply 

looking at the cueing system. Comparable 

systems on other fighters cost $650,000 per 

aircraft. 

Air Guard Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) 

RPAs provide combat intelligence, surveillance 

and reconnaissance, close air support, force 

protection and escort, base security, and 

precision strike capability to joint force 

commanders. Airmen from across the U.S. 

conduct RPA operations 24/7. 

TThe Air Guard flies 11 Predator and Reaper 

Combat Air Patrols (CAPS) 

TAir Guard Predators and Reapers provide 

more than 220 hours of full motion video 

every day to joint force commanders and 

warfighters on the ground

TThe Air Guard has MQ-1 Predator units in 

Arizona, California, North Dakota, Texas, 

and Ohio 

TEach Air Guard MQ-1 unit flies Overseas 

Contingency Operations CAPs. This effort 

equates to nearly 73,000 combat hours 

(3,650 combat sorties) per year 

TThe Air Guard has one MQ-9 Reaper 

Squadron, the 174th Fighter Wing in 

Syracuse, NY. The 174th is forecast to fly 

approximately 7,300 combat hours (365 

combat sorties) per year 

TFive additional Air Guard MQ-9 RPA units 

will be added by FY14 

Nearly Half the Flying Force

The Army Guard manages approximately 43% 

of the Army’s total aviation and Unmanned 

Aircraft Systems (UAS). These assets are 

a critical force multiplier during Overseas 

Contingency Operations and are the most 

immediately available aviation assets for defense 

support to civil authorities. 

Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, 

the Army Guard has mobilized the bulk of 

its aviation assets, particularly aircraft and 

aircrews, in support of operational needs in 

Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Kuwait, the Horn of 

Africa, and Germany as well as at home. Army 

Guard crews logged more than 52,000 hours 

flown outside the continental U.S. in FY11. 

Additionally, Army Guard fixed-wing and rotary 

wing crews flew 182,732 hours on domestic and 

training missions.

The Air Guard:

Cost Effective 

Combat Capability

ANG

Flying

Missions

 in 2011

Noble Eagle 

(U.S. borders)

Enduring Freedom 

(Afghanistan) 

New Dawn 

(Iraq)

Odyssey Dawn

(Libya)

Hours Sorties Hours Sorties Hours Sorties Hours Sorties

Airlift 0 0 24,405 17,905 7,311 1,609 61 10

Refuelers 1,256 234 21,150 3,428 6,036 1,020 1,636 14,381

Fighters 474 102 103 14 40 5 0 0

Spc Ops 0 0 7,558 774 9,792 2,023 196 1,332

Rescue 0 0 325 681 0 0 0 0

TOTALS 1,731 336 53,544 22,802 23,181 4,657 1,893 15,723
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National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Overseas Defense Mission

ARNG Aviation Snapshot

52,000 hours flown outside 

the continental US 

Flew 182,732 hours 

on domestic and 

training missions

ARNG manages 

approximately 

43% of the Army’s 

total aviation and 

Unmanned Aircraft 

System (UAS) 

assets

52,000

182,732

43%

100%

Army Guard Aviation 

TThe UH-72 fielding is ongoing and for FY11 

there were 88 Lakotas fielded, with the following 

projections for future fielding: 41 scheduled for 

FY12; 38 in FY13; 19 for FY14; 22 for FY15; and 3 

for FY16 

TUH-60M Black Hawk fleet grew to 815 aircraft and is 

expected to grow to 849 by FY15. 

TThe UH-60A modernization program recapitalized 52 

UH-60As to L models. FY12 UH/HH-60M fielding 

is for 3 additional aircraft, plus an additional 30 UH60Ms in FY15-16 

TPossess 158 Chinooks and will be fully fielded at 161 

by the end of FY12. These mostly CH-47D models 

will be upgraded to the F Model beginning FY12 with 

completion by FY17 

TRemanufacturing AH-64As to the 

AH-64D Longbow configuration 

continued in FY11 

TThe Army National Guard 

has fielded 498 of its 

authorized 936 Raven RQ11B Small Unmanned Aircraft 

Systems (SUAS). Full fielding 

is projected by end of FY17

TAll 30 of the Army National Guard’s 

Shadow RQ-7B Tactical Unmanned 

Aircraft System (TUAS) platoons have 

completed fielding and achieved operational 

readiness
15

“The National Guard 

brings tremendous 

value in the state 

partnership arena. 

We have the 

ability to work 

with defense 

forces in foreign 

nations one-onone and develop 

relationships 

that are so vitally 

important to our 

nation’s defense.”

— Maj. Gen. Frank Vavala, 

Delaware Adjutant General
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National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Global Engagement

Partnership Dividends 

TThe State Partnership 

Program (SPP) includes 

63 military-to-military 

partnerships (to date) with 

other nations and costs less 

than $14 million

T22 SPP nations are providing 

11,000 troops in Afghanistan 

T40 SPP countries provide 

31,300 troops and military 

experts for United Nations 

peacekeeping operations

TSPP reduces the pressure on 

U.S. forces worldwide and 

mitigates more direct, costly 

U.S. military involvement

State Partnership Program 

C

elebrating nearly 20 years of enduring 

relationships with 63 countries, the 

National Guard’s SPP provides unique 

military-to-military activities with partner 

countries using National Guard expertise. 

Participation in SPP events is designed to 

enhance partner capabilities, advance defense 

reform efforts and achieve greater military 

interoperability to support U.S. security 

cooperation efforts.

Among other benefits, SPP alignments have 

resulted in joint National Guard and partner 

country deployments in support of multinational operations in Afghanistan. Many 

deployments have been with former members of 

the Soviet Union. These critical partner-country 

deployments reduce pressure on U.S. forces 

worldwide and hedge against the need for more 

direct and costly U.S. military involvement in 

future contingencies.

The SPP has yielded other benefits. Recently 

working with their Mongolian partners, for 

example, Alaska National Guard medical teams 

provided dental care, eye exams and veterinary 

care to remote locations. Dubbed Operation 

Arctic Care, this SPP partnership allowed the 

Mongolians to mirror the National Guard’s 

processes and see firsthand the Guard’s ability to 

support civilian authorities.

Afghanistan Agribusiness Program 

TIncludes a canal reconstruction project that 

will irrigate approximately 500 acres and 

positively impact 475 Afghan families

TGreenhouse construction

TDrip irrigation installation, operation, 

maintenance and repair

TSharing expertise on water, soil, timber, and 

mineral conservation

TEstablishing and stocking small-scale fish 

farms

THelping to introduce crop diversity 
HAITI

EARTHQUAKE

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National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Global Engagement

After four years, 31 National Guard 

Agribusiness Development Teams (ADTs), 

each consisting of 58 Army and Air National 

Guardsmen with agribusiness expertise, 

deployed to 14 Afghan provinces and have 

contributed to over 325 agriculture projects 

generating more than $35 million for the Afghan 

economy.

The goal of the ADTs is to supplement current 

Afghan farming practices by introducing 

advanced farming techniques and methods 

already in practice in the United States. The 

agribusiness teams provide training and advice 

to Afghan agricultural universities, provincial 

ministries, and local farmers, which leads to 

increased stability and improved opportunities 

for Afghanistan’s reemerging agribusiness 

industry. 

The ADT concept provides two major benefits to 

the counterinsurgency strategy:

TCultivates practical, sustainable agricultural 

expertise among Afghan farmers 

TAssists Task Force Commanders with daily 

community engagement 

As a result of 

the ADTs, 

Afghanistan 

has increased 

harvests of 

apples, grapes, 

pomegranates, cherries, 

almonds, wheat, corn, alfalfa, and 

saffron.

‘Good Neighbors’-led Effort

The Louisiana National Guard-led Task Force 

Bon Voizen, (Good Neighbor) provided medical, 

dental and veterinary care to more than 2,100 

animals and 32,000 people in earthquakeravaged Haiti. Its engineers also built a threeroom school, two medical clinics and public 

restrooms.

This effort marked the second time the Louisiana 

National Guard participated in humanitarian 

relief efforts in Haiti since the January 2010 

earthquake, and consisted of more than 2,300 

Guard members. 

Louisiana Army Guard Col. 

Kenneth Donnelly, the task 

force commander, called the 

Haiti mission a life-changing 

experience.

“The Soldiers, Airmen and 

Marines of the task force are 

regular people, with regular jobs back 

in their hometowns and duty stations. 

They are just like you and me, willing to do 

what it takes to make the world a better place,” 

Donnelly said. “They came to give instead of 

take. They came to act instead of talk. 

“I measure their success not by the structures 

they built or the number of patients they treated, 

but rather by the lives they touched,” he added.

National Guard troops from several states 

including Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts, 

Georgia, Florida and North Dakota also 

supported the humanitarian assistance effort. 
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National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Global Engagement

Enhancing International Defense through National Guard Relationships

USSOUTHCOM - 21

Arkansas / Guatemala

Connecticut / Uruguay

Delaware / Trinidad-Tobago

District of Columbia / Jamaica

Florida / Venezuela

Florida / Guyana

Florida, VI / Regional Security

 System (E. Carib. Islands)

Kentucky / Ecuador

Louisiana / Belize, Haiti

Massachusetts / Paraguay

Mississippi / Bolivia

Missouri / Panama

New Hampshire / El Salvador

New Mexico / Costa Rica

Puerto Rico / Honduras

Puerto Rico / Dominican Rep.

South Dakota/Suriname

Texas/Chile

West Virginia / Peru

Wisconsin / Nicaragua

USNORTHCOM - 1

Rhode Island / Bahamas

USAFRICOM - 8

California / Nigeria

New York / South Africa

North Carolina / Botswana

North Dakota / Ghana

Michigan / Liberia

Utah / Morocco

Vermont / Senegal

Wyoming / Tunisia

USCENTCOM - 5

Arizona / Kazakhstan

Colorado / Jordan 

Mississippi / Uzbekistan

Montana / Kyrgyzstan

Virginia / Tajikistan

USPACOM - 6

Alaska / Mongolia

Hawaii, Guam / Philippines

Hawaii / Indonesia

Washington / Thailand

Oregon / Bangladesh

Idaho / Cambodia

USEUCOM - 22

Alabama / Romania

California / Ukraine

Colorado / Slovenia

Georgia / Georgia

Illinois / Poland

Indiana / Slovakia

Iowa / Kosovo

Kansas / Armenia

Maine/Montenegro

Maryland / Estonia

Maryland / Bosnia

Michigan / Latvia

Minnesota / Croatia

New Jersey / Albania

North Carolina / Moldova

Ohio / Hungary

Ohio / Serbia

Oklahoma / Azerbaijan

Pennsylvania / Lithuania

Tennessee / Bulgaria

Texas, Nebraska / Czech Republic

Vermont / Macedonia
19

“It’s powerful 

just to see 

a National 

Guard vehicle 

driving by. It 

gives people 

the sense that 

they’re not by 

themselves 

and that help 

is coming.” 

— Honorable 

W. Craig Fugate, 

FEMA Administrator
20

National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Domestic Mission Support

Rapid Response 

TIn FY11, the Army Guard performed more than 

907,180 duty days in response to wildfires, 

tornadoes, Hurricane Irene, and other alerts and 

emergencies 

TNearly 3,000 Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 24 

states logged nearly 78,500 duty days, saving lives, 

clearing debris, and performing transportation and 

security missions after Hurricane Irene 

TMore than 1,800 Guard members from 27 states 

responded to floods in FY11, logging more than 

236,990 duty days 

TSince September 11, 2001, Army Guard aviation 

crews fought 79 wildfires and dropped over 

3,000,000 gallons of water, one Bambi bucket at a 

time

TAir Guard C-130 crews, equipped with Modular 

Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, dropped more than 

360,000 gallons of fire retardant during the entire 

wildfire season 

On the Border

TSince the summer of 2010, the National 

Guard has acted as a critical bridge 

while the Administration brought new 

assets online dedicated to effective 

border management and security

TIn 2012, the Guard will continue 

to provide criminal analysts and 

transition to a new strategic approach 

by adding a number of new multipurpose aerial assets equipped with the 

latest surveillance and reconnaissance 

capabilities 

TInstrumental in nearly 30,000 

apprehensions and the seizure of over 

115,000 pounds of marijuana

TIncreased border security resulted in 

lower cross-border flows of people and 

illegal narcotics

TContributed to decline in narcotics 

trafficking by 6%

National Guard personnel, 1,200 at its peak and 

primarily from the four southwest border states 

(California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas), 

have provided criminal analysts and ground 

surveillance teams to U.S. Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection since July 2010. All joined 

in a team effort named Operation Phalanx to 

bolster the Department of Homeland Security’s 

efforts to detect, deter and disrupt transnational 

criminal organizations.

Counterdrug Program (CDP)

In an era of ever-changing global challenges, 

the CDP provides critical support to Law 

Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and Combatant 

Commanders with full spectrum capabilities 

that helps our nation detect, interdict and 

disrupt transnational criminal organizations. 

CD personnel helped LEAs seize almost $18.5 

billion in drugs, property, weapons, and cash in 

FY11. 
21

National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Domestic Mission Support

FEMA Regions

Region 

I Region 

II

Region 

III

Region 

IV

Region 

V

Region 

VI

Region 

VII

Region 

VIII

Region 

IX

Region 

X

The CDP also operates five Counterdrug Training 

Centers located in Mississippi, Florida, Iowa, 

Pennsylvania, and Washington; these centers 

trained 5,836 military personnel, 56,093 law 

enforcement officers and 9,792 interagency 

partners in FY11. 

CDP is leading the Deputy Assistant Secretary of 

Defense for Counternarcotics and Global Threats 

effort to engage in funding based on measurable 

metrics and threats. The implementation of the 

Threat Based Resource Model (TBRM) in the 

FY12 budget will strengthen the National Guard’s 

national security capability by allocating resources 

to all states and territories based on the severity of 

the narcotics threat faced by each state.

The TBRM will gradually be employed into 

the state plans budget through FY15. All 50 

states, 3 territories, and the District of Columbia 

participated in the development of the TBRM, as 

well as interagency partners and subject matter 

experts.

The TBRM evaluates the threat on an annual basis. 

As the threat evolves, so do resource allocations. 

The implementation of the TBRM in FY12 reflects 

a continued commitment to fully fund and support 

today’s global operations while ensuring the 

National Guard’s CDP is prepared to face the 

likely challenges of the future.

Fighting Fires from Above 

Air Guard crews flying C-130s equipped 

with Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems 

(MAFFS), dropped more than 677,188 gallons 

of water and more than 6 million pounds of fire 

retardant on wildfires in 2011.

Each C-130 aircraft fitted with MAFFS is 

capable of dropping up to 3,000 gallons of 

retardant or water in five seconds. Today, three 

of the four MAFFS units are operated by the Air 

Guard: the 145th Airlift 

Wing (AW), 146th AW 

and the 153th AW. The 

Air Guard provides the 

National Interagency Fire 

Center six C-130 aircraft 

and crews trained to fly 

the U.S. Forest Serviceowned MAFFS units. 

Innovative Response 

Capabilities 

T10 Homeland Response Forces 

T17 Chemical, Biological, Radiological, 

Nuclear Enhanced Response Force Packages 

T57 Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil 

Support Teams (WMD-CSTs) conducted in 

excess of 1,720 response, standby, and assist 

missions in FY11

TNational Guard innovative response task 

forces (70% of DoD’s capability) are within 

250 miles of 80% of the U.S. population

Homeland Response Force (HRF)

By the end of FY12, the National Guard will 

have established 10 Homeland Response Forces 

(HRFs), one in each of the 10 FEMA regions, 

with 566 personnel each. HRFs provide timely 

lifesaving capabilities within 6-12 

hours of a chemical, 

biological, radiological, 

nuclear (CBRN) 

event. Each HRF will 

operate alongside the 

Civil Support Teams and 

Chemical, Biological, 

Radiological, Nuclear 

Enhanced Response Force 

Packages, to increase 

operational capabilities 

in response to chemical, 

biological, radiological and nuclear incidents. 
22

National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Domestic Mission Support

HRF Highlights:

TProvides a faster, more capable lifesaving 

CBRN response capability

TBridges a gap between initial National 

Guard response and Title 10 (active duty) 

capabilities

TImproves command and control and 

operational flow for deployed National 

Guard CBRN forces

Incident Awareness and Assessment (IAA)

Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and 

Deepwater Horizon revealed that Incident 

Commanders needed Full Motion Video (FMV) 

feeds and digital imagery during domestic 

incidents that could be shared by federal, state, 

local, and tribal responders in near real-time. 

Additionally, the ability to post the FMV, and 

related analyst products, to an unclassified server 

accessible to all authorized domestic incident 

response partners was needed. 

To address the issue, the National Guard Bureau 

provided each state Joint Force Headquarters 

Geospatial Information Interoperability 

Exploitation Portable and Wideband Imagery 

Dissemination Systems, allowing each to 

establish a functional domestic IAA architecture. 

The ability to share near real-time information 

allows federal and state responders to better 

coordinate domestic response efforts; ultimately 

saving lives, minimizing human suffering, and 

protecting property. 

 

Interoperable Communications 

The Joint Incident Site Communications 

Capability is a rapidly deployable package 

that provides National Guard responders 

with communication capabilities required 

to enable effective domestic response. The 

package provides a mission control capability, 

and the ability to communicate and exchange 

information with federal, state and local 

responders, through multi-channel satellite 

connectivity and open internet access. The 

package also allows Guard responders to 

communicate with disparate civilian radios. 

Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP)

The National Guard provides three Critical 

Infrastructure Assessment-Mission Assurance 

Assessment (CIP-MAA) teams to evaluate the 

vulnerabilities of critical Defense Industrial Base 

sites. Additionally, the National Guard provides 

assistance to Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) by conducting DHS-funded, all-hazard 

vulnerability assessments of DHS-Tier II sites. 

In FY11, CIP-MAA teams assessed over 200 

industrial sites and critical U.S. Government 

infrastructure. 
23

“Something in these 

children just clicked. 

They had been 

wandering the streets, 

not going anywhere 

fast; the jail door was 

getting closer. They 

reached out for help, 

and when they did, the 

National Guard was 

there.” 

— Louisiana Sen. Mary 

Landrieu on the 

National Guard 

ChalleNGe Program
24

National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Soldier, Airman, And Family Support Programs

Members of the Army National Guard’s Resilience Trainer 

Course stand on the flight deck of the USS Midway in San 

Diego Harbor. The course gave Soldiers the skills to assist 

Master Resilience Trainers.

First, Last, and Foremost

TMore than 80% of the Citizen-Soldiers 

in the Army National Guard joined the 

military after 9/11- knowing full well they 

would likely deploy

TThe Air National Guard boasts the highest 

retention rate of any Active or Reserve 

service and component

TYellow Ribbon program sponsored 1,400 

events that supported 103,111 service 

members and 99,809 family members in 

FY11

TFamily Assistance Centers addressed 

2,035,794 inquiries in FY11

TYouth ChalleNGe program has graduated 

more than 110,000 students since 1993, 

saving approximately $175 million a year 

in juvenile corrections costs

Success through Diversity

T

he NGB’s Joint Diversity Executive 

Council, working with state and territory 

Joint Diversity Councils, is assisting 

National Guard leaders to identify best diversity 

practices that will positively impact how the 

National Guard recruits, develops, retains, and 

promotes a diverse workforce. 

“I’ve brought in folks from around the nation 

to advise and strengthen the diversity goals for 

the National Guard,” said Gen. Craig McKinley, 

NGB Chief. He added that state and territory 

adjutants general will continue to aggressively 

push diversity goals.

One of the council’s goals is to ensure all 

Guard members are prepared to serve in a 

multicultural world where differences in a 

person’s characteristics, background, attributes, 

and experiences are respected and valued. The 

National Guard’s future success will rely on 

how it includes, engages and manages members’ 

talents and respects their diversity of thoughts, 

ideas, and perspectives.

Wounded Soldier and Airman Care

The Army Guard currently has more than 

3,100 wounded warriors in Warrior Transition 

Units (WTUs) that are focused on healing each 

injured Soldier as he or she either transitions 

back to military duty or leaves the military to 

assume a productive, responsible role in society. 

WTUs provide non-clinical support, complex 

case management, and transition assistance for 

Soldiers of all components at medical treatment 

facilities on Active Army installations. 

The Community-Based Warrior Transition 

Units (CBWTUs) provide high-quality health 

care, administrative processing, and transition 

assistance for recuperating reserve component 

Soldiers; these units provide Soldiers the ability 
25

National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Soldier, Airman, And Family Support Programs

to live at home, close to their families, and 

transition with hometown support. The Army 

National Guard supports the Army’s WTUs and 

CBWTUs with over 600 Soldiers in positions at 

all levels of the organization, from squad leaders 

to battalion commanders. 

At the end of FY11, WTUs managed more than 

1,500 Army Guard Soldiers at Active Army 

installations and CBWTUs managed more 

than 900 Army Guard Soldiers in communities 

throughout the U.S. 

The Air Guard’s Wounded Warrior program 

provided awareness, identification and 

information / referral to over 160 wounded 

Airmen. The program’s mission is to provide the 

best possible non-medical care and professional 

support from the point of injury to life after 

separation or retirement. The Air National 

Guard Services Division tracks wounded, 

ill, and injured Airmen and their families in 

three phases: recovery, rehabilitation and 

reintegration.

Resilience and Risk 

Reduction

TTop priority is to mitigate 

high-risk behaviors and 

reduce suicidal thoughts 

and actions 

TEstablished a Master 

Resilience Trainer (MRT) 

Training Center at Fort 

McCoy, Currently, there are 

710 qualified Army Guard 

MRTs 

TAssigned Directors of 

Psychological Health to 

each state, territory, and Wing to provide 

case management support for Soldiers and 

Airmen in crisis 

Army Guard mitigation programs: 

TVets4Warriors National Peer Support 

Outreach Program - A peer support helpline 

(1-855-838-8255) to provide all Reserve 

Component Service Members, 

regardless of status, with 24/7 

access to comprehensive nonclinical peer counseling and support 

services with web-chat capability 

T Formal sharing of best practices 

and lessons-learned between all 

states and territories

T Established partnerships with 

national, state and community 

organizations 

T Teaming with the Army Center 

for Substance Abuse Program 

to address substance abuse 

prevention, outreach, and 

treatment 

The National Guard has made suicide prevention 

a top priority by promoting resilience and risk 

reduction programs that will enhance coping 

skills in our Soldiers, Airmen, families, and 

civilians through leadership awareness, training, 

and intervention programs. 
26

National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Soldier, Airman, And Family Support Programs

As the foundation of each Soldier’s support 

network, Army Guard families and employers 

are being trained to assist in identifying high 

risk individuals. States have capitalized on 

community-based resources and solutions to 

provide services outside of military installations.

Suicide prevention program managers were 

resourced nationwide to help units mitigate 

high-risk behaviors of their Soldiers. 

Partnerships with national, state and community 

organizations are also being used to bolster 

commanders’ efforts to improve Soldier 

resilience. 

Strengthening Families through 

‘Strong Bonds’

TThe Army Guard supported more than 320 

Strong Bonds events that impacted 19,500 

Soldiers and their families last year. 

Strong Bonds training events 

are expenses-paid getaways 

coordinated by unit 

chaplains that provide 

safe, healthy 

environments where 

participants can openly 

discuss topics such as 

the stresses of relocation, 

deployments, and military 

lifestyle challenges. The 

program has helped many families 

prevent relationship problems from 

becoming crises and to create healthy 

environments for children. The Army Guard 

has benefitted as well: Soldiers with stable 

families supporting them can stay better 

focused on their missions. Further, Soldier 

readiness and retention rates have improved. 

Currently, more than 400 Army Guard 

chaplains, chaplain assistants, spouses, and 

Family Readiness personnel have obtained the 

skills and certifications required to conduct 

Strong Bonds events.

The Air Guard sponsored more than 324 Strong 

Bonds events that supporting more than 4,000 

Airmen and their families in 2011. With the 

goal of strengthening marriages and families, 

Strong Bonds training events assist married 

couples address the unique stresses of military 

life such as deployments, relocations, and 

separations. 

Currently, more than 290 Air Guard Unit Ministry 

Team Members (chaplains, chaplain assistants, 

spouses, Airmen, and Family Readiness Program 

managers) have obtained the skills and certifications 

required to conduct Strong Bonds events.

Psychological Health

The National Guard Bureau Joint Surgeon’s Office 

(NGB-JSG) has established a National Guard 

Psychological Health Program. With NGB-JSG 

guidance, the Army and Air Guard have placed 

licensed behavioral health providers known as State 

and Wing Directors of Psychological Health (S/

WDPHs) in every Wing, state and territory.

TIn the last 18 months, DPHs actively mitigated 

954 high risk situations; to include suicidal, 

homicidal and assault cases

TDPHs are embedded advisors to leadership to 

promote psychological health that normalizes 

“help seeking” culture 

TSuicide rate is down from last year in Army 

and Air Guard

TEstablished suicide awareness 

and prevention and other support 

resource websites such as: www.

wingmanproject.org and www.

jointservicessupport.org

TAggressively promote 

Soldier and Wingman 

culture and fitness / 

resilience 

DPHs work for the Wing commanders, 

senior leaders, and others to advise 

leadership on psychological health 

issues. These counselors also provide 
27

National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Soldier, Airman, And Family Support Programs

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wmp rack 4x9 chaplain_paths.pdf 1 1/21/10 6:15 PM

immediate expertise for Soldiers and Airmen 

as consultants for individual and family 

psychological issues; then offer professional 

clinical assessments and referrals to help navigate 

complex systems of care. In the last 18 months, 

DPHs have provided 14,177 consultations and 

2,881 clinical referrals. Follow-up and case 

management services are also provided to ensure 

the behavioral health treatment received is 

successful. 

The ARNG and ANG have instituted four 

“pillars” of resiliency (emotional, physical, 

spiritual, and social) as a Total Force initiative 

that will extend throughout the service career of a 

Soldier or an Airman.

The ARNG and ANG will also institute 

“Comprehensive Resilience Training,” assisting 

Soldiers and Airmen to recognize the signs of 

distress and show when and how to seek help. 

Additionally, prior to returning home from Iraq 

or Afghanistan, the Air Guard has initiated an 

organizational process change: Airmen in highrisk career fields, such as Security Forces, or 

explosive ordnance, will transition through 

Deployment Transition Centers for two days 

to rest and learn how to reintegrate into predeployment life. 

Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP)

The National Guard’s YRRP matured significantly 

in FY11, sponsoring 1,400 events that supported 

103,111 service members, and 99,809 family 

members or their designated representatives.

The YRRP provides information, services, 

referrals, and proactive outreach to military 

members, families or designated representatives, 

and employers throughout the deployment cycle: 

alert / pre-deployment, deployment, and postdeployment/reintegration.

Sexual Assault 

Prevention and 

Response Programs 

(SAPR)

The National Guard 

SAPR program is 

committed to creating a 

command climate that 

encourages victims to 

report to any of the 144 

trained Sexual Assault 

Response Coordinators 

or hundreds of victim 

advocates in the Army 

and Air National Guard. 

These trained personnel 

are available to assist 

National Guard sexual 

assault victims with their 

reporting options and 

resources. 

The SAPR program 

uses the Bystander 

Intervention prevention 

method that equips 

service members with 

skills to recognize 

situations where a potential assault may develop 

and to learn how to safely intervene to prevent 

offenders from committing sexual assaults.

Family Assistance Centers (FACs)

TFACs addressed 2,035,794 inquiries in FY11

TFACs generated 37,594 individual cases 

(including clients from all other services) in 

FY11 

Created to be “one-stop” shops, 

FACs exist in all 50 states, 3 

territories, and the District of 

Columbia to provide information 

and referral, assistance with 

identification cards and the 

Defense Eligibility Enrollment 

Reporting System, assistance with 

TRICARE and dental issues, legal 

assistance, financial issues help, 

and employment issues referral to 

Employer Support of the Guard 

and Reserve. 

Wing Family Programs

Wing Family Program offices 

(91 total) are a critical part of 

the Joint Family Program picture 

in a state. Airman and Family 

Readiness Program Managers 

(A&FRPMs) are part of every 

Wing and they provide services 

regardless of Service affiliation. 

These professionals also provide 

sustainment support services for 

Wings, Geographically Separated 

Units, and all branches of Service. A&FRPMs are 

the sole point of contact for myriad family-related 

issues at each Air Guard base.
28

National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Soldier, Airman, And Family Support Programs

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe 

Program (NGYCP)

TMore than 110,000 students have 

successfully graduated from the program

TCost per ChalleNGe student averages 

$17,300 compared to the $40,000 per year 

cost for an inmate in juvenile custody

TOver 30% of America’s youth (1.2 million 

students per year) fail to get a high school 

diploma 

TWith 1.2 million youths dropping out each 

year, the cost to the American economy 

is $329 billion in lost productivity and 

earnings over the lifetimes of these students

TThe 12 million students projected to drop 

out over the next 10 years will cost our 

economy more than $3 trillion 

This award-winning, community-based program 

leads, trains, and mentors high school dropouts 

to become productive citizens. 

ChalleNGe has 34 sites in 28 States and Puerto 

Rico, offering a five-month “quasi-military” 

residential phase and a one-year post-residential 

mentoring phase for unemployed youth ages 

16-18. 

Based on a Vanderbilt University study, 

ChalleNGe pays for itself by saving 

approximately $175 million annually in juvenile 

corrections costs, while keeping youths off 

federal assistance. 

No-Cost Child Care

The Air National Guard Home Community 

Care (HCC) program is one of several Air Force 

Expanded Child Care programs through Family 

Child Care. It provides in-home, no-cost child 

care services to ANG members during their 

scheduled weekend training when on-base FCC 

is full or unavailable. 

The purpose of the program is to provide 

Air Guard members access to quality child 

care services that are similar to those that are 

available to military assigned to or living on a 

military installation. The HCC program also 

helps to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for Air 

Guard members by providing care at no cost. 

Child care is provided in state-licensed family 

child care homes within 10 miles of a unit. 

During deployments, HCC providers may also 

be used for respite care. Currently, 48 providers 

at 33 Air Guard locations and 13 additional 

Wings are being processed to recruit additional 

providers. 
29

National Guard Bureau 2013 Posture Statement Soldier, Airman, And Family Support Programs

All for the Family

The Army National Guard Human Resources 

Services oversees, manages, or administers 

child, youth and school age programs and 

services currently offered by the Active Army, 

Department of Defense and other Governmental 

/ Non-governmental agencies. The major 

programs include: 

State Child and Youth Programs – The Army 

Guard funds state youth coordinators at the Joint 

Forces Headquarters to plan and execute statelevel child and youth programming to support 

family members of Army Guard Soldiers ages 

6-18 years (K-12). Activities include teen 

councils, youth leader development, community 

outreach, youth camps, and Yellow Ribbon 

Child and Youth Program Support.

 

Community-Based Child Care Programs – 

Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood and 

Operation Military Child Care assist military 

families in eligible statuses with the cost of highquality child care outside military installations at 

eligible non-federal childcare centers and private 

care providers. These programs help make 

childcare fees paid off-post commensurate with 

those paid on-post. The spouse or legal guardian 

must work or attend school. 

Community-Based Respite Care – Families 

of Soldiers in eligible statuses can receive 

up to 16 hours of respite care per child per 

month. Respite care is available through 

eligible community based providers, active 

duty installations, or participating YMCAs with 

eligible child care programs.

Operation Military Kids (OMK) – OMK is a 

land grant partnership that works in coordination 

with the Joint Family Support Assistance 

Program (JFSAP), a DoD program that 

augments existing military family programs. 

Each JFSAP team has a Military Family Life 

Counselor (MFLC), a child and youth behavioral 

MFLC, and a Military One Source consultant. 

Additionally, the team may also have a personal 

financial counselor. OMK coordinates youth 

program activities in communities and provides 

curriculum and supporting activity materials.
National Guard Bureau

1636 Defense Pentagon

Washington DC 20301-1636

www.nationalguard.mil/features/ngps

“In this period of declining Pentagon 

budgets, the Department of Defense has 

to increase the role of the National Guard 

as an element of the overall force mix.” 

 – Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy