As a staff agency, the National Guard Bureau participates with the Army and Air staffs in developing and coordinating programs that directly affect the National Guard. As an operating agency, the National Guard Bureau formulates and administers the programs for training, development and maintenance of the Army National Guard and Air National Guard and acts as the channel of communication between the Army, Air Force and the 54 states and territories where National Guard units are located. Each of the 54 National Guard organizations is supervised by the adjutant general of the state or territory. Under state law, the Air National Guard provides protection of life, property and preserves peace, order and public safety. By law, dual-status military technicians are civil service employees of the federal government who must be military members of the unit that employs them.
Technicians train with the unit and are mobilized with it when it's activated.
Active-duty members serve under the command authority of their respective state or territorial governors until mobilized for federal duty. The Air National Guard has more than 106,000 officers and enlisted people who serve in 88 flying units and 280 independent support units. The authorized strength for the Air National Guard for the current fiscal year is 106,678 compared to active force strength of 360,877. The Air National Guard provides air traffic control, tactical airlift, air refueling KC-135 tankers, general purpose fighter force, rescue and recovery capability, tactical air support, weather flights, bomber force, strategic airlift forces and special operations capability. Airlift squadrons, flying C-130 Hercules aircraft, transport people, equipment and supplies.