Texas State Guard The Texas State Guard ( TXSG ) is one of three branches of the Texas Military Forces . Along with the other two branches , the TXSG falls under the command of the Texas governor and is administered by the adjutant general , an appointee of the governor . The other two branches of the Texas Military Forces are the Texas Army National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard . The mission of the Texas State Guard ( TXSG ) is to provide mission - ready military forces to assist state and local authorities in times of state emergencies ; to conduct homeland security and community service activities under the umbrella of Defense Support to Civil Authorities ; and to augment the Texas Army National Guard and Texas Air National Guard as required . Headquartered at Camp Mabry in Austin , Texas , the TXSG functions as an organized state militia under the authority of Title 32 of the U . S . Code and Chapter 431 of the Texas Government Code . Current structure . The Texas State Guard is a state defense force that 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 . They are not a part of the United States Armed Forces . The Texas State Guard consists of six Civil Affairs Regiments , two Air Wings , a Medical Brigade and a Maritime Regiment . Members ' entry rank depends on prior federal military service and / or civilian education . Individuals with no prior military service or ROTC training must attend the Basic Orientation Training ( BOT ) course . Currently , BOT lasts one or two weekends , depending upon how it is structured . Texas State Guard personnel actively support the state in the event of catastrophic events , and ongoing state military missions . Members receive duty pay [ currently $ 121 daily , regardless of rank ] when activated by the Governor and placed on paid state active duty , and starting in 2008 , for a limited number of mandatory training days . Certain expenses may be paid in case the guardsman is called to state active duty for disaster response — for example — car mileage , housing , and meals costs . The organizational structure follows the federal 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 State issued military awards and decorations as members of the Texas Army & Air National Guard . For example , deployed members of the Texas State Guard received the " Governor ' s Unit Citation " for Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief in 2005 . 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 Austin who was the leader of the first non - Spanish efforts of Texas settlement " to organize the colonists into a body of the national militia , to preserve tranquility . " 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 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 aligned with 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 reorganized 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 . It was revived in 1941 , after thousands of Texas troops were deployed overseas in World War II , to provide state military forces and support for wartime civil defense . When the National Guard was mobilized for service in the First World War , the federal legislature recognized the need for state troops to replace the National Guard . A law was passed authorizing the formation of home defense forces for the duration of the war . While Texas passed the necessary enabling statutes , it did not form such an organization . As World War II made mobilization of the National Guard again likely , steps were taken to provide for state troops as replacements for the National Guard . The Texas Legislature passed the Defense Act , HB 45 , and the Governor signed the bill on 10 February 1941 . This time , a force was organized , with the task falling to Brigadier General J . Watt Page , the Adjutant General of Texas . Within a year , the Texas Defense Guard numbered 17 , 497 officers and enlisted men . This number was in sharp contrast to the 11 , 633 members of the Texas National Guard mustered into federal service some months before . The Texas Defense Guard was organized into fifty independent battalions , each composed of a varying number of companies and a headquarters . The federal legislation authorizing them expired on 25 July 1947 . This was not taken lightly in some states and most notably in Texas . In that same year , the State Legislature authorized the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps . It was activated in January , 1948 . The Reserve Corps carried continued in existence until ten years after the Congress had once again authorized state guards in 1955 . Under statutes enacted by the 59th Legislature , the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps was abolished and Texas State Guard was again authorized and organized on 30 August 1965 . First made up of independent battalions , it was later organized along regimental lines , and at one time also included brigade - sized elements . It was at first organized as Infantry and " Internal Security " units . After the early 1970s , it was organized as Military Police with companies assigned to battalions for control and the battalions , in turn , assigned to groups . For several years , there were six Military Police Groups with boundaries generally following those of Texas Department of Public Safety command districts . In 1979 , the 7th Military Police Group was formed to provide for command and control over remaining separate battalions in East Texas . A reorganization in 1980 resulted in formation of the 8th and 9th Military Police Groups in San Antonio and Dallas . The original six groups were headquartered in Fort Worth , Houston , the Rio Grande Valley , Midland , Lubbock , and Austin . In 1993 , Texas State Guard was reorganized into regiments and the old group designations disappeared . Regimental headquarters were established in San Antonio ( 1st , ) Austin ( 2nd , ) Fort Worth ( 4th , ) Houston ( 8th , ) Dallas ( 19th , ) and Lubbock ( 39th . ) In ceremonies held in Killeen in July , 1993 , during the Texas State Guard Association convention , the newly organized regiments were presented with their new colors by the incumbent general officers and three retired general officers of the Texas State Guard . For the first time since World War II , the regiments were authorized distinctive unit insignia for wear by assigned personnel . In March , 1995 , a seventh regiment , the 9th , was organized in El Paso from elements of the 39th . This added regiment did not survive though and personnel were returned to the 39th in 1999 . Uniform . The Texas military uniform worn by most of the Texas State Guard is similar to US Army ' s Army Combat Uniform military uniforms , though with different markings ; the Maritime Regiment ' s uniform is similar to the Marine ' s MARPAT Digital Desert uniform . Air units wear a Texas variation of the U . S . Air Force uniform . Units and formations . Army regiments . HQ Army Component , Camp Mabry , Austin , TX Air Division . Formed in 1996 , the Air Component Command supports the Texas Air National Guard and provides Defense Support to Civil Authorities , ( DSCA ) . HQ Air Component Command , Camp Mabry , Austin , TX HQ 4th Air Wing , Dallas , TX HQ 5th Air Wing , Camp Mabry , Austin , TX Medical Brigade . HQ Texas State Guard Medical Brigade [ nickname " Texas Medical Rangers " ' Maritime Regiment . Established in 2006 , the Maritime Regiment serves the state of Texas by providing maritime , littoral , and riverine operational support for homeland defense or in response to man - made or natural disasters , e . g . hurricanes or flooding . Additionally , the Maritime Regiment provides operational support for the Texas Parks & Wildlife game wardens and the United States Coast Guard ( stationed in Texas ) . Awards . Texas Military Forces awards available to Texas State Guard members : Texas State Guard ( TXSG ) Awards : Texas State Guard Unit Awards :