National Guard bridgelayer and Combat Engineer Vehicle

sapper740 · #1 08-08-09, 22:05

Here's a couple of pics taken during A.T. (Annual Training) at Camp Bowie near Brownwood, Texas. As a Texas State Guard unit we are seconded to a National Guard unit, ours being the 149th Aviation Battalion, 36th Combat Aviation Brigade based in Grand Prairie, Texas. They are presently returning from a very long 18 month deployment to Iraq where they lost 7 brave soldiers in a helicopter crash. The two vehicles aren't state-of-the-art but are still soldiering on. The bridgelayer is an M60A1 AVLB and the recovery vehicle is an M728 CEV.

SSgt Derek Heuring
436th Aviation Support Group
Texas State Guard

JackM · #2 11-08-09, 02:41

Hi Derek,

I served on exchange with the US Army at Ft Benning in the late 80s and got to know the organisational set up as it was then, pretty well. But now you've added a "State Guard" which I've not heard of.

How does the State Guard fit into the active, reserve and national guard bodies. Is it purely a state entity or can it be federalised ?

Jack

alleramilitaria · #3 11-08-09, 04:30

hey
didnt know you were with the TSG.
good going.

sapper740 · #4 12-08-09, 13:15

Hello Jack, there are currently 21 states that have "State Guards", 22 if you count Puerto Rico. We cannot be federalised although we can be "loaned out" to other states upon request by their Governor. Our duties include both Base and Border security, disaster relief, shelter management, emergency communications, and medical assistance. We also work hand-in-hand with the National Guard unit we are attached to. The Texas State Guard has proven it's worth time and time again with disaster relief after the last few hurricanes we've had and is attempting to double it's size from 2,500 to 5,000 active members. The TXSG is the only state guard with an Air Wing so as you've probably noticed I'm wearing ABUs instead of ACUs. Further, we have a Maritime unit as well as a Marine Detachment.

SSgt Derek Heuring

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackM

Hi Derek,

I served on exchange with the US Army at Ft Benning in the late 80s and got to know the organisational set up as it was then, pretty well. But now you've added a "State Guard" which I've not heard of.

How does the State Guard fit into the active, reserve and national guard bodies. Is it purely a state entity or can it be federalised ?

Jack

JackM · #5 13-08-09, 01:23

Thanks Derek - I'm better educated now.

Jack