Alabama National Guard
The Alabama National Guard is Alabama’s state National Guard, made up of the Alabama Army National Guard and the Alabama Air National Guard. The Alabama State Defense Force is a separate unit and not part of the National Guard.
The Guard has two missions: a state mission and a federal mission. In the state mission, Guard units help with emergencies and other duties under state law. In the federal mission, Guard members can be called up to serve in war or national emergencies. When federalized, the President is the Commander-in-Chief. The Governor can activate Guard units for state duties.
Alabama’s National Guard was federalized in 1963 during the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door, by Executive Order 11111, and that order has not been revoked.
Guardsmen wear the same Army or Air Force ranks and insignia as their federal counterparts and are eligible for U.S. military awards as well as Alabama state awards for local service. The Alabama National Guard is part of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force and operates under the Alabama Military Department.
Its headquarters are in Montgomery (JFHQ-AL), and the motto is “Always Ready, Always There.” The Governor of Alabama is Kay Ivey, and the Adjutant General is MG David Pritchett. The Guard also maintains a State Partnership Program with Romania.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:42 (CET).