Texas State Guard

The Texas State Guard (TXSG) is the state defense force of Texas and one of the three branches of the Texas Military Forces, alongside the Texas Army National Guard and Texas Air National Guard. It is an organized, volunteer military force controlled by the governor of Texas rather than by the federal government. The governor serves as commander in chief, while day-to-day administration falls under the Texas Military Department and the adjutant general, who is appointed by the governor. The Guard’s central role is to provide mission-ready personnel for state emergencies, homeland-security support, disaster response, and other activities conducted under the broad framework of Defense Support to Civil Authorities. It can assist state and local agencies during hurricanes, floods, wildfires, winter storms, public-health emergencies, civil disturbances, search-and-rescue operations, and border-related missions. It may also augment the Texas Army National Guard and Texas Air National Guard when state authorities require additional personnel. Unlike federally recognized National Guard units, the Texas State Guard is not part of the U.S. Armed Forces and cannot be federally activated as a military component. Its authority is rooted in Texas law and in the state’s constitutional framework governing the militia. The organization is headquartered at Camp Mabry in Austin and is structured with four Civil Affairs Brigades headquartered in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, Houston, Corpus Christi, and Austin. Specialty capabilities include search and rescue, watercraft operations, diving, security, communications, and civil-affairs support. Members generally follow military ranks, protocols, uniforms, training standards, and award systems adapted for Texas service. New members without qualifying military or ROTC experience must complete Basic Orientation Training. Personnel receive duty pay when activated by the governor for paid state active duty, while much of the organization’s routine activity is performed by volunteers. The Guard’s historical lineage reaches back to colonial militia organizations associated with Stephen F. Austin. Texas militia forces were consolidated during the Republic of Texas period, reorganized after statehood, and later replaced by or integrated with nationalized military structures. A modern state force was organized during World War II after the Texas Legislature enacted the Defense Act in 1941. That organization, initially called the Texas Defense Guard, expanded rapidly while Texas National Guard personnel were mobilized for federal service. After postwar legal changes, the force passed through reserve and reorganization phases before the Texas State Guard was formally reauthorized and organized again in 1965. Its organizational forms have changed repeatedly, including independent battalions, regiments, military-police groups, and later brigade-based structures. Since the late twentieth century, missions have increasingly emphasized emergency management, disaster relief, homeland defense, civil affairs, and support to civil authorities rather than conventional combat. Deployments have included relief after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, Harvey, Laura, and other storms; flood and wildfire responses; COVID-19 support; public-safety missions; and activities connected with Operation Lone Star along the southern border. Texas law also protects members’ employment rights by requiring qualifying leave and reinstatement when personnel are called to training, emergency missions, or other authorized state service.

The Guard’s lineage begins with militia arrangements in colonial Texas. In 1823, Agustín de Iturbide authorized Stephen F. Austin to organize settlers into a militia intended to preserve order. Austin’s force later supported the Mexican government against the Fredonian Rebellion. In 1835, local Texas militias were consolidated under Sam Houston for the provisional government, and after independence in 1836 they became associated with the military forces of the Republic of Texas. Following Texas annexation by the United States in 1845, local militia companies continued to exist while the United States Army assumed the principal federal military role. During the Civil War, Texas militia organizations were reorganized and made available to Confederate authorities. In 1871, during Reconstruction, the state formally reorganized its militia as the State Guard, bringing independent companies and regiments under a more unified structure. That organization continued until 1903, when it was replaced by the nationalized Texas Army National Guard. The modern organization emerged during World War II. Anticipating that the National Guard would be mobilized for federal service, the Texas Legislature passed the Defense Act, House Bill 45, which Governor W. Lee O’Daniel signed on February 10, 1941. Adjutant General J. Watt Page was responsible for organizing the Texas Defense Guard. Within a year, the force had grown to more than 17,000 officers and enlisted personnel and was divided into numerous independent battalions. Its purpose was to provide a state-controlled military capability and support wartime civil defense while National Guard units served overseas. Federal authorization for wartime state guards expired in 1947. Texas responded by creating the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps, activated in January 1948. The reserve organization remained in existence until legislative changes in the 1960s. Under statutes enacted by the 59th Texas Legislature, the reserve corps was abolished and the Texas State Guard was again authorized and organized on August 30, 1965. The organization experienced several structural changes in the decades that followed. It was initially arranged around infantry and internal-security units. From the early 1970s, it adopted military-police group structures, with group boundaries generally corresponding to Texas Department of Public Safety command districts. Additional groups were formed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1993, the Guard returned to a regimental structure, establishing headquarters in several major Texas metropolitan areas. A short-lived ninth regiment was created in El Paso in 1995 and its personnel were returned to the 39th Regiment in 1999. In the twenty-first century, the Guard has concentrated on state emergencies, civil affairs, disaster relief, search and rescue, homeland security, and support to other Texas Military Forces. It participated in ground searches after the 2003 Columbia space-shuttle disaster and supported responses to hurricanes, floods, wildfires, winter weather, civil disturbances, and the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also supported Operation Lone Star and associated border-health and public-safety activities. The current structure uses four Civil Affairs Brigades, supplemented by specialized units for maritime operations, diving, rescue, security, and related missions. The force remains under the governor’s sole state control and is not federally deployable as a component of the U.S. Armed Forces.

• 2005

  Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief

  [1]Texas State Guarden.wikipedia.org

  Guard personnel supported hurricane-relief operations and received a Governor’s Unit Citation.

• 1993

  Regimental reorganization

  [1]Texas State Guarden.wikipedia.org

  The Guard replaced its military-police group structure with regimental headquarters across Texas.

• 1965

  Texas State Guard reauthorized

  [1]Texas State Guarden.wikipedia.org

  The Texas State Guard was authorized and reorganized under statutes enacted by the 59th Legislature.

• 1948

  State Guard Reserve Corps activated

  [1]Texas State Guarden.wikipedia.org

  Texas activated a reserve organization after federal wartime authorization for state guards expired.

• 1941

  Texas Defense Guard established

  [1]Texas State Guarden.wikipedia.org

  Texas enacted wartime legislation and organized a state force as National Guard units entered federal service.

• 1903

  State Guard replaced by the Texas Army National Guard

  [1]Texas State Guarden.wikipedia.org

  The earlier State Guard structure was supplanted by the nationalized Texas Army National Guard.

• 1871

  State Guard formally organized

  [1]Texas State Guarden.wikipedia.org

  Texas reorganized independent militia companies and regiments under the State Guard during Reconstruction.

• 1823

  Austin authorized to organize a colonial militia

  [1]Texas State Guarden.wikipedia.org

  Stephen F. Austin received authorization to organize settlers into a militia for maintaining order in colonial Texas.

A state-controlled, volunteer military capability focused on emergency response, civil support, homeland security, and augmentation of Texas military and public-safety organizations.

• Civil support

  Emergency response and disaster relief

  The Guard provides personnel and specialized capabilities to assist state and local authorities during hurricanes, floods, wildfires, winter storms, public-health emergencies, and other disasters. Missions can include logistics, communications, welfare checks, transportation, security, recovery support, and coordination with other Texas Military Forces and civilian agencies.

• Specialized operational capability

  Search and rescue

  Specialty units support land, water, and disaster search-and-rescue activities. The organization includes capabilities associated with watercraft operations, diving, security, and other missions requiring trained volunteer personnel.

• Homeland security support

  Operation Lone Star support

  Texas State Guard personnel support state border and homeland-security missions conducted under Operation Lone Star and related initiatives, including recurring border-health preparedness activities. These duties are state missions and do not make the Guard a federal military branch.

• 2020COVID-19 response

  Texas

  The Guard assisted Texas authorities during the COVID-19 emergency.

  Source
• 2017Hurricane Harvey response

  Texas

  The Guard supported state emergency operations after Hurricane Harvey.

  Source
• 2005Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief

  Texas · United States

  The Guard deployed personnel in support of relief operations associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

  Outcome. Deployed members received the Governor’s Unit Citation for the relief mission.

  Source
• Operation Lone Star

  Southern Texas

  An ongoing state mission involving Texas public-safety and military organizations along the United States–Mexico border, including border-security and border-health support.

  Outcome. Ongoing.

  Source

• 1965

  Reauthorization of the Texas State GuardStrategy

  Background

  Texas revised its state-force arrangements after the postwar reserve structure had continued beyond the original wartime period.

  Action taken

  The 59th Legislature abolished the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps and authorized the Texas State Guard again.

  Aftermath

  The modern Texas State Guard was organized on August 30, 1965, and continued as a state-controlled force.

  Source

• 1941

  Creation of a wartime state forceStrategy

  Background

  Texas anticipated the federal mobilization of its National Guard for World War II service and the resulting need for a state-controlled replacement force.

  Action taken

  The legislature passed the Defense Act, HB 45, and the governor signed it on February 10, 1941, creating the Texas Defense Guard.

  Aftermath

  The organization expanded rapidly and provided state military and civil-defense support while National Guard units were federally mobilized.

  Source

1. 1Texas State Guarden.wikipedia.org
2. 2Texas Military Department: Texas State Guardtmd.texas.gov