The Illinois Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. With the Illinois Air National Guard it forms the Illinois National Guard. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau. The Illinois Army National Guard is composed of approximately 10,000 soldiers.
Illinois Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ranks and insignia are used.See United States Army enlisted rank insignia and United States Army officer rank insignia National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Illinois Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Illinois.
History The Illinois Army National Guard was originally formed in 1712 as a colonial French militia. The militia worked under British sovereignty in the mid-eighteenth century, until the American Revolutionary War, when in 1779 Colonel George Rogers Clark, with 200 frontiersmen, of the Illinois Regiment, Virginia State Forces, from Kaskaskia, captured Fort Sackville from British Colonel Henry Hamilton and his military forces. A small force of Illinois militia later, captured Prairie du Chien. Following the American Civil War, the state forces were reorganized under the command of Arthur C. Ducat, who became the first major general of the statewide Illinois militia.
The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various state militias into the present National Guard system. The 44th Infantry Division was part of the IL ARNG from 1945/46. It was inducted into Federal Service during the Korean War but on its release the governor of Illinois declined to support it, citing budgetary considerations. It was thus deactivated on its release from Federal Service in December 1954.Maneuver and Firepower: The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades, full ref at Division article. From that time, Illinois ARNG units have formed part of the 33rd Infantry Division, and then the 47th Infantry Division until November 1991.
On 1 October 1986, the 44th Aviation Battalion was constituted in the Delaware and Illinois Army National Guard. It was concurrently organized from new and existing units with Headquarters at Peoria, Illinois.
In November 1991 the 66th Infantry Brigade was reassigned to the 34th Infantry Division. Later it was reassigned again to the 35th Infantry Division.
For much of the final decades of the twentieth century, National Guard personnel typically served "One weekend a month, two weeks a year", with a portion working for the Guard in a full-time capacity. Around 2006, the forces formation plans of the US Army call for the typical National Guard unit (or National Guardsman) to serve one year of active duty for every three years of service. More specifically, United States Department of Defense policy was that no Guardsman will be involuntarily activated for a total of more than 24 months (cumulative) in one six-year enlistment period. This policy was due to change on August 1, 2007, with the new policy states that soldiers will be given 24 months between deployments of no more than 24 months. However, individual states have differing policies.
The 33rd Inf Bde Combat Team served in Afghanistan in 2008–09. Activated: August 21, 2008 (National Guard brigade from Illinois). Overseas: September 2008. Campaigns: Afghanistan (OEF) Presidential Unit Citation: 1. Returned Home August 21, 2009
Historic units Regiments that have served with the IL ARNG since 1917 include: 106th Cavalry Regiment (106th CR) 123rd Infantry Regiment (123rd IR) 129th Infantry Regiment (129th IR) 130th Infantry Regiment (130th IR) 131st Infantry Regiment (131st IR) 132nd Infantry Regiment (132nd IR) 178th Infantry Regiment (133rd IR) 122nd Field Artillery Regiment (122nd FAR) 123rd Field Artillery Regiment (123rd FAR) 124th Field Artillery Battalion (124th FAB) 184th Field Artillery Regiment (184th FAR) 208th Field Artillery Regiment (208th FAR) 210th Field Artillery Regiment (210th FAR) 223rd Field Artillery Regiment (223rd FAR) 233rd Field Artillery Regiment (233rd FAR) 202nd Coast Artillery (202nd CA) (AA)
Organization As of February 2026 the Illinois Army National Guard consists of the following units:
Joint Force Headquarters-Illinois, Army Element, in Springfield Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Joint Force Headquarters-Illinois, Army Element, in Springfield Illinois Recruiting & Retention Battalion, in Springfield Company B, in Chicago Company C, in Rock Falls Company D, in Aurora Company F, in Crestwood Company G, in Marseilles Company H, in Woodstock Company I, in Galesburg Company K, in Springfield Company L, in Mattoon Company M, in Shiloh Company W, in Marion Illinois Medical Detachment, in Springfield Detachment 2, Illinois Medical Detachment, in Kankakee Detachment 3, Illinois Medical Detachment, in Mount Vernon 412th Judge Advocate General Trial Defense Team, in Springfield 416th Judge Advocate General Trial Defense Team, in Springfield 1965th Support Detachment (Contracting Team), in Springfield Detachment 5, Company A, 2nd Battalion (Fixed Wing), 245th Aviation Regiment (Detachment 36, Operational Support Airlift Activity), at Capital Airport Air National Guard Station (C-12 Huron) Training Area, in Sparta Training Area, in Marseilles Army Aviation Support Facility #1, at Decatur Airport Army Aviation Support Facility #2, at Greater Kankakee Airport Army Aviation Support Facility #3, at Peoria Air National Guard Base Combined Support Maintenance Shop #1, in Springfield Combined Support Maintenance Shop #2, in North Riverside Field Maintenance Shop #2, in Crestwood Field Maintenance Shop #4, in Decatur Field Maintenance Shop #5, in Mattoon Field Maintenance Shop #6, in Peoria Field Maintenance Shop #7, in Kewanee Field Maintenance Shop #8, in Sparta Field Maintenance Shop #10, in Paris Field Maintenance Shop #11, in Rock Falls Field Maintenance Shop #12, in Joliet Field Maintenance Shop #13, in Machesney Park Field Maintenance Shop #15, in East St. Louis Field Maintenance Shop #16, in Bloomington Field Maintenance Shop #18, in Marion Field Maintenance Shop #19, in Milan Field Maintenance Shop #21, in Macomb Unit Training Equipment Site #1, in Marseilles 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, in Urbana (part of 38th Infantry Division) Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, in Urbana 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, in Kewanee Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, in Kewanee Troop A, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, in Pontiac Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, in Dixon Troop C (Dismounted), 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, in Aurora 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, in Marion Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, in Marion Company A, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, in Marion Company B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, in Effingham Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, in Litchfield Company D (Weapons), 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, in Mount Vernon 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, in Chicago Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, in Chicago Company A, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, in Bartonville Company B, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, in Elgin Company C, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, in Kankakee Company D (Weapons), 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, in Woodstock 1st Battalion, 296th Infantry Regiment, in Mayagüez (PR) — (Puerto Rico Army National Guard) 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, in Chicago Headquarters and Headquarters Battery 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, in Chicago Detachment 1, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, in Chicago (supports 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment) Detachment 2, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, in Urbana (supports 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team) Detachment 3, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, in Marion (supports 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment) Detachment 4, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, in Kewanee (supports 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment) Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, in Sycamore (M119A3) Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, at Crestwood (M119A3) Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment, in Chicago (M777A2) 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion, in Decatur Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion, in Decatur Company A (Combat Engineer), 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion, in Marseilles Company B (Combat Engineer), 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion, in Marseilles Company C (Signal), 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion, in Urbana Company D (Military Intelligence), 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion, in Bloomington Detachment 1, Company D (Military Intelligence), 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion, at Peoria Air National Guard Base (RQ-28A UAV) 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Sullivan Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Sullivan Company A (Distribution), 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Mattoon Company B (Maintenance), 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Urbana Company C (Medical), 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Springfield Company D (Forward Support), 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Galva — attached to 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment Company E (Forward Support), 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Decatur — attached to 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion Company F (Forward Support), 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Crestwood — attached to 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery Regiment Company G (Forward Support), 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Joliet — attached to 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment Company H (Forward Support), 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Mount Vernon — attached to 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment Company I (Forward Support), 634th Brigade Support Battalion, in Mayagüez (PR) — attached to 1st Battalion, 296th Infantry Regiment (Puerto Rico Army National Guard) 34th Division Sustainment Brigade, in Chicago (part of 34th Infantry Division) 34th Division Sustainment Troops Battalion, in Chicago Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 34th Division Sustainment Brigade, in Chicago 433rd Signal Company, in Chicago 633rd Adjutant General Detachment (Theater Gateway — Personnel Accountability Team), in Chicago 1863rd Financial Management Support Detachment, in Chicago 6th Battalion (Brigade Support), 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade, at Rock Island Arsenal Headquarters Support Company, 6th Battalion (Brigade Support), 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade, at Rock Island Arsenal Company A, 6th Battalion (Brigade Support), 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade, at Rock Island Arsenal Company B, 6th Battalion (Brigade Support), 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade, at Rock Island Arsenal 108th Medical Battalion (Multifunctional), in North Riverside Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 108th Medical Battalion (Multifunctional), in North Riverside 708th Medical Company (Ground Ambulance), in North Riverside 709th Medical Company (Area Support), in Bartonville 710th Medical Company (Area Support), in Crestwood 198th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in North Riverside Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 198th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in North Riverside 725th Transportation Company (Medium Truck) (POL, 5K GAL), in Machesney Park