The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces (along with the Texas Air National Guard and the Texas State Guard).
Texas Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Texas Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Texas.
The Texas Army National Guard is composed of approximately 19,000 soldiers, and maintains 117 armories in 102 communities. State duties include disaster relief, emergency preparedness, security assistance to state law enforcement agencies, and some aspects of border security. The governor can activate the National Guard components under his control for state active duty in Texas, and in support of states (whether adjacent or not). The president of the United States of America can also activate the National Guard.
History The Texas Army National Guard has its roots in the Texas Militia formed by Stephen F. Austin at his headquarters village of San Felipe de Austin. Austin was empowered to "organize the Colonists into a body of National Militia" in the 18 February 1823 decree authorizing Austin to form his colony in Mexican Texas. Commissioned as Lieutenant Colonel, Austin organized the 5-company battalion at San Felipe de Austin on 22 June 1824. Three companies were formed on the Brazos River and two on the Colorado. This militia structure formed the basis for several of the volunteer companies raised to fight in the Texas Revolution of 1836.{}
The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various state militias into the present National Guard system. After World War II, the Texas National Guard was reorganized with the 36th Infantry Division and the new 49th Armored Division.Brian Schenk, An Introduction to the 49th (Lone Star) Armored Division (1947–), Texas Military Forces Museum, Camp Mabry, Texas.
The 49th Armored Division was ordered to active federal service in October 1961 at Dallas, for the 1961 Berlin Crisis, and reverted to state control in August 1962. The 36th and 49th were inactivated in 1968 and reorganized into three separate brigades, the 36th Infantry Brigade, 71st Infantry Brigade and 72d Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) (Dallas). The division was reactivated on 1 November 1973, with its headquarters at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas.
McGrath says the 36th Brigade insignia with star was authorized for wear from 10 May 1967 – 1 November 1973, but never worn, because the brigade at the time was designated 71st.McGrath, 'The Brigade,' 233. Patch can be seen at http://www.usarmypatches.com/Infantry.htm The 36th Airborne Brigade was active from 1973, and inactivated on 1 April 1980.
In November 1976 the Texas Army National Guard, in the words of the AG Report 1975-76, was "organized into a State Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Public Information Detachment, the 49th Armored Division, and the Base Units Command of the State," both commanded by general officers. The 49th Armored Division had its headquarters in Austin; comprised three brigades, divisional artillery, and a Division Support Command; and was authorized a strength of 14,854 officers, warrant officers, and enlisted men. Its units were spread geographically across the entire state. The Base Units Command commanded every other unit in the TX ARNG except the division and the 100th Public Information Detachment. It consisted of one support center headquarters, one airborne brigade headquarters [the headquarters of the 36th Airborne Brigade)], one aviation group headquarters (111th), one support group headquarters, three battalions, one engineer dredge detachment, one assault support helicopter company, one air ambulance medical company, and one Combat Support Hospital (117th), with an authorized strength of 2,603 officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel (p. 5).
The 36th Brigade was reconstituted as a divisional formation (36th Brigade, 50th Armored Division) from 1988–92. In 1992 it became the 36th Brigade of the 49th Armored Division based at Houston, TX. It seems likely to have been active between 1992 and May 2004 when the 49th Armored Division became the 36th Infantry Division.
Organization As of February 2026 the Texas Army National Guard consists of the following units:
Joint Force Headquarters-Texas, Army Element, at Camp Mabry Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Joint Force Headquarters-Texas, Army Element, at Camp Mabry Texas Recruiting & Retention Battalion, at Camp Mabry Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Texas Recruiting & Retention Battalion, at Camp Mabry Company A, Texas Recruiting & Retention Battalion, in Dallas Team A, Company A, Texas R&R Battalion, in Lubbock Team B, Company A, Texas R&R Battalion, in Grand Prairie Team C, Company A, Texas R&R Battalion, in Fort Worth Team D, Company A, Texas R&R Battalion, in McKinney Team E, Company A, Texas R&R Battalion, in Tyler Company B, Texas Recruiting & Retention Battalion, in Pasadena Team F, Company B, Texas R&R Battalion, in Killeen Team G, Company B, Texas R&R Battalion, in Houston Team H, Company B, Texas R&R Battalion, in Houston Team I, Company B, Texas R&R Battalion, in Houston Team J, Company B, Texas R&R Battalion, in Pasadena Company C, Texas Recruiting & Retention Battalion, at Camp Bullis Team K, Company C, Texas R&R Battalion, in Cedar Park Team L, Company C, Texas R&R Battalion, at Martindale Army Heliport Team M, Company C, Texas R&R Battalion, in Corpus Christi Team N, Company C, Texas R&R Battalion, in El Paso Team O, Company C, Texas R&R Battalion, in New Braunfels Texas Medical Detachment, at Camp Mabry Detachment 1, Texas Medical Detachment, at Grand Prairie Army Airfield Detachment 2, Texas Medical Detachment, at Ellington Field Detachment 3, Texas Medical Detachment, at Camp Bullis Texas Army National Guard Training Center, at Camp Swift Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Texas Army National Guard Training Center, at Camp Swift Detachment 1, Texas Army National Guard Training Center, at Camp Bowie Detachment 2, Texas Army National Guard Training Center, at Camp Maxey Detachment 3, Texas Army National Guard Training Center, at Camp Mabry Detachment 4, Texas Army National Guard Training Center, at Fort Wolters 4th Battalion (Field Artillery), 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade, in Red Bird Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Battalion (Field Artillery), 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade, in Red Bird Company A, 4th Battalion (Field Artillery), 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade, in Red Bird Company B, 4th Battalion (Field Artillery), 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade, in Red Bird 1st Cavalry Division Main Command Post-Operational Detachment, at Fort Hood 1st Armored Division Main Command Post-Operational Detachment, at Fort Bliss Company A, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Camp Bullis Company C, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Camp Bullis 141st Chaplain Detachment, at Camp Mabry 236th Judge Advocate General Trial Defense Team, at Camp Mabry 237th Judge Advocate General Trial Defense Team, at Camp Mabry 249th Judge Advocate General Trial Defense Team, at Camp Mabry Army Aviation Support Facility #1, at Austin–Bergstrom Airport Army Aviation Support Facility #2, at Martindale Army Heliport Army Aviation Support Facility #3, at Grand Prairie Army Airfield Army Aviation Support Facility #4, at Ellington Field Aerial Delivery Support Facility #1, at Camp Mabry Aerial Delivery Support Facility #2, in Saginaw Combined Support Maintenance Shop #1, in Saginaw Combined Support Maintenance Shop #2, at Camp Mabry Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site #1, at Fort Hood Unit Training Equipment Site #1, at Camp Maxey Unit Training Equipment Site #2, at Fort Wolters Unit Training Equipment Site #3, at Camp Swift Unit Training Equipment Site #4, at Camp Bowie Unit Training Equipment Site #5, at Camp Bullis Unit Training Equipment Site #6, at Fort Bliss Field Maintenance Shop #1, at Dyess Air Force Base Field Maintenance Shop #2, at Camp Mabry Field Maintenance Shop #3, at Austin–Bergstrom Airport Field Maintenance Shop #5, in Round Rock Field Maintenance Shop #6, in Laredo Field Maintenance Shop #7, in Corpus Christi Field Maintenance Shop #8, in Red Bird Field Maintenance Shop #9, in Wylie Field Maintenance Shop #10, in Grand Prairie Field Maintenance Shop #11, in Bryan Field Maintenance Shop #15, in Fort Worth Field Maintenance Shop #16, at Grand Prairie Army Airfield Field Maintenance Shop #18, at Ellington Field Field Maintenance Shop #20, in Lubbock Field Maintenance Shop #21, in Marshall Field Maintenance Shop #23, in San Marcos Field Maintenance Shop #25, in Weslaco Field Maintenance Shop #26, in Houston Field Maintenance Shop #27, at Martindale Army Heliport Field Maintenance Shop #29, at Joint Base San Antonio Field Maintenance Shop #30, in Temple Field Maintenance Shop #31, in Seagoville Field Maintenance Shop #33, in Waco Field Maintenance Shop #36, in Houston 36th Infantry Division, at Camp Mabry Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 36th Infantry Division, at Camp Mabry Headquarters Support Company, 36th Infantry Division, at Camp Mabry Company A (Operations), Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 36th Infantry Division, at Camp Mabry Detachment 1, Company A (Operations), Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 36th Infantry Division, at Austin–Bergstrom Airport Company B (Intelligence and Sustainment), Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 36th Infantry Division, at Camp Mabry Company C (Signal), Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 36th Infantry Division, at Camp Mabry 36th Infantry Division Band, at Camp Mabry 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, in Fort Worth Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, in Fort Worth 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, in Waco Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, in Waco Troop A, 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, in Waco Troop B, 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, in Waco Troop C (Dismounted), 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment, in Grand Prairie 2nd Battalion, 142nd Infantry Regiment, in Lubbock Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 142nd Infantry Regiment, in Lubbock Company A, 2nd Battalion, 142nd Infantry Regiment, in Amarillo Company B, 2nd Battalion, 142nd Infantry Regiment, in Denison Company C, 2nd Battalion, 142nd Infantry Regiment, at Midland Airport Company D (Weapons), 2nd Battalion, 142nd Infantry Regiment, in Wichita Falls 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), in White Settlement Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), in White Settlement Company A, 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), in Huntsville Company B, 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), in Seagoville Company C, 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), in East Greenwich (RI) — (Rhode Island Army National Guard) Company D (Weapons), 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), in Seagoville 143rd Forward Support Company, in White Settlement 3rd Battalion, 144th Infantry Regiment, in Wylie Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 144th Infantry Regiment, in Wylie Company A, 3rd Battalion, 144th Infantry Regiment, in Greenville Company B, 3rd Battalion, 144th Infantry Regiment, at Kilgore Company C, 3rd Battalion, 144th Infantry Regiment, in Seagoville Company D (Weapons), 3rd Battalion, 144th Infantry Regiment, in Palestine 3rd Battalion, 133rd Field Artillery Regiment, at Fort Bliss