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| Ohio Army National Guard | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Ohio Army National Guard |
| Caption | Shoulder sleeve insignia |
| Dates | 1788–present |
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | State of Ohio |
| Branch | Army National Guard |
| Type | Militia |
| Role | National defense; state emergency response |
| Size | Approximately 8,000 personnel |
| Garrison | Columbus, Ohio |
| Nickname | Buckeye Guard |
| Patron | Saint Michael |
| Motto | "This We'll Defend" |
| Commander1 | Governor of Ohio |
| Commander1 label | Civilian leadership |
| Commander2 | Adjutant General of Ohio |
| Identification symbol | Distinctive unit insignia |
Ohio Army National Guard is the land component of the Ohio National Guard and a reserve component of the United States Army. It traces lineage to militia units formed in the Northwest Territory and has served in domestic emergencies and overseas campaigns from the War of 1812 through the Global War on Terrorism. The organization integrates federal and state authorities under dual missions defined by the United States Constitution and federal statute.
The Guard's antecedents date to militia companies in the Northwest Territory, the Ohio Company of Associates, and territorial defenses alongside figures such as Merchants of Marietta and militia leaders from the Treaty of Greenville era. Units saw action in the War of 1812 at engagements tied to William Henry Harrison and the Battle of Lake Erie, and later mustered for the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War with Ohio regiments under generals like Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman. Postbellum reforms following the Militia Act of 1903 (the Dick Act) integrated state forces into the National Guard of the United States; Ohio units mobilized for the Mexican Border Expedition and both World Wars, participating in campaigns such as the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and the Rhineland Campaign. Interwar and Cold War reorganizations followed directives from the National Defense Act of 1916 and coordination with the Department of Defense, while Ohio formations trained under influences from the United States Army Forces Command and doctrines developed at Fort Monroe and Fort Leavenworth. In the post–Cold War era, Ohio soldiers deployed to operations including Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and responded to state emergencies like Hurricane Katrina and floods in the Great Miami River basin.
The Ohio component aligns with federal standards set by the United States Army Reserve and command relationships defined by the National Guard Bureau. Administrative control rests with the Adjutant General of Ohio and the Governor of Ohio when activated under state authority. The Guard’s structure mirrors the United States Army force model with brigades, battalions, companies, and detachments, and interfaces with entities such as the U.S. Northern Command for homeland defense missions. Training, readiness, and mobilization cycles conform to policies from the Secretary of the Army, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and Army Training and Doctrine Command.
Major formations have included the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States), the 73rd Troop Command, aviation brigades, engineer battalions, sustainment brigades, and military police units. Specific subordinate units have included elements that trace lineage to historic regiments like the 1st Ohio Volunteer Infantry and the 145th Infantry Regiment (United States). Aviation assets have been organized in units analogous to organizations at Fort Rucker and rotary-wing doctrine from the 1st Aviation Regiment (United States). Support units coordinate with the Army National Guard Sustainment Command and military police elements work alongside the Federal Emergency Management Agency during domestic operations.
Under federal activation statutes such as those applied by the President of the United States and through Title 32 status coordinated with the Secretary of Defense, the Guard performs mobilized combat, peacekeeping, and support roles in theaters designated by commands like United States Central Command and United States Africa Command. Under state activation, duties include disaster response, civil support for events involving the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and coordination with agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Homeland Security. The Guard supports missions ranging from counterdrug assistance with the Drug Enforcement Administration to infrastructure protection alongside the Department of Transportation and cybersecurity initiatives that intersect with the National Cyber Director's policy.
Soldiers and officers come through recruiting channels that interact with the Army Recruiting Command and access education benefits under programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the State of Ohio Higher Education System. Professional development follows Army schooling via institutions such as the US Army War College, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and specialty training at centers like Fort Benning and Fort Sill. Medical readiness is coordinated with TRICARE processes and Reserve components coordinate with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and state public health authorities like the Ohio Department of Health during pandemic responses.
Equipment inventories align with U.S. Army fielding priorities and have included armored vehicles derived from programs tied to Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems, rotary-wing aircraft procured via Army Aviation and Missile Command, and communications systems interoperable with standards used by North American Aerospace Defense Command. Unit insignia and heraldry derive from histories codified at the Institute of Heraldry and display symbols related to Ohio heritage such as the Buckeye and state seal influences; distinctive unit insignia and shoulder sleeve insignia reflect lineage approved by the United States Army Center of Military History.
Ohio Army National Guard units have deployed domestically for incidents including floods along the Great Miami River and responses to urban unrest in cities like Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. Overseas deployments have supported Multinational Force Iraq, Coalition forces in Afghanistan, and peacekeeping missions in coordination with organizations such as the United Nations and NATO. Mobilizations involved integration with formations under XVIII Airborne Corps, I Corps, and theater commands including USCENTCOM. Veteran Ohio soldiers are eligible for honors awarded by institutions like the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and recognition through state awards administered by the Governor of Ohio.
Category:Military units and formations in Ohio Category:National Guard (United States) units