It seems that every person I have ever met who hailed from Alabama was highly patriotic. It is no wonder why the Alabama National Guard is one of the biggest employers in the State. This large Southern State can boast of having a well prepared and seasoned National Guard force.
In today’s post, we are going to take a look at 28 cool facts about the Alabama Army National Guard. If you have more Alabama National Guard facts to add, feel free to do so in the comments area at the end of this article.
1: Formation
The original formation of the Alabama Army National Guard was in 1807.
2: Headquarters
The Headquarters for the Alabama Army National Guard are in the capital of Alabama…Montgomery.
3: Top Employer
The Alabama National Guard is the 3rd largest employer in the State behind Redstone Arsenal which is an Army installation and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The people of Alabama realize how well this part time job can pay off.
4: The DICK Act
The Militia Act of 1903, better known as the DICK Act, officially recognized Alabama militias as the Alabama Army National Guard.
5: Alabama Army National Guard Brigades
The Alabama Army National Guard Brigades consist of:
Joint Force Headquarters in Montgomery
167th Theater Sustainment Command at Fort McClellan
142nd Battlefield Surveillance Brigade in Decatur
135th Expeditionary Sustainment Command in Birmingham
31st Chemical Brigade in Tuscaloosa
20th Special Forces Group in Birmingham
226th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Mobile
122nd Troop Support Command in Selma
6: Alabama Army National Guard Units And Battalions
Florence
HHC 115th ESB
Company A 115th ESB
Decatur
152nd Military Police
Detachment 1, Company B, 1st Battalion, Special Forces Group
HHC 142nd BFSB
Huntsville
128th MP Company
1307th EHCC
1151st EN Company
1169th Contracting Battalion
441st Ordnance Battalion
279th Support Brigade
Scottsboro
Detachment 1, 152nd Military Police Company
Arab
Company A, 136th ESB
Haleyville
HSC 877th Engineer Battalion
1305th Engineer Detachment
Detachment 1, Company B, 115th ESB
Gadsden
20th Special Forces Group
HHD 151st Chemical Battalion
Oneonta
1166th MP Company
Springville
208th Chemical Company
Vernon
Detachment 1, 166th Engineer Company
Fayette
168th Engineer Company
Oxford
167th Forward Support Company
Northport
1301st Engineer Detachment
FSC 877th Engineer Battalion
Goodwater
Detachment 1, 1208th Quartermaster Company
1207th QM Detachment
Centreville
HHD 145th Chemical Battalion
129th Medical Company
Clanton
440th Chemical Company
1156th MP Detachment
Phenix City
Battery A, 1st Battalion, 117th Field Artillery
Detachment 1, 900th Maintenance Company
Linden
440th Transportation Detachment
Tallassee
158th Support Maintenance Company
HHC 731st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion
Montgomery
131st MPAD
Joint Force Headquarters
151st Army Band
Hope Hull
HHC 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment
Detachment 5, OPN Support, Airlift Commander
Camden
Detachment 2, 781st Transportation Company
Eufaula
HHD 1103rd Support Battalion
Fort Deposit
781st Transportation Company
Troy
117th Forward Support Company
Brundidge
900th Maintenance Company
Dothan
186th Engineer Company
HSC 1203rd Engineer Battalion
Enterprise
131st Forward Support Company
Daleville
Detachment 1, 1st Squadron, 131st Cavalry
Geneva
Troop C, 1st Squadron, 131st Cavalry
Atmore
Company A, 711th Brigade Support Battalion
Mobile
HSC 161st Area Support Medical Battalion
Company B, 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment
690th Chemical Company
127th Medical Company
7: Continuing Education
The Alabama Army National Guard offers an excellent educational assistance program. After using Federal benefits, they will provide up to $2,000 more per year for tuition and books.
8: On Facebook
The Alabama Army National Guard is on Facebook.
9: State Armories
The Alabama Army National Guard maintains a total of 141 Armories all throughout the State of Alabama.
10: NGAAL
The National Guard of Alabama also has its own Association. It is called the National Guard Association of Alabama, and it has insurance and other benefits for members.
11: Not So Funny
In 2009, a comedian by the name of Sacha Cohen duped Alabama National Guard officers into believing he was a German filmmaker creating a documentary. They allowed him to participate in training at the Alabama Military Academy until a young cadet recognized the comedian. The embarrassment forced protocols to be placed to make sure it does not ever happen again.
12: Commander in Chief
The Commander in Chief of the Alabama Army National Guard is the Governor of the State of Alabama. The current Governor is Robert Bentley. He commands through an appointed Adjutant General.
13: Alabama Adjutant General
The current Adjutant General who controls the Alabama Army National Guard is Major General Perry Smith.
14: 2006
In 2006, approximately 300 Alabama Army National Guard soldiers were deployed to Iraq.
15: Counter-drug Program
The Alabama Army National Guard has a counter-drug program where they work with various other Alabama law enforcement agencies to eradicate drugs from the Sate. Some soldiers are put on active, full-time status during marijuana eradication season.
16: First Female General
In 2009, the Alabama Army National Guard promoted Sheryl Gordon to the rank of General. She is the first female to reach that rank in Alabama’s National Guard. She retired in 2013 at the rank of Major General.
17: To The Middle East
At this point, Alabama ranks 5th in the number of National Guard troops deployed to Middle East operations.
Some History About The Alabama Army National Guard
18: Confederate Side
During the Civil War, the Alabama Army National Guard was a part of the Confederate Army. The Forth Alabama fought in all major battles in the Eastern U.S. Civil War, and never surrendered.
19: Early 1900s
The primary duties of the Alabama Army National Guard in the early 1900s was to protect prisoners from being lynched by mobs. They also were policemen while strikes were being held by miners in the Birmingham area.
20: Pancho Villa
The Mexican leader by the name of Pancho Villa was making strikes across the border. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered Alabama National Guard troops deployed to be border patrol.
21: World War I
The Forth Alabama Infantry Regiment was selected to one of the first to go overseas to the World War. 3,600+ Alabama guardsmen became the 167th Infantry Regiment, 84th Brigade, 42nd Division and fought with great honor in World War I. Another 1,300+ Alabama guardsmen were joined to the 31st Division.
22: World War II
During World War II, the majority of Alabama Army National Guard were deployed to the Pacific side of the war. The majority of their service was in New Guinea and the Philippine Islands.
23: Korean War
During the Korean War, a few units from Alabama deployed, but the majority stayed in the States and trained troops from other States.
24: 1954
In 1954, Albert Patterson was elected as Alabama State Attorney General. He vowed to clean up the gambling and prostitution in Phenix City, Alabama. Not long after, he was brutally murdered. The Governor sent Alabama National Guard troops to Phenix City. The Guard disarmed local law enforcement and destroyed all the gambling halls and prostitution houses.
25: Vietnam
During the Vietnam War, only one National Guard unit from Alabama was deployed. That was the 650th Medical Detachment in 1968.
26: Freedom Riders
In an effort to gain equality for African Americans, there were Freedom Rides in the deep South in the 1960s. Alabama Guardsmen protected the Freedom Riders in 1961 and escorted their bus from Montgomery to the Mississippi line.
27: Stand In The Schoolhouse Door
In 1963, Governor George Wallace ordered Alabama National Guard troops to block African American students from entering the University of Alabama in what was called: Stand in the Schoolhouse Door. President John Kennedy federalized those Alabama guardsmen and ordered desegregation of the University. Governor Wallace blocked the entrance, but the Alabama National Guard and Brigadier General Henry Graham forced him to allow the African American students in. This will always be remembered as a great win in the rights of African Americans.
28: Historic Units From the Alabama Army National Guard
The Alabama Army National Guard has had several units that have gained historic significance. These units are:
The 203rd Field Artillery Battalion who were of great service in World War II.
The 167th Infantry Regiment which took on the name Forth Alabama. They fought in World War I, II and have been instrumental in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The 117th Field Artillery Regiment is quite well known and respected.
Another well respected Alabama unit is the 131st Cavalry Regiment.
Final Thoughts
The Alabama Army National Guard has made a huge difference both within the United States and also overseas. The patriotism and faithfulness of these Alabama soldiers shines bright.
We would like to give a huge shout out to members of the Alabama Army National Guard. We would love to hear from any members of the ‘Bama Guard. Tell us what unit you are currently with, and any added history you would like to share.
Thank you for your service. You can post comments and questions below.
Chuck Holmes
Former Army Major (resigned)
Publisher, Part-Time-Commander.com
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
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