Alabama Army National Guard: 28 Cool Facts

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

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.

Sincerely,
chuck holmes







Chuck Holmes
Former Army Major (resigned)
Publisher, Part-Time-Commander.com
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com

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