The Army National Guard plays an important role in the Global War on Terrorism. Not only do they support their governor, and state emergencies, but they are also a contingent force for federal emergencies. They even have an operational role in war.
As of a 2015, there are eight infantry divisions in the Army National Guard (that I know about). Each division can have anywhere from 7,000 to 15,000 or more Soldiers, depending upon its force structure. Here is a list of current Army National Guard Infantry Divisions, as of 2015.
28th Infantry Division –
Also known as “Keystone” this division has units in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Ohio. It consists of an infantry, armor and Stryker brigade combat team, along with a combat aviation brigade. Its headquarters is in Pennsylvania. It traces its roots back to Benjamin Franklin and is the oldest division sized element in the U.S. Army.
29th Infantry Division –
Also known as the “Blue and Gray” the 29th Infantry Division has units and Soldiers in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. It consists of two infantry brigade combat teams, an armor brigade combat team and a combat aviation brigade. Its headquarters is at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The division was first formed in 1917.
34th Infantry Division –
Also known as “Red Bull” the 34th Infantry Division has units and Soldiers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Idaho. They consist of two infantry brigade combat teams, an armor brigade combat team, a cavalry brigade combat team, and a combat aviation brigade. The headquarters is located in Rosemount, Minnesota. The division was first formed in August 1917.
35th Infantry Division –
The 35th Infantry Division, also known as “Santa Fe” has units and Soldiers in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Georgia and Arkansas. They consist of three infantry brigade combat teams and a combat aviation brigade. Its headquarters is at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The division was first formed in 1917.
36th Infantry Division –
Also known as “Arrowhead” the 36th Infantry Division has units and Soldiers in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi. They consist of four infantry brigade combat teams, one armored brigade combat team and one combat aviation brigade. The headquarters is at Austin, Texas. The division was first formed in 1917.
38th Infantry Division –
Also known as “Cyclone” the 38th Infantry Division has forces in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. It consists of two infantry brigade combat teams, one armored cavalry regiment and one combat aviation brigade. Its headquarters is in Indianapolis, Indiana. The division was first formed in 1917.
40th Infantry Division –
Also known as “Sunshine Division” the 40th Infantry Division has Soldiers and units in California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. It has three infantry brigade combat teams, one armored brigade combat team and one combat aviation brigade. Its headquarters is in Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, California. The division was first formed in 1917.
42nd Infantry Division –
Also known as “Rainbow” the 42nd Infantry Division has Soldiers in New York, New Jersey and Vermont. It consists of three infantry combat brigade teams and one combat aviation brigade. The headquarters is in Troy, New York. The division was first formed in 1917.
Final Thoughts
In summary, there are currently eight infantry divisions in the Army National Guard. These divisions play a very important role in the Global War on Terrorism and within their own states.
If you’ve served in any of these units, I would love to hear from you. Just leave a comment below to share your thoughts.

Chuck Holmes
Former Army Major (resigned)
Publisher, Part-Time-Commander.com
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
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It’s interesting that, with the exception of the 28th Infantry Division (which dates back much further), all of these divisions can trace their history back to World War I – almost 100 years ago. Foot soldiers have arguably been the backbone of the U.S. Army since the very beginning. One question, though – who decided to label anything out of Washington the “Sunshine Division”?