The Kansas National Guard, is the component of the United States National Guard

United States National Guard

The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...

 in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Kansas

Kansas

Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...

. It comprises both the Kansas Army National Guard

Kansas Army National Guard

The Kansas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...

 and the Kansas Air National Guard

Kansas Air National Guard

The Kansas Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Kansas. It is, along with the Kansas Army National Guard, an element of the Kansas National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as of the state....

. The Governor of Kansas

Governor of Kansas

The Governor of the State of Kansas is the head of state for the State of Kansas, United States. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch, of the government of Kansas. The Governor is the...

 is Commander-in-Chief of the Kansas National Guard when in state use. The State's highest ranking military commander, the Adjutant General of Kansas

Adjutant General of Kansas

The Adjutant General of Kansas is the highest ranking military official in the State of Kansas and is subordinate to the Governor of Kansas. The Adjutant General is a member of the Governor's Cabinet and advises the Governor on military and emergency management matters...

, serves as the military head of the Guard and is second only to the Governor.

The Constitution of the United States

United States Constitution

The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...

 specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The National Guard is the only United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 military force empowered to function in a state status. The Governor may call individuals or units of the Guard into state service during emergencies or to assist in special situations which requirer the Guard. In its state role, the Guard serves to execute state laws, protect the public health, suppress insurrection, and repel invasion. The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the President

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 or Congress. When National Guard troops are called to federal service, the President serves as Commander-in-Chief.

The State Defense force is a military entity authorized by both the Kansas Constitution and Kansas statutes. The State Defense Force (SDF) is the state’s authorized militia and assumes the state mission of the Kansas National Guard in the event the Guard is mobilized. The SDF comprises retired active and reserve military personnel and selected professional persons who volunteer their time and talents in further service to their state.

External links

• Bibliography of Kansas Army National Guard History compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History
• Kansas Adjutant General's website