The Oregon Military Department is an agency of the government

Government of Oregon

The government of the U.S. state of Oregon, as prescribed by the Oregon Constitution, is composed of three government branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial...

 of 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 Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

, which oversees the armed forces of the state of Oregon. Under the authority and direction of the governor

Governor of Oregon

The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....

 as commander-in-chief, the agency is responsible for planning, establishing, and enforcing rules and procedures governing the administration, supply, and training of the Oregon National Guard (consisting of the Oregon Army National Guard

Oregon Army National Guard

The Oregon Army National Guard is a Federally mandated and equipped military organization under the civilian direction of the Oregon Military Department, with the Governor of Oregon as its Commander in Chief. It responds to state and national emergencies, military conflicts and natural disasters,...

 and the Oregon Air National Guard

Oregon Air National Guard

The Oregon Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is, along with the Oregon Army National Guard, an element of the Oregon National Guard...

), when not in the active service of the United States, and the Oregon National Guard Reserve. The Department also maintains all state-owned or leased military facilities, including posts, camps, military reservations, and rifle ranges.

Staff

The adjutant general serves as the administrative director of the Military Department and is the military command officer of the national guard. The Military Council, composed of the adjutant general and six to ten officers of the National Guard, operates as an advisory staff to the governor, in much the same way as the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...

 advise the President. The Army and Air wings of the National Guard have proportional representation on the council according to their current total strength.

Funding

Approximately 97 percent (US$382 million) of the funds for the Oregon National Guard are provided by the federal government. This does not reflect the considerably smaller figure of $35.9 million or 9% which is included within the Department's budget. The difference can be accounted for by the fact that troop salaries and wages are paid to them directly by the federal government. Federal funds support 100% of troop training, Defense Department programs, base security and fire protection, and youth programs; 75% of the logistical support for training sites; and most facility, maintenance and supply expenditures of the Air National Guard (averaging 75 to 85% based on a complex and variable schedule).

Role

The National Guard Reserve is the only statewide civil defense organization of significant size and provides emergency assistance. It is composed entirely of unpaid volunteers. In the event of a federal call-up of the National Guard sufficient that it cannot fulfill its state role, domestic deployment of the reserve can be ordered. Since 1989 the Oregon National Guard Reserve (ORNGR) is known officially as the Oregon State Defense Force (ORSDF).

Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

As of just before the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks, 9,268 Oregon National Guard
members had been deployed to Afghanistan

War in Afghanistan (2001–present)

The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...

 (1,691), Iraq (7,048), and the Iraq Southern No Fly Zone

Iraqi no-fly zones

The Iraqi no-fly zones were a set of two separate no-fly zones , and were proclaimed by the United States, United Kingdom and France after the Gulf War of 1991 to protect the Kurdish people in northern Iraq and Shiite Muslims in the south. Iraqi aircraft were forbidden from flying inside the zones...

 (529) since 2002, of whom 20 died in action.

Facilities

The Military Department is based in Salem

Salem, Oregon

Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...

, with armories, camps, air bases and other facilities around the state. The Salem Armory Auditorium, next to the Oregon State Fair

Oregon State Fair

-National Register of Historic Places:The state fairground is the site of two historic buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Oregon State Fair Stadium and Poultry Building Ensemble. The 1919 horse stadium and the 1921 poultry building were added to the register in 2002...

grounds in Salem, is rented out as a concert venue, and for shows, conventions, graduations, dances and conferences.

Sources

• References: Oregon State Defense Force, Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 399.035 2007 edition Chapter 399-Organized Militia, q.v. Referenced on 17 March 2008

External links

• Bibliography of Oregon Army National Guard History compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History
• Oregon Military Department (official website)
• Oregon State Defense Force (official website)