Illinois Army National Guard - History

History

The Illinois Army National Guard was originally formed in 1712 as a colonial French militia. The militia worked under British sovereignty in the mid-eighteenth century until the American Revolutionary War when in 1779 George Rogers Clark with 200 Illinois militiamen from Kaskaskia captured Fort Sackville from British Colonel Henry Hamilton and his Regulars. Regiments of Illinois militia later captured Prairie du Chien. Following the American Civil War, the state forces were reorganized under the command of Arthur C. Ducat, who became the first major general of the statewide Illinois militia.

The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various state militias into the present National Guard system. The 44th Infantry Division was part of the IL ARNG from 1945/46. It was inducted into Federal Service during the Korean War but on its release the Governor of Illinois declined to support it, citing budgetary considerations. It was thus deactivated on its release from Federal Service in December 1954. From that time, Illinois ARNG units have formed part of the 33rd, and then the 47th until November 1991. In November 1991 the 66th Infantry Brigade was reassigned to the 34th Infantry Division. Later it was reassigned again to the 35th Infantry Division.

For much of the final decades of the twentieth century, National Guard personnel typically served "One weekend a month, two weeks a year", with a portion working for the Guard in a full-time capacity. Around 2006, the forces formation plans of the US Army call for the typical National Guard unit (or National Guardsman) to serve one year of active duty for every three years of service. More specifically, United States Department of Defense policy was that no Guardsman will be involuntarily activated for a total of more than 24 months (cumulative) in one six year enlistment period. This policy was due to change on August 1, 2007, with the new policy states that soldiers will be given 24 months between deployments of no more than 24 months. However, individual states have differing policies.

The 33rd Inf Bde Combat Team served in Afghanistan in 2008-09.

• Activated: August 21, 2008 (National Guard brigade from Illinois).
• Overseas: September 2008.
• Campaigns: Afghanistan (OEF)
• Presidential Unit Citation: 1.
• Returned Home August 21, 2009

Regiments that have served with the IL ARNG since 1917 include:

• 106th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
• 123rd Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 129th Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 130th Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 131st Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 132nd Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 178th Infantry Regiment (United States)
• 122nd Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
• 123rd Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
• 124th Field Artillery Battalion (United States)
• 184th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
• 208th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
• 210th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
• 223rd Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
• 233rd Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
• 202nd Coast Artillery (AA)