From the Adjutant General It is my pleasure to present the Arkansas National Guard’s annual report for fiscal year MISSION Arkansas National 2008. The Military Department of Ar- Guard Museum It has been a tremendous year in our history, with 3,200 Soldiers leading the way for our kansas is a broad, community- nation as the first National Guard brigade combat team to mobilize for a second tour in based, organization with both The museum is located in his- support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. federal and state government toric Lloyd England Hall on responsibilities. Federal mis- Camp Joseph T. Robinson, sions include operations in With nearly one-third of our total force deployed overseas, we continued to meet the support of the Army and Air and acquires information and needs of the state here at home. In fact, it was a historic year in that respect, as we an- Force for peacekeeping and artifacts relating to the Arkan- swered the call for 81 state active duty missions in support of civil authorities - more than wartime missions. State mis- sas National Guard, and its we have ever faced in a single year of our history. sions primarily include disaster militia predecessor. relief and community support. The year’s success didn’t come without its challenges, but our Soldiers and Airmen The department, comprised The museum has over 6,400 stepped up and answered those challenges with an extremely high level of professional- of both Army and Air National ism. Our troops could not do it alone however. This success was made possible by the Guard elements, has service square feet devoted to over support of the Families, friends, employers and entire communities who continue to stand and economic impact in 57 1,100 artifacts, including two behind these great men and women. That support is greatly appreciated. Through that Arkansas counties. The agen- large models of the post, a continued support, our ability to answer the calls of our state and nation remains strong. cy’s mission, vision and values conserved Civil War battle flag serve to focus operations on critical customer requirements and a 75mm artillery piece with Through that same support, the pride in wearing this uniform remains high. This is a fact to provide trained, ready pro- caisson and limber. made evident by the strength in our recruiting and retention numbers. At the end of fiscal fessionals and units respon- 2008, our force stood 10,492 strong – well over 100% of our total authorized strength. sive to the needs of the nation, Of particular interest is the On behalf of these 10,492 Soldiers and Airmen, I would like to offer our gratitude to the state and community. Yeater Collection of over 189 entire state of Arkansas for the overwhelming support you have shown our organization. weapons, including rifles, mus- Success would not be possible without it. Vision kets, machine guns, pistols, With this we close the book on another successful chapter of our history, and we pledge Arkansas National Guard mili- shotguns, sub-machine guns, our continued support as we stand ready to face the challenges of 2009 and beyond. tary and civilian professionals, bayonets, sabers and knives. working as a team, building the finest reserve military or- ganization serving the nation, The museum is often the first state and community. exposure visitors have to the William D. Wofford Arkansas National Guard, and Major General Values hosts over a thousand visitors The Adjutant General from all over the world each Integrity means honesty, can- dor, ethics, morals and ac- year. Leadership 4 Financials 22 countability. Commitment Units 6 Military Construction 23 means loyalty, caring, trust and Joint Force 8 Economic Impact 24 teamwork. Professionalism means selfless service, em- Army Units 10 Legislative Accomplishments 26 powerment, stewardship and Air Units 12 People 27 excellence in all we do. War- rior Spirit means placing the Federal Missions 14 Training 28 mission first, never accepting State Active Duty 16 Programs 30 defeat, never quitting and nev- Top Stories 18 Directorates 32 er leaving a fallen comrade. Page 2 Arkansas National Guard History MISSION Arkansas National The Arkansas National Guard traces its roots back to 1804 and a small ter- Guard Museum ritorial militia. The governing body of the Indiana territory was charged with The Military Department of Ar- developing laws for the newly created District of Louisiana, of which Arkan- kansas is a broad, community- based, organization with both The museum is located in his- sas was a part. On Oct. 1 of that year, a law was enacted requiring that “all federal and state government toric Lloyd England Hall on male inhabitants in the district shall be liable to perform militia duties...” By responsibilities. Federal mis- Camp Joseph T. Robinson, the time Arkansas became the 25th state in 1836 the militia was strong and sions include operations in well organized. support of the Army and Air and acquires information and artifacts relating to the Arkan- Force for peacekeeping and During the reconstruction era the militia was reorganized into the Arkansas wartime missions. State mis- sas National Guard, and its sions primarily include disaster militia predecessor. State Guard, and then in 1909 it was transformed into the Arkansas National relief and community support. Guard, gaining federal recognition and support. The Air Guard was estab- The department, comprised lished in 1925 with the formation of the 154th Observation Squadron at Little The museum has over 6,400 of both Army and Air National Rock’s Adams Field. Guard elements, has service square feet devoted to over 1,100 artifacts, including two and economic impact in 57 The Arkansas Guard has seen action in both World Wars, Korea, Desert Arkansas counties. The agen- large models of the post, a Storm, and Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. During World War II cy’s mission, vision and values conserved Civil War battle flag serve to focus operations on members of the Arkansas National Guard crossed the beaches of Normandy, critical customer requirements and a 75mm artillery piece with stormed Mount Cassino, helped destroy the Ploesti oil fields, defended Dutch to provide trained, ready pro- caisson and limber. Harbor, Alaska, participated in the Rhineland campaigns and helped liberate fessionals and units respon- Rome. sive to the needs of the nation, Of particular interest is the state and community. Yeater Collection of over 189 Since its humble beginnings as a militia, the Arkansas National Guard has Vision weapons, including rifles, mus- fought in the Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War and kets, machine guns, pistols, the infamous Brooks-Baxter War of 1874. The Arkansas Air National Guard Arkansas National Guard mili- shotguns, sub-machine guns, entered the jet age with the introduction of the F-84 during the Korean War. tary and civilian professionals, bayonets, sabers and knives. Since then, Arkansas Airmen have flown many types of aircraft, including the working as a team, building KC-135 tanker, the RF-101 photo reconnaissance jet, the F-100 Super Saber, the finest reserve military or- ganization serving the nation, The museum is often the first the F-4C Phantom and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Today the 189th Airlift state and community. exposure visitors have to the Wing flies the storied C-130 Hercules transport., and the 188th Fighter Wing Arkansas National Guard, and in Fort Smith wields the A-10 Thunderbolt II, known as the “Warthog.” Values hosts over a thousand visitors from all over the world each The Arkansas National Guard played an important role in Operations Desert Integrity means honesty, can- Shield/Desert Storm, when 13 Army units were called into federal service dor, ethics, morals and ac- year. countability. Commitment and members from 10 Air units were called up. Over 3,400 Arkansans were means loyalty, caring, trust and tapped for the operations. teamwork. Professionalism means selfless service, em- Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 11,000 of Arkansas’s Citizen Soldiers and powerment, stewardship and Airmen have been mobilized to more than 50 locations around the globe. This excellence in all we do. War- call to service is not without sacrifice. Twenty-three have died while serving rior Spirit means placing the mission first, never accepting overseas, and over 3,200 were deployed away from their Families and em- defeat, never quitting and nev- ployers at the end of Fiscal Year 2008 as part of the Army National Guard’s er leaving a fallen comrade. 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Annual Report Page 3 Leadership Joint Force Headquarters u10,492 Soldiers and Airmen make The Joint Staff up the Arkansas National Command Group: The Adjutant General, Deputy Adjutant General, Chief of the Joint Guard. Staff, Joint Forces Land Component Commander, Joint Forces Air Component Commander, Chief of Staff Air National Guard, Di- rector of the Air Staff. Personal Staff: Command Sergeant Major, Command Chief Warrant Officer, Inspector General, Command u1,736 Chief Master Sergeant of the Air National Guard. Special Staff: Full time employees Chaplain, Director of State Resources, Judge Advocate General, 583 State employees Safety, Special Projects Officer, Human Resources, Director of 588 Federal Technicians Military Support, Public Affairs, Intelligence Operations Spe- MG William D. Wofford 565 Active Guard & Reserve cialist, Recruiting and Retention. Coordinating Staff: Deputy The Adjutant General Chiefs of Staff for Logistics, Personnel, Information Management, Brig. Gen. Operations, Aviation, and Engineering, and the Strategic Planning William J. Johnson Deputy Adjutant General Officer. Maj. Gen. William Wofford is u the adjutant general of Arkan- 8,234 sas, and is a member of the Army National Guard mem- Governor’s cabinet as head of bers. the Arkansas Military Depart- ment.