Montana Army National Guard


The Montana 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. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
Montana Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Montana Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Montana.
The Montana Army National Guard maintains facilities in 28 communities.

History

The Montana Army National Guard was originally formed in 1867. The 163d Infantry dates its history to independent companies grouped together around 1900. The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various state militias into the present National Guard system.
The 163rd Infantry Regiment of the Montana Guard formed part of the 41st Infantry Division, which fought through the Pacific during World War II. The Regiment was inducted into the Regular Army in September 1940, and were sent to Camp Murray at Fort Lewis, Washington. They participated in large-scale military exercises in California in 1941. On 7 Dec. 1941 small units were detailed to guard the Washington coastline from Japanese saboteurs. In March 1942 they were sent to Australia. Their engagements included the Battle of Buna-Gona in 1942–1943, the Salamaua-Lae campaign in 1943, Operations Reckless and Persecution and the Battle of Biak in 1944, and the liberation of the Philippines in 1945. In September 1945 the Regiment went ashore at Hiro, Japan as part of the occupation of that country. By this time most of the original Montanan troops had been discharged.The Montana ARNG maintained the 163rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, until 1988. In 1985 its units included the 1/163 Cavalry, the 2/163 Cavalry, the 3/163 Cavalry, an Air Troop, an Attack Helicopter Troop, and the 1063rd Engineer Company. The Montana units of the 163rd Armored Cavalry Regiment were converted and expanded into the 163rd Armored Brigade on 1 September 1988. The 3rd Battalion, 49th Field Artillery of the Wyoming Army National Guard became the brigade direct support artillery battalion. The 163rd Armored Brigade inactivated in 1997 due to budget cuts.
On the disbandment of the 163rd Armored Brigade, the 1st Battalion, 163rd Infantry was reassigned to the 116th Cavalry Brigade headquartered in Idaho. 'Commonly referred to as the Griz Battalion, the 1-163rd at first was designated as a Cavalry Regiment in 1953, named the 163rd Cavalry Regiment. The unit was renamed the 1-163rd Infantry Battalion during the 2006 reorganization of the Montana Army National Guard, and was re-designated as Cavalry once again in 2007, combining mechanized infantry with Abrams tank units.' In the 2006 reorganization, the 1st Battalion, 190th Field Artillery at Billings became the 190th Combat Service Support Battalion.
In April 2010, the 1st Battalion, 163rd Cavalry received mobilization orders and prepared to deploy to the Middle East for the second time in five years.

Organization

As of January 2026 the Montana Army National Guard consists of the following units:Joint Force Headquarters-Montana, Army Element, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • * Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Joint Force Headquarters-Montana, Army Element, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • * Judge Advocate General, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • * Training Center, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • ** 900th Quartermaster Platoon, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • * 95th Troop Command, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • ** 83rd Civil Support Team, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • ** 208th Regiment Regional Training Institute, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • ** Montana Recruiting & Retention Battalion, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • ** Montana Medical Detachment, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • * 1889th Regional Support Group, in Butte
  • ** 1st Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment, in Belgrade
  • *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment, in Belgrade
  • *** Company A, 1st Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment, in Billings
  • **** Detachment 1, Company A, 1st Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment, in Belgrade
  • *** Company B, 1st Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment, in Missoula
  • **** Detachment 1, Company B, 1st Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment, in Kalispell
  • *** Company C, 1st Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment, in Great Falls
  • *** Company I, 145th Brigade Support Battalion, at Fort William Henry Harrison
  • **** Detachment 1, Company I, 145th Brigade Support Battalion, in Livingston
  • ** 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, at Helena Army Airfield
  • *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, at Helena Army Airfield
  • *** Company A, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, in Billings
  • *** Company B, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, at Reno Stead Airport
  • **** Detachment 1, Company B, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, at Helena Army Airfield
  • *** Company C, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, at Rapid City Regional Airport
  • **** Detachment 1, Company C, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, at Helena Army Airfield
  • *** Company D, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, at Helena Army Airfield
  • *** Company E, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, at Helena Army Airfield
  • *** Company F, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, at Camp Ripley
  • *** Company G, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, at McNary Airfield
  • *** Detachment 1, Company C, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment, at Helena Army Airfield
  • *** Detachment 7, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 245th Aviation Regiment, at Helena Army Airfield
  • *** Detachment 4, Company B, 834th Aviation Support Battalion, at Helena Army Airfield
  • ** 190th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in Billings
  • *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 190th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in Billings
  • *** 143rd Military Police Detachment, in Lewistown
  • *** 260th Engineer Company, in Miles City
  • **** Detachment 1, 260th Engineer Company, in Culbertson
  • **** Detachment 2, 260th Engineer Company, in Billings
  • *** 484th Military Police Company, in Malta
  • **** Detachment 1, 484th Military Police Company, in Glasgow
  • **** Detachment 2, 484th Military Police Company, in Billings
  • *** 1063rd Ordnance Company, in Billings
  • **** Detachment 1, 1063rd Ordnance Company, in Dillon
  • ** 495th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in Kalispell
  • *** Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 495th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in Kalispell
  • *** 103rd Public Affairs Detachment, in Helena
  • *** 190th Chemical Reconnaissance Detachment, in Helena
  • *** Detachment 2, 230th Engineer Company, in Anaconda
  • *** 631st Chemical Company, in Missoula
  • *** 639th Quartermaster Company, in Havre
  • **** Detachment 1, 639th Quartermaster Company, in Libby
  • **** Detachment 2, 639th Quartermaster Company, in Kalispell
  • *** 1049th Engineer Detachment, in Helena
  • *** 1050th Engineer Detachment, in Helena
  • *** 1051st Engineer Detachment, in Helena
  • *** 1052nd Engineer Detachment, in Helena

Duties

National Guard units can be mobilized at any time by presidential order to supplement regular armed forces, and upon declaration of a state of emergency by the governor of the state in which they serve. Unlike Army Reserve members, National Guard members cannot be mobilized individually, but only as part of their respective units. However, there has been a significant number of individual activations to support military operations ; the legality of this policy is a major issue within the National Guard.

Active duty callups

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. The current forces formation plans of the US Army call for the typical National Guard unit to serve one year of active duty for every three years of service. More specifically, current Department of Defense policy is that no Guardsman will be involuntarily activated for a total of more than 24 months in one six-year enlistment period.