03/28/2024
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The North Carolina National Guard celebrates its 355th birthday on the 24th of March, 2018.  Our founding documents, the 1663 Carolina Charter, authorized the levying and mustering of men to defend the people and property of the Carolinas.  Since that day, an unbroken chain of North Carolina Guardsmen has continued to rally to the unit guidons that comprise the modern-day, North Carolina National Guard.  Today’s National Guard is grounded in our Constitution and tightly woven into our American heritage.  Initially established to thwart tyranny and internal threats to the early colonies, it is now a vital component of the Total Joint Force comprising nearly half of our Army and Air Forces’ Operational Force.  The blood, sweat, and dedication of our selfless citizen-Soldiers and Airmen have earned them an elevated level of respect and admiration from families, community, and a grateful nation.

The Guard, which was first initiated as an early form of a “neighborhood watch” program, witnessed its members volunteering to lay down their plowshares and pick up their muskets in countering any threats to the safety and security of a fledgling colony.  While our uniforms have changed and our muskets have yielded to modern rifles, tanks, jets and attack helicopters, it is our uniquely dual-purpose mission of serving our State while simultaneously being the primary combat reserves of our Army and Air Force that endures.  In the majority of North Carolina communities, a Guardsman is the only visible, uniformed representation of our Armed Forces and is a vital connection between our citizens and our Nation’s Military.

The NC National Guard has answered countless calls to duty in service to our State during civil unrest and in the aftermath of devastating natural disasters.  First mobilized for overseas duty in WWI, over 22,500 individual, worldwide deployments have occurred since our way of life was attacked on September 11, 2001.  I am proud to proclaim that in every stateside and overseas mission assigned, the North Carolina National Guard has performed with distinctive professionalism.

With the global proliferation of violent extremism and the renewed threat of Nation-State and Rouge-Nation security challenges, there is no debate surrounding the necessity of the Guard and its mission. Currently, over 1,500 NC National Guardsmen are deployed overseas.  Soldiers and Airmen at home in North Carolina, far from idle, steadfastly hone their skills in order to reduce their response time in preparation for the next call to duty.  The unsettled, global security environment no longer guarantees any advanced notice prior to an overseas deployment – we must always remain ready.

These growing demands present a daunting challenge to todays part-time, all-volunteer force who juggle their military duties with civilian careers and family life.  Stoic families shoulder the heavy burden of supporting their uniformed loved ones while living their daily lives and celebrating special occasions with their service member’s potential absence.  Employers of Guardsmen, willing to work short-handed while a service member trains or deploys, seldom receive much-deserved recognition.  Without the career and financial stability employers afford, there would be even fewer able-bodied men and women available to answer an urgent call to duty.  Furthermore, there are hundreds of state employees and contractors who work diligently to prepare Soldiers, Airmen, Families, and equipment to maintain readiness and decreased response times to emergencies at home and abroad.

As we celebrate 355 years of proud, NC National Guard history on March 24, 2018, I ask that all citizens join me in recognizing the meaningful, daily service of our Guardsmen and women who make the completion of our demanding, complex mission possible.  Regardless of their position, the contributions of every person who serves our team of Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen matters significantly.  They serve alongside less than 1% of the American population.  Only their steadfast, selfless, and voluntary dedication to family, community, State and Nation provide the prospect that the next, looming challenge to our American way of life will conclude victoriously.  Happy Birthday to the most Ready, Reliable, Responsive, and Relevant military force for our State and Nation – the North Carolina National Guard!

Maj. Gen. Greg Lusk, 40th Adjutant General of North Carolina

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