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National Guard of the US state Minnesota

The Minnesota National Guard is a state based military force of more than 13,000 soldiers and airmen, serving in 61 communities across the state. Operated in the U. S. state of Minnesota, it is reserve component of the National Guard. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status. Those functions range from limited actions during non emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of martial law when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control. The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the President or Congress. When National Guard troops are called to federal service, the President serves as Commander in Chief. The federal mission assigned to the National Guard is: "To provide properly trained and equipped units for prompt mobilization for war, National emergency or as otherwise needed." The Governor may call individuals or units of the Minnesota National Guard into state service during emergencies or to assist in special situations which lend themselves to use of the National Guard. The state mission assigned to the National Guard is: "To provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law."

The Minnesota National Guard has units in sixty two communities statewide. The Minnesota National Guard Joint Force Headquarters is located in the St. Paul Capitol complex.

The Rosemount based 34th Infantry Division oversees the training and operations of eight National Guard brigades in six different states. Known as the Red Bulls, the 34th Infantry Division is capable of deploying its Main Command Post, Tactical Command Post and Special Troops Battalion in order to provide command and control for Army brigades. The 34th Infantry Division fought in World War II and continued the legacy when the division assumed control of U. S. Division – South, Iraq, in May 2009. The Red Bulls provided command and control of military forces in the southern third of Iraq. The area, known as US Division South, is geographically about the size of Minnesota and is the largest sector in Iraq. Headquartered at Contingency Operating Base Basra, more than 1,200 Minnesota Citizen Soldiers led a force of approximately 14,000 U. S. Service members throughout nine of Iraq’s 18 provinces.

The Bloomington based 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division consists of eight major subordinate commands. More than 5,000 Soldiers make up the brigade's combined arms, cavalry, artillery, engineer and brigade support battalions.

The St. Paul–based 34th Combat Aviation Brigade is an Army National Guard unit that supports the 34th Infantry Division and the state of Minnesota by providing aviation capabilities both UH 60 Black Hawk and CH 47 Chinook helicopters and the C 12 Huron fixed wing aircraft for federal and state missions. The Minnesota based subordinate units of the 34th CAB are the 2nd Battalion, 147th Assault Helicopter Battalion, the 834th Aviation Support Battalion, C Company, 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, B Company and C Company of the 2nd Battalion, 211th General Support Aviation Battalion, and F Company, 1 189 Aviation Regt., General Support Aviation Battalion. Outside Minnesota, the 34th CAB provides training and operational guidance to the 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment of the N. D., the 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation of the Montana and Missouri National Guard and the 1st Battalion, 183rd Aviation Regiment of the Idaho National Guard.

The 133rd Airlift Wing is a Minnesota National Guard flying wing headquartered at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. Utilizing the C 130H Hercules, the wing provides the U. S. Air Force with tactical airlift capability to transport troops, cargo and medical patients across the globe, in addition to providing the citizens of Minnesota with domestic operations and disaster response support. Established in 1921, the 133rd is known as the first federally recognized National Guard flying unit in the country.

The 148th Fighter Wing, headquartered in Duluth, operates the F 16C Block 50 Fighting Falcon. The full wing structure, which includes the headquarters, communications, logistics, civil engineer, maintenance and security sections, is composed of airmen prepared to rapidly respond to support federal and state missions and community needs. There are five major units in the 148th FW: Headquarters Group; Maintenance Group; Operations Group; Medical Group; and Mission Support Group.

The 84th Troop Command, headquartered in Minneapolis, maintains control of field artillery, military police, engineer and civil support forces, providing a force capable of performing a wide variety of missions. A specialized command with a unique mission, the 84th Troop Command maintains traditional training standards to remain ready to support federal missions in addition to being challenged with the responsibility of conducting domestic operations throughout the state. A large portion of the 84th Troop Command's domestic operations are the responsibility of the very specific Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear response capabilities within the 55th Civil Support Team and the CBRN Enhanced Response Force Package.

The 347th Regional Support Group (RSG) is an Army National Guard brigade headquartered in Roseville that is capable of providing trained and ready combat forces. Additionally, the 347th RSG is prepared to support the State of Minnesota with troops capable of assisting in a disaster. The mission of the 347th Regional Support Group is to deploy and provide contingency and expeditionary base operations, with responsibilities for managing facilities, providing administrative and logistical support for troop services and ensuring the security of personnel and facilities on a base camp. The brigade provides command and control of assigned units during homeland security, homeland defense and other civil support missions within the U. S. to include managing the reception, staging, onward movement and integration of supporting forces.

The Camp Ripley–based 175th Regiment Regional Training Institute provides combat arms, Military Occupational Specialty and leadership training to prepare soldiers and units for deployment at maximum combat readiness levels. 175th Regiment consists of headquarters and two battalions: the 1st Battalion (Officer Candidate School), and the 2nd Battalion (General Studies). Each year hundreds of Soldiers from across the country travel to the Camp Ripley Training Center to attend one of 31 courses offered by the 175th RTI. The courses offered qualify soldiers as infantrymen, cavalry scouts, health care specialists, wheeled vehicle mechanics and tracked vehicle repairers.

Camp Ripley Training Center, located near Little Falls, Minn., is a regional training installation featuring ranges and facilities to support military and civilian agency training requirements. See detailed list of Minnesota National Guard units.

The idea of a militia, or body of citizen Soldiers as distinct from career soldiers, was borrowed from England and dates in this country from 1636, when three militia regiments were organized for the common defense in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Militia companies were eventually organized throughout colonial America, and they provided its principal defense force. In spite of shortcomings, the various colonial militias became indispensable to the cause of American independence. They were the back up for General Washington's Continental Army, providing large numbers of armed men when needed on short notice, and they assured the authority of colonial governors against British sympathizers. Later, the United States Constitution and Militia Act of 1792 provided for continuation of a state based militia system. The federal government could employ the militia for purposes of national security, but its organization was left with the individual states.

and 79 earned Purple Heart Medals due to injuries received in combat. Sustained military operations in Iraq inspired the Minnesota National Guard to begin the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program, a ground breaking process to reintegrate returning Service members back from deployments. The Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division was an important part of the 2007 “surge.” As a result of the extension of their tour to 16 months in Iraq, and 22 months overall, the Red Bulls are recognized as having served the second longest tour of duty in Iraq of any military unit, active or reserve. The Duluth based 148th Fighter Wing expertly provided real time surveillance for ground commanders using their Theater Aerial Reconnaissance System. St. Paul’s 34th Combat Aviation Brigade was responsible for corps level helicopter support from 2008 to 2009. In 2009 2010, the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division Headquarters provided command and control for 16,000 U. S. military Service members operating in nine of Iraq’s 18 provinces. With the prevalence of improvised explosive devices on the roadways in Iraq, the St. Paul–based 133rd Airlift Wing provided critical aerial transportation of people, equipment and materiel throughout the region. In 2011, the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division mission in Kuwait was the largest deployment of Minnesota Guardsmen since World War II. The brigade's mission included base management, convoy security, reaction forces, and management of specialized units from the Army, Navy and Coast Guard. The brigade drove 1.35 million miles and escorted 25,970 trucks during 480 missions prior to the last U. S. military convoy departing Iraq.

In mid 2020, the Minnesota National Guard was mobilized in full in response to the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul. However, the Minnesota National Guard delayed its arrival to areas were unrest was occurring and afterwards received criticism for "lagging" in its response to the riots. After being activated, Minnesota National Guard adjutant general Maj. Gen. Jon A. Jensen claimed he and other guardsman were not provided clear directions by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on how to respond to the protests and riots. The Minnesota National Guard conducted a security mission alongside local law enforcement as street protests turned violent over the murder of George Floyd. A soldier from the Minnesota National Guard fired his weapon at a vehicle that was speeding towards police officers and National Guard soldiers in Minneapolis. The driver of the vehicle was given several verbal commands, and nonverbal signals in an attempt to slow the driver down. After the driver refused to stop, a soldier fired 3 rounds towards the speeding vehicle. Minnesota National Guard Major General Jon Jensen said "Our soldier fired 3 rounds from his rifle in response to a perceived and legitimate threat to him and the Minnesota police officers he was in direct support of." By June 7, when the troops demobilized, 7,123 members of the Minnesota National Guard had been called into duty in the largest deployment in the state's history since World War II.

In early 2021, the Minnesota National Guard was proactively mobilized for protests in Minneapolis regarding the trial of Derek Chauvin that began in March and concurrently responded to protests and unrest over the police involved killing of Daunte Wright on April 11. Two National Guard soldiers sustained minor injuries after being shot at while sitting in a military vehicle. The two soldiers suffered injuries that included glass fragments in an eye and facial cuts caused by the shattering glass. One soldier was transported to a hospital for treatment. Hennepin County officials charged Andrew Thomas, a 28 year old man with home address in Minneapolis and Chicago, with first degree and second degree assault with a dangerous weapon and illegal weapons possession. in Minnesota: