Proudly serving the citizens of Arizona, we’re conveniently located in downtown Tempe sharing the Tempe “Fire House” Armory with the 996th Area Support Medical Company.
The Arizona Army National Guard is a traditional reserve component of the United States Army and the United States Army National Guard. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained at the federal to state level through the National Guard Bureau. All Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. Soldiers serving in the Arizona Army National Guard wear the same uniforms, rank, and insignia as their fellow Active Duty and Army Reserve Soldiers. Additionally, Army National Guard Soldiers are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Arizona National Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Arizona.
History:
The story of the Arizona Army National Guard begins on September 2, 1865 as a response to the Indian wars. In 1898, hundreds of Arizonans joined the ranks of the Rough Riders during the Spanish–American War. The Militia Act of 1903 organized the various state militias into the present National Guard system.
Since then, the Arizona Army National Guard has been deployed to Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Units from Arizona also deployed to Louisiana in response to Hurricane Katrina. Recently Arizona National Guard Soldiers have been activated to assist in the Gulf Coast, and Ports Rico Hurricane aftermath.
Unit History:
The 158th Infantry Regiment was created September 2, 1865, as the First Arizona Volunteer Infantry. Subsequent to Pancho Villa's murder of American civilians and soldiers in Columbus, New Mexico in 1916, the 1st Arizona Infantry was activated and headquartered at Camp Naco, Arizona and assigned border protection duties.
The regiment was drafted into Federal Service for World War I, 5 August 1917 as part of the 40th Infantry Division. Reorganization after the 1st World War assigned the 158th Infantry to the 45th Infantry Division. On 16 September 1940, the declaration of the National Emergency, the 158th Infantry joined its parent organization, the 45th Division at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After being relieved by divisions in campaign after campaign across the Pacific, the 158th Infantry was selected to spearhead the final invasion of Japan.
Units from Arizona were called into action on September 26, 1940. The 158th Regimental Combat Team were given the name the "Bushmasters," named after the deadly Bushmaster snake in Panama. General Douglas MacArthur said, "No greater fighting combat team has ever deployed for battle."
The 158th Infantry was demobilized and returned to state service following the end of World War II. It was redesignated in June 1967 as the 258th Infantry Brigade. It was subsequently reorganized and redesignated in August 1968 as the 258th Military Police Brigade. In August 1976 the unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 258th Support Center, later the 258th Rear Area Operations Center. The Cannon Company, 158th Infantry was reorganized as the 153d Field Artillery Brigade (including units of the 180th Field Artillery Regiment). The 153d FA Brigade was reorganized and redesignated as the 98th Troop command in 2006. In September 2010 the unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 158th Maneuver Enhanced Brigade. The 1st Battalion, 180th Field Artillery Regiment was reorganized and redesignated in 2006 as the 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment and assigned as an element of the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (HI ARNG).
The official national motto of the Army National Guard is "Always Ready, Always There". Like the majority of all 54 states and territories, the Arizona Army National Guard has its own official motto "Protecting What Matters".
Currently, over 5,000 Soldiers are serving in the Arizona National Guard.
