Order Code RS22451
Updated September 20, 2007
National Guard Personnel and Deployments:
Fact Sheet
Michael Waterhouse and JoAnne O’Bryant
Information Research Specialists
Knowledge Services Group
Summary
The National Guard is playing an increasingly vital and growing role in the defense
and security of the United States under the federal component of its mission. While that
military reserve component’s responsibilities and duties have increased, a March 2007
major report by the congressionally chartered independent Commission on the National
Guard and Reserves has found that many Army and Air National Guard units stationed
in the United States are rated “not ready.” That rating is based primarily on current
military equipment shortages and concerns for long-term operational reserve capacity.
These domestic equipment shortfall and reserve capacity issues are attributed, in part,
to the large deployment of National Guard personnel (currently more than 30,000) and
equipment deployed in the Global War On Terrorism (GWOT) and Operation Iraqi
Freedom (OIF). Meanwhile, in May 2006, more than 6,000 National Guard personnel
were authorized to be sent to the southern border region of the United States to
temporarily assist in interdicting illegal aliens. As of September 10, 2007, 3,296
National Guard forces were deployed for this border security operation (Operation Jump
Start). This report presents statistical information on the National Guard’s federal role
in defense and security, including its deployments in support of GWOT, OIF, and
Operation Jump Start.
Introduction
The National Guard has undertaken an increasingly significant level of responsibility
in its federal role in the defense and security of the United States. Traditionally, the Guard
has been both a domestic state-level security force and a major federal component of U.S.
combat power for overseas operations. It has become an integral force in the Global War
On Terrorism (GWOT) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Most recently the National
Guard has been deployed under Operation Jump Start (OJS) on the southern border region
of the United States to assist in interdicting illegal aliens crossing the border into the
country.

CRS-2
A report was issued in March 2007 by the congressionally chartered Commission on
the National Guard and Reserves which examined and proposed recommendations on the
readiness of reserve component units, including the National Guard.1 The report
disclosed that many Army National Guard units not deployed abroad are “poorly
equipped” and as a result are “not ready,” based largely on the ongoing overseas
commitments and missions of the National Guard, participating in the war in Iraq and the
Global War on Terrorism.
Selected statistics on the force levels of the National Guard within the mix of U.S.
military forces deployed in the major warfighting and national security ongoing
operational missions are presented below. Information was developed and provided from
official sources within the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Guard Bureau.
Selected U.S. National Guard Statistics
Table 1. National Guard Strength
(as of 8/31/07)
Army National Guard
352,897
Air National Guard
105,892
Total Strength
458,789
Source: National Guard Bureau, September 14, 2007.
Table 2. Current Major National Guard Deployments
(as of 9/1/07)
In Iraq — Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
12,609
Army National Guard
11,625
Air National Guard
984
In Afghanistan — Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)
1,793
Army National Guard
1,372
Air National Guard
421
In the United States — Operation Jump Start (OJS) as of 9/10/07
3,296
Army National Guard
2,660
Air National Guard
636
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Legislative Affairs; September 1, 2007; and
National Guard Bureau, Public Affairs, September 10, 2007.
1 Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, Strengthening America’s Defenses in the New
Security Environment
, March 1, 2007, [http://www.cngr.gov/Worddocs/March%201%20Report/
CNGR%20Second%20Report%20to%20Congress%20.pdf].

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Total National Guard Personnel Ever Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan
in Support of OIF and OEF,
September 2001 - July 31, 2007
242,271
Source: Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Legislative Affairs,
September, 2007.
National Guard and Reserves in Iraq
The percentages of National Guard and Reserves troops in Iraq who were deployed
as of September 1, 2007 are shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1. Composition of U.S. Forces in Iraq by
Component
87%
8%
5%
National Guard
Reserves
Active Component
Source: Percentage calculations by CRS. Data from Department of Defense, Office Joint
Chiefs of Staff, Legislative Affairs, September 2007.

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Table 3. Reserve and Active Component Forces in Iraq
Reserve Component
20,615
National Guard
12,609
Army National Guard
11,625
Air National Guard
984
Reserves
8,006
Army Reserve
6,544
Air Force Reserve
592
Navy Reserve
669
Marine Reserve
201
Active Component
144,992
Army 103,520
Air Force
10,922
Navy
4,219
Marines
26,331
Source: Data from Department of Defense, Office Joint Chiefs of Staff, Legislative Affairs,
September 2007.
National Guard and Reserves in Afghanistan
The percentages of National Guard and Reserves troops in Afghanistan who are
currently deployed as of September 1, 2007, are shown in Figure 2 below.
Figure 2. Composition of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan
Component
86%
8%
6%
National Guard
Reserves
Active Component
Source: Percentage calculations by CRS. Data from Department of Defense, Office of Joint
Chiefs of Staff, Legislative Affairs, September 2007.

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Table 4. Reserve and Active Component Forces in Afghanistan
Reserve Component
3,281
National Guard
1,793
Army National Guard
1,372
Air National Guard
421
Reserves
1,488
Army Reserve
1,126
Air Force Reserve
270
Navy Reserve
92
Marine Reserve
0
Active Component
20,775
Army 15,062
Air Force
4,417
Navy
850
Marines
446
Source: Data from Department of Defense, Office Joint Chiefs of Staff, Legislative Affairs,
September 2007.
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Total U.S. Forces Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan,
September 2001 - July 2007
Between September 2001 and July 31, 2007, a total of 242,271 National Guard,
192,070 Reserves, and 1,140,860 Active Component personnel have been deployed to Iraq
and Afghanistan (shown in Figure 3 below).
Figure 3. Deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan,
2001-2007
1,140,860
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
242,271
192,070
400,000
200,000
0
National Guard
Reserves
Active
Com ponent
Source: Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Legislative
Affairs, September 2007.