The Texas State Guard (TXSG) is part of the
state military force of Texas, and one of three branches of the
Texas Military Forces
The Texas Military Forces (TXMF) are the principal instrument through which the Texas Military Department (TMD) executes security policy for Texas, which has the second-largest population and border in the United States.
The Texas Military Forc ...
. Along with the other two branches, the TXSG falls under the command of the
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of state of the U.S. state of Texas. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the government of Texas and is the commander-in-chief of the Texas Military Forces.
Established in the Constit ...
and is administered by the
Adjutant General of Texas, an appointee of the
Governor
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
. The other two branches of the Texas Military Forces are the
Texas Army National Guard
The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces (along with the Texas Air National Guard and the Texas State Guard).
Texas Army National Guard units are train ...
and the
Texas Air National Guard
The Texas Air National Guard (TX ANG) is the aerial militia of the U.S. state of Texas. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and part of the Texas National Guard, alongside the Texas Army National Guard. No element of the Texas Air Nati ...
.
The mission of the Texas State Guard (TXSG) is to provide mission-ready military forces to assist state and local authorities in times of state emergencies, to conduct homeland security and mission support activities under the umbrella of Defense Support to Civil Authorities, and to augment the Texas Army National Guard and Texas Air National Guard as required.
Headquartered at
Camp Mabry
Camp Mabry (ICAO: KATT) is a military installation in Austin, Texas, housing the headquarters of the Texas Military Department, Texas Military Forces, and Texas Military Forces Museum. Established in 1892, Camp Mabry is the third-oldest active ...
in
Austin, Texas
Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
, the TXSG functions as an organized state military under the authority of Title 32 of the
U.S. Code
The United States Code (formally The Code of Laws of the United States of America) is the official Codification (law), codification of the general and permanent Law of the United States#Federal law, federal statutes of the United States. It ...
and Chapter 431 of the
Texas Government Code
The law of Texas is derived from the ''Constitution of Texas'' and consists of several levels, including constitutional law, statutory law, regulatory law, case law, as well as local laws and regulations. Each level establishes a framework for ...
. The Governor of Texas has sole control over the Texas State Guard, because it is not subject to federal activation.
Structure

The Texas State Guard is a
state defense force
In the United States, state defense forces (SDFs) are military units that operate under the sole authority of a State governments of the United States, state government. State defense forces are authorized by state and federal law and are unde ...
that assists and augments the Texas Military Department and civil authorities in times of state emergencies, and on-going support of National Guard units and local communities. It is not part of the U.S. Armed Forces and members of the State Guard are not military veterans unless they have prior military service. The Texas State Guard operates as a state-organized and controlled volunteer force.
The Texas State Guard consists of four Civil Affairs Brigades, each containing four battalions. Specialty units exist at the company level for tasks such as search and rescue, watercraft operation, diving, and security.
Guardsmen's entry rank depends on prior federal military service and/or civilian education. Individuals with no prior military service or ROTC training must attend the Basic Orientation Training (BOT) course.
Texas State Guard personnel actively support the state in the event of catastrophic events, and ongoing state military missions. Guardsmen receive duty pay when activated by the Governor and placed on paid state active duty.
The organizational structure follows the federal military component structure, with comparable positions, ranks, protocols, and authorities. Guardsmen wear the Texas military uniform according to a branch of service (in accordance with branch regulations) in regards to
state military forces when conducting activities while on duty. TXSG personnel are also eligible for the same State issued military
awards and decorations Awards and decorations may refer to:
* Award
An award, sometimes called a distinction, is given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it ...
as members of the Texas Army & Air National Guard. For example, deployed members of the Texas State Guard received the ''Governor's Unit Citation'' for Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief in 2005.
The governor is the commander in chief of the Texas State Guard. Article 4, Section 7 of the Texas Constitution states that "He shall be Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of the State, except when they are called into actual service of the United States. He shall have the power to call forth the militia to execute the laws of the State, to suppress insurrections, and to repel invasions."
Command
The Commanding General of the State Guard is Major General Roger Sheridan. The Command Senior Enlisted Leader is Command Sergeant Major Harlan Thompson.
Units
*

1st Brigade,
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
-
Fort Worth
Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
*

2nd Brigade,
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
*

3rd Brigade,
Corpus Christi
*

6th Brigade,
Austin
Austin refers to:
Common meanings
* Austin, Texas, United States, a city
* Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...
History

The Texas State Guard has its roots in
Stephen F. Austin's colonial militia. On February 18, 1823,
Emperor of Mexico
The Emperor of Mexico () was the head of state and head of government
of Mexico on two non-consecutive occasions during the 19th century.
With the Mexican Declaration of Independence from Spain in 1821, Mexico briefly became an independent mon ...
,
Agustín de Iturbide
Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu (; 27 September 178319 July 1824), commonly known as Agustín de Iturbide and later by his regnal name Agustín I, was the first Emperor of Mexico from 1822 until his abdication in 1823. An offi ...
, authorized Austin who was the leader of the first non-Spanish efforts of Texas settlement "to organize the colonists into a body of the national militia, to preserve tranquility." Austin was appointed to the rank of lieutenant colonel and allowed the colonists to elect all subordinate militia officers. Soon after, Austin's militia was authorized to make war on Indian tribes who were hostile and molested the settlement. In 1827, in a move contrary to modern perceptions of
Anglo
Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to, or descent from England, English culture, the English people or the English language, such as in the term ''Anglosphere''. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of British d ...
-Texan colonists in Mexico, Austin's militia mobilized in support of the Mexican government to put down the
Fredonian Rebellion
The Fredonian Rebellion or Texan revolt of 1826 (December 21, 1826 – January 31, 1827) was the first attempt by Texans to secede from Mexico. The settlers, led by Empresario Haden Edwards, declared independence from Mexican Texas and creat ...
, a group of Americans who tried to declare a part of Texas as an independent republic separate from Mexico.
In 1835, all of the local militias in Texas were annexed by
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two indi ...
to provide a unified military command for the provisional government of the
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas (), or simply Texas, was a country in North America that existed for close to 10 years, from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846. Texas shared borders with Centralist Republic of Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande, an ...
. After becoming an independent republic in 1836, these forces were aligned with the Army of the Republic of Texas. In 1845, with the annexation of Texas by the United States, this structure was supplanted by the United States Army, but local militia companies were maintained for a ready response. After secession from the United States in 1861, existing militia companies rallied and new militia regiments were formed which were made available to the various armies of the Confederacy.
It was officially reorganized as the "State Guard" in 1871 during
Reconstruction
Reconstruction may refer to:
Politics, history, and sociology
*Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company
*''Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Union ...
to unify the independent militia companies and regiments throughout the state and continued in operation until 1903, when it was replaced by the nationalized
Texas Army National Guard
The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces (along with the Texas Air National Guard and the Texas State Guard).
Texas Army National Guard units are train ...
. It was revived in 1941, after thousands of Texan troops were deployed overseas in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, to provide state military forces and support for wartime
civil defense
Civil defense or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from human-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency management: Risk management, prevention, mitigation, prepara ...
.
When the National Guard was mobilized for service in the First World War, the federal legislature recognized the need for state troops to replace the National Guard. A law was passed authorizing the formation of home defense forces for the duration of the war. While Texas passed the necessary enabling statutes, it did not form such an organization. As World War II made mobilization of the National Guard again likely, steps were taken to provide for state troops as replacements for the National Guard. The Texas Legislature passed the Defense Act, HB 45, and the Governor signed the bill on 10 February 1941. This time, a force was organized, with the task falling to Brigadier General J. Watt Page, the Adjutant General of Texas. Within a year, the Texas Defense Guard numbered 17,497 officers and enlisted men. This number was in sharp contrast to the 11,633 members of the Texas National Guard mustered into federal service some months before. The Texas Defense Guard was organized into fifty independent battalions, each composed of a varying number of companies and a headquarters.
The federal legislation authorizing them expired on 25 July 1947. This was not taken lightly in some states and most notably in Texas. In that same year, the State Legislature authorized the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps. It was activated in January, 1948. The Reserve Corps continued in existence until ten years after the Congress had once again authorized state guards in 1955. Under statutes enacted by the 59th Legislature, the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps was abolished and Texas State Guard was again authorized and organized on 30 August 1965.
First made up of independent battalions, it was later organized along regimental lines, and at one time also included brigade-sized elements. It was first organized as Infantry and "Internal Security" units. After the early 1970s, it was organized as Military Police with companies assigned to battalions for control and the battalions, in turn, assigned to groups. For several years, there were six Military Police Groups with boundaries generally following those of Texas Department of Public Safety command districts.
In 1979, the 7th Military Police Group was formed to provide for command and control over remaining separate battalions in East Texas. A reorganization in 1980 resulted in the formation of the 8th and 9th Military Police Groups in San Antonio and Dallas. The original six groups were headquartered in Fort Worth, Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, Midland, Lubbock, and Austin.
In 1993, Texas State Guard was reorganized into regiments and the old group designations disappeared. Regimental headquarters were established in San Antonio (1st), Austin (2nd), Fort Worth (4th), Houston (8th), Dallas (19th), and Lubbock (39th). In ceremonies held in Killeen in July 1993, during the Texas State Guard Association convention, the newly organized regiments were presented with their new colors by the incumbent general officers and three retired general officers of the Texas State Guard. For the first time since World War II, the regiments were authorized distinctive unit insignia for wear by assigned personnel. In March, 1995, a seventh regiment, the 9th, was organized in El Paso from elements of the 39th. This added regiment did not survive though and personnel were returned to the 39th in 1999.
The Texas State Guard has partaken in
Operation Lone Star, an ongoing joint operation between the
Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous state in the South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, and has an international border wi ...
and the
Texas Military Department
The Texas Military Department (TMD) is an Government of Texas#State agencies, executive branch agency of the Government of Texas, Texas government. Along with the Texas Department of Public Safety, it is charged with providing the security of Tex ...
along the United States–Mexico border in southern Texas to combat
illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws, or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to do so. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, wi ...
.
Legal protection
Employers in the state of Texas are required under Texas law to provide a
leave of absence
The labour law concept of leave, specifically paid leave or, in some countries' long-form, a leave of absence, is an authorised prolonged absence from work, for any reason authorised by the workplace. When people "take leave" in this way, they ar ...
to any employees who are members of the Texas State Guard (or any other state's military forces) whenever these employees are activated to take part in training, drill, or to take part in an emergency mission. Employers must reinstate these employees to their former employment positions following their deployments, without loss of time, efficiency rating, vacation time, or any benefit of employment during or because of the absence.
Recent operations
*
Operation Lone Star (Ongoing)
**
Standoff at Eagle Pass
*
Hurricane Laura
Hurricane Laura was a deadly and destructive tropical cyclone that is tied with the 1856 Last Island hurricane and 2021's Hurricane Ida as the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the U.S. state of Louisiana, as measured by max ...
in 2020
* Winter Weather response - 2019
*
Hurricane Marco The name Marco has been used for four tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean.
* Tropical Storm Marco (1990), hugged west coast of Florida, making landfall as a tropical depression, causing heavy rain and moderate damage
* Hurricane Marco (1996), ...
in 2020
*
George Floyd Protests
The George Floyd protests were a series of protests, riots, and demonstrations against police brutality that began in Minneapolis in the United States on May 26, 2020. The protests and civil unrest began in Minneapolis as Reactions to the mu ...
*
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
response
*
Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey was a devastating tropical cyclone that made landfall in Texas and Louisiana in August 2017, causing catastrophic flooding and more than 100 deaths. It is tied with 2005's Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cy ...
in 2017
* Operation Final Rest (Ongoing)
* Operation Lone Star - Border Health Preparedness (annual mission)
* Operation Strong Safety (Ongoing)
* Operation Border Star I-VII (Ongoing)
* Observe Operation
Jade Helm 15 in 2015 (see
Jade Helm 15 conspiracy theories)
*
Texas Memorial Day Flood (
Blanco River) in 2015
* Bastrop Forest Fire in 2014
*
Hurricane Alex in 2010
*
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike () was a powerful tropical cyclone that swept through portions of the Greater Antilles and Northern America in September 2008, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and agriculture, particularly in Cuba and Texas. Ike took a sim ...
in 2008
*
Hurricane Gustav
Hurricane Gustav () was the second most destructive tropical cyclone of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. The seventh tropical cyclone, third hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, Gustav caused serious damage and Casualty (per ...
in 2008
*
Tropical Storm Edouard in 2008
*
Hurricane Dolly in 2008
*
Marble Falls Flood in 2007
*
Hurricane Humberto in 2007
*
Hurricane Dean
Hurricane Dean was the strongest tropical cyclone of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the most intense North Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Wilma of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, 2005 season, and is tied with Hurricane Mit ...
in 2007
*
Eagle Pass Tornado in 2007
* Operation Wrangler in 2007
*
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Gulf of Mexico, tying with Hurricane Milton in 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, 2024, as well as being the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. Part of the ...
in 2005
*
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...
in 2005
*
Columbia Space Shuttle - ground search for remains in 2003
Awards
U.S. Armed Forces awards may be worn on the Texas State Guard uniform.
Texas Military Forces awards available to Texas State Guard members:
*
Texas Medal of Valor
*
Texas Purple Heart Medal
*
Texas Superior Service Medal
*

Texas
Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal
*
Texas Outstanding Service Medal
*
Texas Medal of Merit
The Texas Medal of Merit, formerly known as the Texas Meritorious Service Medal, is the seventh highest Awards and decorations of the Texas Military, military decoration that can be conferred to a service member of the Texas Military Forces. Subse ...
(also awarded with "V" for valor)
*
Texas Adjutant General's Individual Award
The Adjutant General's Individual Award is the eighth highest Awards and decorations of the Texas Military, military decoration that can be conferred to a service member of the Texas Military Forces. Subsequent decorations are conferred by a whit ...
*
Texas Humanitarian Service Ribbon
*
Texas Homeland Defense Service Medal
*
Texas Faithful Service Medal
*

Texas State Guard Meritorious Service Ribbon
* Commanding General's Individual Award
* Texas State Guard Recruiting Ribbon
*

Officer Professional Development Ribbon
*

NCO Professional Development Ribbon
*

Basic Training Ribbon
*

Texas State Guard Physical Fitness Ribbon
*

Texas State Guard 3 Year Service Medal
*Texas State Guard Unit Awards:
*
Texas Governor's Unit Citation
* Texas State Guard Meritorious Unit Award
*

Texas State Guard Organizational Excellence Award
Commanding Generals

# Maj. Gen. J. Watt Page 1941–1943
# Maj. Gen. Arthur B. Knickerbocker 1943–1947
# Maj. Gen. Claude V. Birkhead 1947–1950
# Maj. Gen. Raymond Phelps 1950–1953
# Maj. Gen. Lloyd M. Bentsen Sr. 1953–1963
# Maj. Gen. John L. Thompson Jr. 1963–1966
# Maj. Gen. Harley B. West 1966–1969
# Maj. Gen. Max H. Specht 1969–1974
# Maj. Gen. William Green 1974–1984
# Maj. Gen. Roland Bruce Harris 1984–1987
# Maj. Gen. James W. Robinson 1988–1990
# Maj. Gen. Marlin E. Mote 1990–1994
# Maj. Gen. John H. Bailey, II 1994–1997
# Maj. Gen. Bertus L. Sisco 1997–2000
# Maj. Gen. Richard A. Box 2000–2006
# Maj. Gen. Christopher J. Powers 2006–2009
# Maj. Gen. Raymond C. Peters 2009–2012
# Maj. Gen. Manuel A. Rodriguez VII 2012–2014
# Maj. Gen. Gerald R. "Jake" Betty 2014–2017
# Maj. Gen. Robert J. "Duke" Bodisch 2017–2021
# Maj. Gen. Anthony Woods 2021–2025
# Maj. Gen. Roger Sheridan 2025 - present
; Command Senior Enlisted Advisors
# CSM Steven Bell 2012–2014
# SGM Bryan Becknell 2014–2019
# CSM Charles R Turbeville 2019–2022
# CSM Harlan Thompson 2022–present
In popular culture
The Texas State Guard was referenced in a ''
Doonesbury
''Doonesbury'' is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States to the title character, ...
'' comic strip in June 2015.
See also
*
Texas Wing Civil Air Patrol
*
State Guard Association of the United States
References
External links
Texas State Guard!-- Banners -->
{{Authority control
State Guard
In the United States, state defense forces (SDFs) are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state government. State defense forces are authorized by state and federal law and are under the command of the governor of each st ...
State defense forces of the United States
Texas Military Department
1823 establishments in Texas