California National Guard

California National Guard
Seal of the California National Guard
Active	July 27, 1849 (1849-07-27)
Country	United States
Allegiance	California
Branch	United States Army  United States Air Force
Type	National Guard
Role	Organized militia
Size	24,000 (as of 2025)
Part of	National Guard Bureau California Military Department
Headquarters	9800 Goethe Road, Sacramento, California 95827
Nicknames	CalGuard CNG
Commanders
Commander in Chief (Title 10 USC)	President of the United States (when federalized)
Commander in Chief (Title 32 USC)	Governor of California
Adjutant General	MG Matthew P. Beevers
Senior Enlisted Leader	CMSgt Lynn E. Williams

The California National Guard (Cal Guard) is part of the National Guard of the United States, a dual federal–state military reserve force in the state of California. It has three components: the California Army National Guard, California Air National Guard, and California State Guard. As of 2025, the California National Guard comprises approximately 24,000 personnel, making it one of the largest National Guard forces in the United States.^[1]

Since 2001, members of the California National Guard have been deployed overseas more than 38,000 times. Thirty-one California Guardsmen have died while serving overseas in support of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Guantanamo Bay.^[2][3]

The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. When under the control of its state governor, National Guard 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 of California may call individuals or units of the California National Guard into state service during emergencies or special situations. The state mission of the National Guard is: "To provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law."

2025 federal deployment and legal challenge

In June 2025, the California National Guard became the subject of a high-profile legal and political dispute when President Donald Trump issued a memorandum federalizing up to 4,000 Guard members and deploying approximately 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles during protests following federal immigration raids.^[4][5] Governor Gavin Newsom strongly opposed the move, asserting that it exceeded presidential authority under Title 10 and was unnecessary given local law enforcement's control.^[6]

On June 9, the State of California filed suit in the Northern District of California, Newsom v. Trump, seeking to block the deployment via a temporary restraining order. The lawsuit contends the executive order violated 10 U.S.C. § 252, the Tenth Amendment, and the Posse Comitatus Act.^[7][8]

On June 12, 2025, Judge Charles Breyer of the Federal District Court in San Francisco issued a 36-page ruling, returning control of the National Guardsmen back to Newsom. The second paragraph of the ruling reads:

At this early stage of the proceedings, the Court must determine whether the President followed the congressionally mandated procedure for his actions. He did not. His actions were illegal—both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California forthwith.^[9]

Components

• California Army National Guard (CA ARNG)
• California Air National Guard (CA ANG)
• California State Guard (CSG)

Military Museum Command

California State Guard's Military Museum Command interim state museum is Camp Roberts Historical Museum.^[10] militarymuseum.org is provided as a public service by the California Military Department.^[10]

Adjutant General

Major General Matthew P. Beevers serves as the Adjutant General of California since he was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom on August 1, 2022.

Military academy

The California National Guard maintains the California Military Academy at Camp San Luis Obispo, which houses the state's Officer Candidate School (OCS) program. This academy trains qualified enlisted personnel, warrant officers, and civilians to become commissioned officers in the California Army National Guard.

Upon completion of Basic Combat Training (BCT), OCS cadets attend monthly drills for approximately 16 to 18 months, followed by a two-week annual training. Graduates are commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the Army National Guard.^{[11] [12]}

Accidents and incidents

In 1995, Shawn Nelson a former US Army officer entered a California National Guard armory undetected. He was able to start one of the tanks and he drove it around the streets of San Diego. After the incident, the San Diego mayor wrote a letter to the Californian Mayor demanding an investigation into armory security.^[13]

See also

• List of California State Militia Units 1850–60
• List of California State Militia civil war units
• California Military Department
• California State Guard
• California during World War II

References

Further reading

• Hudson, James J. "The California National Guard: In the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906." California Historical Quarterly 55.2 (1976): 137–149. online

External links

• Bibliography of California Army National Guard History compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History
• Office of The Adjutant General
• California National Guard
• California State Guard
• California Military Museum
• California National Guard Photograph Collection US Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, Pennsylvania