States, cities & tribes
National Guard
State military forces that can also be called into federal service. Normally commanded by the governor, and federalized by the President under specific statutes.
In full
Under Title 32 status the Guard serves the state under the governor's command, the usual posture for disaster response and civil support. Under Title 10 the President federalizes units, which places them under federal command and generally subjects them to the Posse Comitatus Act's limits on domestic law enforcement.
Where to go next
Keep going
Browse every term in the glossary, or see the vocabulary in motion in the How government works walkthroughs.
A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.