“The Governor is the CIC.”
The Army National Guard is a branch of the United States Federal Reserves, so the President of the United States (POTUS) is the commander-in-chief of all Army National Guard units and personnel while they are under Federalized service. The Army National Guard is also subject to the Federal Government’s Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). The state governor is the commander-in-chief of his state’s Army National Guard units and personnel while they are in service to the state and not the Federal Government.
A governor is the only commander-in-chief for a state defense force, which is entirely unrelated to the Army National Guard and the Federal Reserve.
I am well aware of the National Guard and it’s federal Call ups. I was in it for about 12 years. Joined it after I was discharged. They are Army yes, but they go by NGAR’s. It was confusing getting NGR’s that were ARs with alterations. It just wasn’t the Army to me so I left and did the next 16 years in the USAR which was like being back in the regular army. The State Guard, if I recall correctly, is a Unit that was there to cover the Guard Buildings while the Unit was away. Its an Honorary type unit, a volunteer force without pay. They get to wear their uniforms, even though some couldn’t pass AR 600-9 requirements. They wear state brass, not the “US” one you see on an officer’s lapel. I was on a FTX one year and they were doing one too. They used the radios like you would expect in a Hollywood movie. “Red Dog, this is Able Fox” “Roger Wilco Over and Out”. Lets just say they were entertaining. When I was in the Guard, the 4 Company CO’s in my Bn., were recent vets who decided to join the Hobby Army, as we referred to the NG, who at the time, was attended by those who didn’t want to go into the real Army. I left in the late 70’s so I guess times have changed since my guard years. I do know that they aren’t as large as they were, and many of the Divisions are gone, and what was left of their units, have been combined with other state NG Commands.