The Rhode Island Army National Guard maintains 16 armories, and is present in 13 communities.
The Rhode Island Army National Guard traces its history from the first colonial defensive force established in the town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island in 1638. This group of citizen soldiers consisted of two sergeants, two corporals, and one clerk. From this humble beginning the State's military grew, providing forces in many conflicts during the pre-revolutionary period, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, the Mexican Border, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm and most recently Stabilization Forces (SFOR) in the Balkans.
Today, the Rhode Island Army National Guard consists of a force of over 2,500 dedicated men and women, who are prepared to serve our State or Nation in a variety of military specialties. Rhode Island has citizen soldiers qualified in military occupational specialties which include Artillery, Infantry, Signal, Engineer, Aviation, and Military Police.
During FY99, Rhode Island Army National Guard units participated in Annual Training sites throughout the United States and in Germany, Canada, Oman and Kuwait. The 103rd Field Artillery Brigade Headquarters participated in a Warfighter Exercise with the III Corps at Fort Hood, TX. The 1st Battalion of the 103rd Field Artillery conducted Initial Fire Support Automated System live-fire mission training at Fort Pickett, VA. An element of Detachment 2, 3rd Battalion, 172rd Infantry Company underwent intensive Mountain Warfare training at Valcartier, Canada. Another element participated in a SETAF exercise at the Combat Maneuver Training Center in Germany.
During FY99, the Drug Demand Reduction Program sponsored 67 activities that promoted drug education and awareness of illicit drugs. The program utilized 150 volunteers and reached approximately 148,500 children, young adults and the general public via local newspaper coverage, community schools, civic organizations and National Guard programs. The partnership with city police departments provided personnel and equipment to support programs and events such as DARE, National Night Out, Camp Wave and Safety Day. Youth programs such as Child Opportunity Zone, ACE Camp, Boy Scouts of America and YMCA Kid’s Day were all part of this year’s activities.