Office of the Adjutant General Rhode Island National Guard Unit History records and photographs (1999-104)

Historical note

The Rhode Island National Guard (RING), like the National Guard of all 54 states and territories, has both a federal mission and a state mission. The RING‘s federal mission is to maintain manned, equipped and trained operational forces that are prepared to respond to any contingency in sup-port of the President‘s National Security Plan. The RING is an operational force provider for the full-spectrum of contingencies to include nation-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian, natural disaster, national emergency, limited conflicts and full-scale war. The state mission of the RING is to provide manned, equipped and trained units and personnel that are prepared to respond to state and local authorities as directed by the Governor to assist in maintaining peace, order and public safety during crisis situations to include natural or manmade disasters, high-profile events and state emergency defense operations.

The Adjutant General, in his dual capacity as the Commanding General of the Rhode Island National Guard and the Adjutant General of the State of Rhode Island, has command and control of all assigned forces to include all units of the R.I. Army National Guard, the R.I. Air National Guard and the State Militia. The R.I. Adjutant General also serves as the Director of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA). The primary mission of the RIEMA is to protect life and property before, during and after a disaster or emergency situation. The RING is composed of a Joint Force Head-quarters and both a land component - the Army National Guard - and an air component – the Air National Guard.