The Alaska National Guard is Alaska's component of the
National Guard of the United States and comprises the
Alaska Army National Guard and the
Alaska Air National Guard. Current strength is 1,972 army guardsmen and 2,309 air guardsmen. The Governor may call individuals or units of the Alaska National Guard into state service during emergencies or to assist in special situations which lend themselves to use of the National Guard. The state mission assigned to the National Guard is "To provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law." The Alaska Army National Guard also operates a launch site for a U.S. anti-missile system at
Fort Greely, about 100 miles south of
Fairbanks. The military department's
Alaska Military Youth Academy is run by the National Guard. ==Alaska State Defense Force==