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No Longer Just Ceremonial, Governors Guards Are Becoming a Vital Military Force for Connecticut

The Governors Guards (State Defense Force), also known as The Connecticut Foot & Horse Guards, can trace its history since The American Revolution. It participated in many of the Early American conflicts, it was later integrated into The National Guard in the early 20th century. As part of The United States military the units were deployed to Europe during World War One. As one World War ended and another larger war erupted a few decades later, elements of The Governors Guards were reorganized into “Home Guards’ and took the same mission as other State Defense Forces. Their missions composed of taking over National Guard duties throughout the state, responding to natural disasters and defending state infrastructure from Foreign Axis Agents.

Following the end of The Second World War The Governors Guards were removed from The National Guard and officially became The State Defense Force of Connecticut. However unlike other State Defense Forces, The Governors Guards focused their missions on ceremonial duties such as escorting dignitaries, and attending inaugural celebrations. However in the last few years they have been changing their mission set and becoming more of a critical asset for Connecticut. During The Covid-19 Pandemic the Governors Guards began working with The National Guard & Connecticut Department of Health. Their mission involved setting up emergency field hospitals to help alleviate the overflow in hospital admissions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Since then The Governors Guards have been training side by side with The Connecticut Army National Guard & Air National Guard participating in ruck marches and Drill & Ceremony. The troops have also been focusing on expanding their CPR & Emergency First Aid capabilities so they maybe called to do more in the future. We commend The Governors Guards on expanding their mission set and beginning to develop their relationship with The National Guard.

Over the past weekend the soldiers of The Governors Guards worked together training on deploying those mobile field hospitals. The soldiers train to ensure these hospitals are set up properly and as quickly as possible so in the event of a statewide or national emergency they can deploy them as soon as possible.

This past weekend, The First and Second Company Governor’s Foot Guards had the opportunity to train together to prepare for future joint operations regarding the Department of Public Health and their Mobile Field Hospitals.
The Mobile Field Hospital is deployable as a flexible configuration of four 25-bed units that operate jointly or independently to provide triage and treatment anywhere in the state. It can also support an acute care hospital after a catastrophic structural or mechanical failure.

Sources: Connecticut Foot Guard

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