The 75th Anniversary of the Nevada Air National Guard 1948-2023: Building a Total Force for National Security

Abstract

Abstract: The year 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the Nevada Air National Guard. When Congress created the United States Air Force in 1947, it also authorized the various states to establish Air National Guards. Nevada did so immediately in 1948. The Nevada Air Guard took its place alongside the newly reestablished Nevada State Militia under the command of the governor and subject to activation by the president whenever local or national emergencies threatened the peace and security of the United States. As a reserve force, the Nevada Air National Guard assumed a role in the Cold War with the Soviet Union, served in the Korean War, and responded to crises associated with the Vietnam War in the turbulent 1960s. After the downfall of the Soviet Union, it served in Kosovo in the 1990s amidst the violent breakup of the former Yugoslavia. During the 21st century members of the Nevada Air Guard have been called to Iraq and Afghanistan in the War on Terror. At home the Air Guard has assisted the U.S. Forest Service's efforts to fight wildfires in the face of climate change.