Why does Indiana have more National Guard troops in active service than any other state?

by Kirk Mason (mason@wsbt.com)

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Why does Indiana have more National Guard troops in active service than any other state?

Members of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team march during their send off ceremony at Fort Stewart in Georgia. (WSBT photo)

By Tiffany Griffin

Story Created: Mar 5, 2008 at 10:48 AM EST

Story Updated: Jul 23, 2008 at 10:51 AM EST

Right now Indiana has more National Guard members on active duty than any other state in the country. That includes giant states like California and Texas.

Winifred Joice of Culver asks, "Why does Indiana have more National Guard troops in active service than any other state?”

Indiana's 76th Brigade Combat Team in Fort Stewart, Georgia prepared for their final send-off before their deployment to Iraq.

Hundreds of members of Warsaw's Alpha Company are part of this group that constitutes Indiana's largest National Guard deployment since World War II.

It's a deployment that moves Indiana to the head of the country when it comes to National Guard service.

“In numbers and in quality, I know that it is my privilege to support the finest national guard in America,” says Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

The Indiana National Guard says 4,108 of its members are now on active duty, that's more than any other state; 3,200 of those are from the 76th.

Their expertise is needed to perform security patrols for convoys in Iraq. And their deployment is the reason Indiana has more Guard members on active duty than any other state.

Units come home and others are deployed so these numbers are constantly changing. That means it's not clear right now how long Indiana will lead the way when it comes to National Guard members on active duty.

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