National Guard of Georgia

The National Guard of Georgia (NG, , sak'art'velos erovnuli gvardia) is a branch of the Defense Forces of Georgia. It is tasked with responding to external threats, civil disturbances, and natural disasters. The GNG is also responsible for the mobilization of reservists.

History

The GNG was established on December 20, 1990 after President Zviad Gamsakhurdia ordered the creation of what is now the Defense Forces of Georgia and held the first military parade on Boris Paichadze Stadium. Tengiz Kitovani was appointed as the head of GNG.

GNG was mainly manned by volunteers and more experienced Georgian officers who were serving in Soviet Armies at the time and returned to Georgia to serve in the newly created Georgian Land Forces. Thus, it became the first national military formation in then-Soviet Georgia which would later provide the basis for the regular armed forces.

Almost from its birth, the National Guard became directly involved in Georgian politics. In August 1991, soon after its foundation, the GNG was split between supporters of Gamsakhurdia and Kitovani. The split happened after Kitovani announced that the president was about to dissolve the National Guard. Kitovani and his supporters left the barracks and took up positions near Tbilisi. They joined Prime Minister Tengiz Sigua and the paramilitary leader Jaba Ioseliani during the Georgian Civil War which began in December 1991. The remaining parts of the GNG retained their loyalty towards Gamsakhurdia.

Units of the National Guard were a major paramilitary force to have fought in the Georgian Civil War, South Ossetian and Abkhazian conflicts in the early 1990s.

Modern Guard
Following US EUCOM recommendations, new roles, functions, and structure were assigned to the National Guard. Since the 2000s, the GNG does not include military units and is rather focused on a reserve system and support of the civil government during crisis. As of January 2007, the National Guard of Georgia consisted of 554 veteran personnel

Structure 

The National Guard of Georgia is composed of:

 Headquarters of the National Guard
 Personnel Department 
 Intelligence Department
 Operational Planning Department
 Logistics Department
 Stratigic Planning Department
 Civil Defense Service
 Staff Company
 Security Company
 1st Infantry Brigade (Senaki)
 2nd Infantry Brigade (Telavi)
 Honour Guard Company
 Military Band of the National Guard

Missions 

The main missions of National Guard are:

 Support civil government in crisis situations (natural, technological, ecological);
 Register mobilization resources, study and deliver;
 Convene, select and man of citizens on the basis of the agreement, for the units, subunits and bases of the Armed Forces;
 Provide ceremonial activities through the Guard of Honour and the military band.

See also 
 Georgian Armed Forces
 National Guard
 Ministry of Defense of Georgia
 Military Band of the National Guard of Georgia

References

External links

 The National Guard website

Category:Military of Georgia (country)
Category:Military units and formations of Georgia (country)
Category:Military units and formations established in 1990
Category:1990 establishments in Georgia (country)
Category:Guards of honour