National Guard of Georgia

The National Guard of Georgia (NG, Georgian: საქართველოს ეროვნული გვარდია, 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.[1]

This article is about the home guard of the country of Georgia. For the military unit in the US State of Georgia, see Georgia National Guard.
National Guard of Georgia
საქართველოს ეროვნული გვარდია
Georgian National Guard flag and insignia
Active20 December 1990 (1990-12-20)
Country Georgia
RoleResponding to external threats, civil disturbances, and natural disasters; providing military assistance to civilian authorities in emergencies; mobilization of reserves
Size554 primary cadre. Mobilization capacity ranging in the tens of thousands.
EngagementsGeorgian Civil War, Georgian-Ossetian conflict, Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, Russian-Georgian war
Commanders
Current
commander		Col. Irakli Chumburidze
Notable
commanders		Tengiz Kitovani
Koba Kobaladze
Samson Kutateladze
Nikoloz Janjgava
Insignia
GNG shoulder insignia

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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[3][4]

Modern Guard

Following US EUCOM recommendations, new roles, functions, and structure were assigned to the National Guard. As of January 2007, the National Guard of Georgia consisted of 554 veteran personnel[5]

Structure
The military band.

The National Guard of Georgia is composed of:[6]

  • 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) ( Reserve )
  • 2nd Infantry Brigade (Telavi) ( Reserve )
  • Honour Guard Company
  • Military Band of the National Guard

Missions
The drill team

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.[7][8]

See also

References
  1. National Military Strategy of Georgia Archived 2007-06-30 at the Wayback Machine, The Defense Ministry of Georgia. Retrieved on January 27, 2007.
  2. http://www.tavisupleba.org/content/article/1550279.html
  3. Georgian National Guard, The Global Security website. Retrieved on January 27, 2007.
  4. http://geoarmylibrery.ucoz.net/publ/sakartvelos_erovnuli_gvardia/2-1-0-45
  5. Georgian National Guard Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, The Defense Ministry of Georgia. Retrieved on January 27, 2007.
  6. https://razm.info/ru/3777
  7. https://eadaily.com/ru/news/2017/08/07/v-gruzii-prostilis-s-32-m-po-schetu-pogibshim-v-afganistane-mirotvorcem
  8. https://m.sputnik-georgia.ru/politics/20151221/229548813.html?mobile_return=no
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