LOCAL NEWS

Governor orders 168 Guardsmen to state active duty

~ Guardsmen will assist Arkansas State Police with stranded motorists, debris removal

CAMP JOSEPH T. ROBINSON, NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has mobilized to state active duty 140 Arkansas National Guardsmen to staff 28 winter weather response teams to assist Arkansas State Police to transport stranded motorists to safe areas until road conditions improve. An additional 12 Guardsmen are being ordered to state active duty to provide administrative support and command and control, four Guardsmen for public affairs support, and 12 Guardsmen to assist with winter weather debris removal.

Guardsmen will begin their orders Jan. 23, 2026, and will provide around-the-clock support until they are no longer needed.

Each winter weather response team consists of five Guardsmen, two Humvees, plus communications equipment. Teams are permitted to recover first responder emergency vehicles to a safe area, if possible. Teams are not authorized to recover privately owned vehicles.

The 39^th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will provide four teams to Troop D in Forrest City, and two teams each to Troop E in Pine Bluff, Troop F in Warren, Troop G in Hope, Troop K in Hot Springs, and Toop J in Clarksville.

The 77^th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade will provide four teams to Troop A in Little Rock.

The 87^th Troop Command will provide two teams each to Troop B in Newport, Troop C in Jonesboro, and Troop I in Harrison.

The 142^nd Field Artillery Brigade will provide two teams each to Troop H in Fort Smith, and Troop L in Lowell.

The 189^th Airlift Wing will provide three teams of four Guardsmen to provide winter weather debris removal teams to assist with debris removal at the request of the Arkansas State Police.

The Arkansas National Guard assumes support roles to augment civil authorities, where needed and directed by the Governor, to help in a crisis.