Hawaii Army National Guard
Professional services
UnclaimedThe Hawaii Army National Guard is Hawaii’s Army National Guard component, serving both the state government and the United States Army.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
The Hawaii Army National Guard is the Army component of the Hawaii National Guard and a reserve component of the United States Army. It operates under a dual state-and-federal structure. When serving the state, its forces may be called by the governor for emergencies and public-support missions. When placed under federal authority, its units can be mobilized by presidential order to reinforce the active Army and conduct domestic or overseas military operations. The organization is trained and equipped according to United States Army standards. Its force includes combat, aviation, engineering, logistics, medical, communications, public affairs, training, maintenance, recruiting, civil-support, and command elements. The principal maneuver formation is the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, supported by the 103rd Troop Command and other specialized formations. Hawaii-based aviation units operate UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, CH-47F Chinooks, UH-72A Lakotas, and other aircraft and support capabilities. The 93rd Civil Support Team provides specialized assistance for incidents involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive hazards. The organization traces its institutional ancestry to Hawaii’s nineteenth-century militia traditions. The Honolulu Rifles, formed in 1854 and later recognized as a paramilitary organization, provided an early predecessor. Following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893, the National Guard of Hawaii was established on January 27 of that year. Its first recorded state mission involved the 1893 Leper War. After Hawaii became a United States territory, the force was redesignated the Hawaii National Guard in 1898. During the territorial period, Hawaii Guard units developed a close relationship with the defense of the islands and with the wider United States military system. The 298th and 299th Infantry Regiments were federalized in 1940. Their mobilization left the territorial government with fewer Guard troops available for local duties. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the Hawaii Territorial Guard was created as a state-controlled replacement force. Some Japanese-American members of the Territorial Guard were dismissed in January 1942 because of wartime loyalty suspicions, while Japanese-American soldiers serving with federalized Hawaii Guard units were later removed from those units and placed in the Hawaiian Provisional Battalion, which became associated with the distinguished 100th Infantry Battalion. The 298th Infantry Regiment served in the Pacific during the Second World War, including the Central and Western Pacific, Leyte, and Ryukyu campaigns. Its lineage subsequently passed through antiaircraft, artillery, depot, and headquarters organizations. A new 298th Regiment was constituted in 1997 as a regional training institute and is not directly lineage-related to the original wartime infantry regiment. In the modern era, the Hawaii Army National Guard has supported federal deployments, state emergencies, public health activities, civil-support operations, and community missions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, its medical personnel assisted with vaccine distribution and conducted readiness and force-health activities, including health assessments, dental and hearing examinations, immunizations, flight physicals, behavioral-health support, and case management. The force remains an operational reserve intended to provide deployable military capabilities while also supporting Hawaii authorities during emergencies.
History
The Hawaii Army National Guard developed from militia and territorial-defense institutions in Hawaii. An early predecessor was the Honolulu Rifles, a militia organization formed in 1854 and recognized as a paramilitary force by 1887. Following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the National Guard of Hawaii was organized on January 27, 1893, drawing heavily on personnel from the Honolulu Rifles. One of its earliest state missions was participation in the Leper War. When Hawaii was annexed by the United States, the National Guard of Hawaii was redesignated as the Hawaii National Guard on August 12, 1898. The force subsequently became integrated into the United States military system while retaining state responsibilities. Its historic infantry structure included the 298th and 299th Infantry Regiments. The 298th originated as the 1st Regiment, National Guard of Hawaii, was redesignated as the 298th Infantry in 1923, and was federalized on October 15, 1940. It was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division in 1941 and came under fire during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 of that year. During the Second World War, the regiment served in Pacific campaigns including operations in the Central and Western Pacific, Leyte, and the Ryukyus. It was released from federal service in Hawaii in April 1945. The Second World War also produced major changes in the treatment and organization of Hawaii’s Guard personnel. After Pearl Harbor, the Hawaii Territorial Guard was established as a state-controlled force to replace Guard units that had been federalized. In January 1942, Territorial Guard members of Japanese ancestry were dismissed because of wartime suspicions about their loyalty. Japanese-American members of the Hawaii National Guard serving with the federalized 298th and 299th Infantry Regiments were retained for a time, but were removed in June 1942 and placed in the Hawaiian Provisional Battalion. That formation later became the 100th Infantry Battalion, an important Japanese-American unit in United States Army history. The lineage of the original 298th Infantry changed repeatedly after the war. In 1957 it became the 298th Antiaircraft Artillery Group, in 1961 the 298th Artillery Group (Air Defense), and in 1972 the 298th Field Depot. The depot was inactivated in 1976, with its headquarters consolidated into the Hawaii Army National Guard headquarters structure. In 1997, a new 298th Regiment was constituted as a regional training institute at Waimanalo; this modern training organization is not lineage-related to the original 298th Infantry Regiment. Today, the Hawaii Army National Guard is organized as part of the United States Army National Guard while remaining available to the governor of Hawaii. Its formations include Joint Force Headquarters-Hawaii’s Army element, the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the 103rd Troop Command, the 298th Multi-Functional Training Regiment, aviation facilities and aviation detachments, maintenance and sustainment units, medical and civil-support organizations, and recruiting and retention elements. Its capabilities span infantry and cavalry operations, field artillery, combat engineering, military intelligence, logistics, aviation, medical evacuation, heavy lift, public affairs, contracting, firefighting, and specialized hazardous-material response. National Guard personnel may be mobilized by presidential order for federal missions or called by the governor during a state emergency. The Hawaii Army National Guard has also performed public-health and domestic-support work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, its Medical Detachment helped distribute vaccines and carried out readiness functions such as periodic health assessments, dental and hearing examinations, vision screening, immunizations, flight physicals, behavioral-health support, and case management. The organization therefore combines the strategic role of a deployable Army reserve with a permanent local emergency-response function in Hawaii.
- 1997
New 298th Regiment constituted as training institute
[1]A new 298th Regiment was established at Waimanalo as a regional training institute, separate in lineage from the original 298th Infantry Regiment.
- 1976
298th Field Depot inactivated
[1]The 298th Field Depot was inactivated and its headquarters elements were consolidated with Hawaii Army National Guard headquarters organizations.
- 1957
298th Infantry redesignated as antiaircraft artillery
[1]The historic 298th lineage was reorganized and redesignated as the 298th Antiaircraft Artillery Group.
- 1942
Hawaii Territorial Guard and Hawaiian Provisional Battalion
[1]The Hawaii Territorial Guard was created for state duties, while Japanese-American soldiers removed from federalized Hawaii Guard units were placed in the Hawaiian Provisional Battalion.
- 1941
298th Infantry involved in the Pearl Harbor defense
[1]The federalized 298th Infantry came under fire and suffered casualties during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7.
- 1940
298th and 299th Infantry Regiments federalized
[1]The two principal Hawaii Guard infantry regiments were called into federal service, reducing the troops available for territorial duties.
- 1898
Redesignation as Hawaii National Guard
[1]On August 12, the National Guard of Hawaii was redesignated as the Hawaii National Guard after Hawaii became a United States territory.
- 1893
National Guard of Hawaii established
[1]The National Guard of Hawaii was formed on January 27 after the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, largely incorporating Honolulu Rifles personnel.
- 1893
First recorded state mission
[1]The newly formed guard took part in the Leper War, one of its earliest state-directed missions.
- 1887
Honolulu Rifles recognized as a paramilitary organization
[1]The Honolulu Rifles received formal recognition as a paramilitary force during the late Hawaiian Kingdom period.
Products and positioning
A dual-mission military force that combines locally available emergency-response capabilities with federally deployable Army combat and support units.
Controversies
1942
Dismissal of Japanese-American Territorial Guard members
Japanese-American members of the Hawaii Territorial Guard were dismissed in January 1942 amid wartime suspicions about their loyalty. Japanese-American soldiers in federalized Hawaii Guard infantry units were later removed and assigned to the Hawaiian Provisional Battalion.
Marketing campaigns
- 1942Hawaii Territorial Guard
Hawaii
After Hawaii Guard units were federalized, the Hawaii Territorial Guard was created to provide a locally controlled replacement force for territorial responsibilities.
Outcome. The force remained under the governor rather than being subject to federal deployment.
- 1941Pearl Harbor defense
Hawaii · Pacific
The federalized 298th Infantry Regiment was present in Hawaii when Pearl Harbor was attacked and came under fire.
Outcome. The regiment sustained casualties and was subsequently employed in the Pacific theater.
- 1893Leper War
Hawaii
The newly established National Guard of Hawaii participated in the Leper War, an early state-directed operation in the organization’s history.
Outcome. The operation is described as a costly or pyrrhic victory.
- COVID-19 response
Hawaii
Hawaii Army National Guard medical personnel supported vaccine distribution and force-health-protection activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outcome. The Medical Detachment continued medical readiness services for Guard personnel.
Brand decisions
1997
Creation of a new 298th Regiment training organizationGeneration changeBackground
Hawaii required a regional Army training structure for its Guard personnel.
Action taken
A new 298th Regiment was constituted at Waimanalo as a Regional Training Institute.
Aftermath
The modern 298th Regiment provides training functions but is not directly lineage-related to the historic 298th Infantry Regiment.
1940
Federalization of Hawaii infantry regimentsStrategyBackground
The United States expanded military readiness before American entry into the Second World War.
Action taken
The 298th and 299th Infantry Regiments were placed into federal service.
Aftermath
Hawaii had fewer Guard personnel available for territorial duties, contributing to the creation of the Hawaii Territorial Guard after Pearl Harbor.
1898
Territorial reorganizationOtherBackground
Following Hawaii’s transition to a United States territory, the existing National Guard of Hawaii required a new institutional designation.
Action taken
The organization was redesignated as the Hawaii National Guard.
Aftermath
The force continued its state role while becoming increasingly integrated with the United States military system.
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