The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards.

The Texas Army National Guard is composed of approximately 19,000 soldiers, and maintains 117 armories in 102 communities.

This militia structure formed the basis for several of the volunteer companies raised to fight in the Texas Revolution of 1836.

[2] The 49th Armored Division was ordered to active federal service in October 1961 at Dallas, for the 1961 Berlin Crisis, and reverted to state control in August 1962.

In November 1976 the Texas Army National Guard, in the words of the AG Report 1975-76, was "organized into a State Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Public Information Detachment, the 49th Armored Division, and the Base Units Command of the State," both commanded by general officers.

[10] The 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment is a separate unit and it is not subordinate to other commands in the state, although it is attached to the 71st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade for local administration.

During the same year, the battalion became affiliated with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy, and adopted the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 173rd ABCT.