The founder of the colony of Georgia, Gen. James Oglethorpe, served as the first Georgia Guardsman. He embodied the legend of the minuteman, a tradition carried forward by the Georgia Army National Guard. In May 1941, the first distinct aviation unit was created at Candler Field in Atlanta--the 128th Observation Squadron. In September 1947, a federal act officially created the Air National Guard.

Clint Smith served at state headquarters at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia. He had many responsibilities, including command historian. A board member of the Historical Society of the Georgia National Guard, Smith served eight years in the Georgia Legislature, where he led on military and security issues. The author of two novels, Smith has published columns on public policy and history.