New York Guard

For more detail, see List of New York Civil War Regiments.

The New York Seventh in Washington, DC, 1861

Many units of the New York State Militia saw service in the American Civil War, after being activated into federal service by President Abraham Lincoln.

The activation of state militia by President Abraham Lincoln led to some conflict with State authorities in command of the units:

With the advent of the Civil War in April 1861, the 14th regiment saw its first war service in guarding the Brooklyn Navy Yard. By mid-April of that year, the "Brooklyn Chasseurs" were ready to leave New York for Washington D.C. Colonel Alfred Wood advised the Honorable Governor Morgan that the regiment was prepared to march and had accepted a three-year federal enlistment. However, the governor would not issue orders for the regiment to leave New York. While encamped at Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, Colonel Wood and Congressman Moses O'Dell went to see President Lincoln to secure orders for the regiment to march to Washington. President Lincoln lost no time in issuing those orders to the 14th Brooklyn. When Governor Morgan learned that the regiment was preparing to march, he telegraphed Colonel Wood and inquired "by what authority" did he move his regiment, Colonel Wood coolly replied, "By the authority of the President of the United States."[5]

Following the Civil War, efforts were made to link the varied military units in New York under overall headquarters. As a result of this, the 3rd Brigade, New York State Militia, came into being on August 5, 1886.[6]

On August 3, 1917, the Adjutant General of New York, in order to comply with the provisions of the State Constitution requiring that troops be available to the Governor for the protection of life and property of the citizens of New York, organized a state military force known as the New York Guard. The new force replaced the New York National Guard, drafted in the service of the United States on August 5, 1917. The force consisted of the First and Second Provisional Regiments, guarding aqueducts and other infrastructure in the southern portion (First Provisional Regiment) and the remaining parts of the state.

On January 1, 1919, the Guard numbered 22,000 in active service. After the Armistice, federalized New York National Guard Units were returned to State control.

In 1943, the NYG gained a new Commander in LTG Hugh Aloysius Drum,[7] (until 1948) and took on many responsibilities normally performed by the National Guard. In addition to internal security measures such as protecting key facilities from saboteurs and developing plans to respond if such an event occurred.[8] On 7 October 1946, an official National Guard troop allotment was accepted, and the New York Guard of World War II was phased out of existence by the reorganization of the National Guard effective 30 November 1946.

In the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the New York Guard provided security, disaster relief, legal, communications and other services to New York City and the surrounding areas in cooperation with the National Guard. During this period, Major General John F. Bahrenburg was Commander of the New York Guard (his tenure as Commander was from 1999 to 2002).[9]

The New York Guard experienced a resurgence after the September 11, 2001 attacks. New York Guard units were activated after the attacks, performing a variety of missions, including logistical support to forces stationed at "Ground Zero." Medical units of the Guard worked in conjunction with other DMNA forces providing care at several location including Camp Smith, in Westchester county.

New York Guard Staff Sgt. Joseph Dee fires an M9 pistol during the 35th Annual "TAG (The Adjutant General) Match.

Members of the New York Guard load supplies onto a flatbed as a part of the State Active Duty mission in the Fall of 2017 Hurricane Maria deployment.

Principal occupational specialties of the New York Guard include, communications, logistics, administrative, and medical and legal services, provided in support of all components of New York State military forces, i.e., the Army and Air National Guards, Naval Militia and the New York Guard, as well as to civil authorities.

Trained and state-certified New York Guard soldiers augment and assist National Guard units in the following missions: weapons of mass destruction [WMD] decontamination – the joint New York Army National Guard / New York Air National Guard / New York Guard decontamination, or CERF, team was activated by the governor for state duty for 11 days during the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City, Military Emergency Radio Network – the Guard is assigned to operate the MERN at various locations to ensure the free flow of information during an emergency, and search and rescue (SAR) a secondary mission to the state. New York Guard SAR teams have been mobilized, for example, in the summer of 2006 to search for a missing camper in the Adirondack Mountains preserve. Selected units and personnel of the New York Guard were called to State Active Duty with pay in response to Hurricane Irene in 2011.

2012 saw the largest deployment of the New York Guard since the September 11, 2001 attacks. Every brigade was at least partially activated for service during 'Superstorm' Sandy. New York Guard members served as equals alongside the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, and New York Naval Militia, at one point making up approximately one third of all troops in the field during a two-month deployment.

New York State Guard personnel provide training to the New York Army and Air National Guards including first aid training at Camp Smith Training Center.

The 244th Medical Group has worked with the NY Army National Guard Medical Command (MEDCOM), augmenting National Guard personnel for in-state MEDCOM missions. These have included screening of National Guard personnel in Soldier Readiness Programs.

In addition to its SAR work as a secondary mission under the New York State Defense Emergency Act and Article 2-B of State and Local, Natural and Man-Made disasters Act, engineer units of the NY Guard 10th and 65th Brigades have built facilities for the National Guard.

The New York Guard augments the capabilities of the National Guard. Guard personnel are drawn from almost every profession and areas of expertise – from plumbers to professors, clerks and CEOs, persons with long prior military service and those without, and every part of the state.

The headquarters unit of the New York Guard is located at Camp Smith, Cortlandt Manor, New York. Camp Smith is a New York State military reservation. It is adjacent to Peekskill, New York, and about 35 miles north of New York City.

In March 2020, New York Guard service members were activated to support National Guard efforts at combating the coronavirus pandemic. State guardsmen were activated to serve in essential command and control roles to support operations throughout New York State. In total, over 185 New York Guard members served as part of the Joint Task Force tasked with various civil support operations including supporting testing and vaccination centers, warehouse operations, nursing home support missions, and logistic support. [10]

The New York Guard conducts annual training at Camp Smith.

To join, an applicant must be between 18–55 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and successfully pass a medical health screening and background check. Potential recruits work with NYG Recruiters to ensure that they meet eligibility requirements, and must commit to a minimum enlistment period of three years.[12]