New York Guard, State's Defense Force, Conducts Annual Training

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New York Guard volunteers training during their 2010 Annual Training period.

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, CORTLANDT MANOR, NY (07/20/2011)(readMedia)-- More than 200 members of the New York Guard, New York's volunteer state defense force, are conducting their annual training this week at Camp Smith Training Site north of Peekskill.

The New York Guard volunteers are participating in initial entry training, non-commissioned officer training and staff training exercises.

Other members of the organization are working to construct training facilities for the use of the New York Army National Guard and other National Guard and Army Reserve forces which use the facility.

The New York Guard is one of 26 Congressionally authorized state defense forces in the United States.

Members of the New York Guard – which include retired service members along with those who have never served in the armed forces- augment the New York National Guard during state domestic emergencies and also assist New York Army and Air National Guard forces in training and in preparing to deploy overseas.

New York Guard members serve only within the state of New York and conduct their training in an unpaid, volunteer status.

The New York Guard has an authorized strength of just over 1,000 and elements based at New York State armories around New York.

The New York Guard traces its history back to World War I. When the New York National Guard was mobilized for service in Europe the state created the New York Guard to replace the National Guard Soldiers. Members of the 1st Provisional Regiment of the New York Guard protected the New York City waterworks and other infrastructure and 32 members died while on duty during the Spanish Influenza Pandemic of 1918.

The New York Guard was created once again in World War II when the National Guard was mobilized for service in the Pacific and Europe. More than 24,000 New Yorkers belonged to the New York Guard and the force was on placed on active duty in January and February 1945 when a snowstorm crippled much of upstate New York.

Following the attacks of September 11, 2001 New York Guard members were placed on State Active Duty side-by-side with members of the New York Guard as part of the state's response to the attacks. New York Guard members performed in logistics, staff, and security roles to free up National Guard Soldiers and Airmen for other duties.