New York Guard Volunteers Conduct Emergency Supply Distribution Training at Camp Smith Friday

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New York Guard volunteers training on communications equipment at Camp Smith on July 23.

CAMP SMITH, NY (07/24/2014)(readMedia)-- Members of the New York Guard, the state's volunteer defense force, will conduct a supply distribution exercise here on Friday, July 25, as part of their week-long annual training period.

Members of the media are invited to observe the training.

WHO: Seventy-five members of the New York Guard, the state's volunteer, uniformed state defense and emergency response force.

WHAT: The New York Guard members will practice establishing a Point of Distribution, or POD, which could sustain 5,000 people with food, water, and other emergency supplies, within 12 hours.

Similar POD operations were established by the New York Guard and New York National Guard during the response to Superstorm Sandy in the fall of 2012. The exercise will involve simulated supplies, forklifts, trucks, and the establishment of two drive-up and one walk-up supply lane.

WHEN: 1:30 p.m. on Friday, July 25.

WHERE: Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, on Routes 6 and 206.

Coverage Opportunities:

Interviews with members of the New York Guard and imagery of the NYG members using equipment to move and position boxes representing emergency rations, water, and other supplies.

Members of the press who would like to cover the exercise on Friday afternoon must contact New York Guard Lt. Col. Edward Keyrouze at 518-527-5091 for access to this secure military facility.

BACKGROUND:

The New York Guard is one of the four components of the New York Military Forces along with the New York Army and Air National Guard and the New York Naval Militia.

Unlike the New York Army or Air National Guard, members of the New York Guard are not in a federal military reserve force, do not normally carry weapons, and do not conduct missions outside New York. Their role is to augment and assist the New York National Guard during state emergencies and National Guard domestic support missions as part of the state's military force.

New York Guard members also sometimes assist National Guard units with training and during troop mobilization. They respond to orders from the governor of New York.

Specially trained New York Guard members also assist in chemical, biological, radiological response missions and provide an emergency high-frequency radio network for the state.

They volunteer their time to train on their skills and receive no pay for attending training meetings. They are paid by the state when assisting in disaster relief operations ordered by the governor.

During the state response to Superstorm Sandy in 2012 New York Guard members assisted National Guard officers working in operational headquarters, helped inventory and move relief supplies, and assisted in communications, instructed National Guard Soldiers on proper use of chain saws, and performed vehicle maintenance and other support duties.

The New York Guard, which is one of 23 state defense forces around the country, is authorized to recruit just over 1,000 volunteers organized into units located across New York. Currently there are 600 New York Guard members.

About half of the New York Guard volunteers are former members of the active duty military or National Guard while the other half have never served in the military.

People who have served in the military can serve in the New York Guard up until age 65. Those who have never served in the military must be between age 18 and age 55 to join.

The New York Guard's history dates back to World War I.

Following German sabotage attempts on industries producing supplies for France and Britain in the New York City area – the Black Tom Island ammunition dump (now part of Liberty State Park) was blown up by a German spy in 1916-the New York National Guard was called upon to guard key facilities. When the United States entered World War I in April 1917 the New York National Guard was federalized and began training to go to France.

To replace those National Guard Soldiers the state of New York credited a state-only military force called the New York Guard.

During World War I these New York Guard members manned sentry posts at key facilities, including the New York City water supply. By 1919, 22,000 men served in this force and 40 died of "Spanish flu" while guarding the New York City water system.

In World War II the New York Guard was once again created when the New York National Guard was mobilized in October 1940. New York Guard units manned armories left vacant when the National Guard went to war and filled in for the National Guard, most notably in January 1945 when a snowstorm paralyzed upstate New York.

In the 1950s Congress authorized states to create full-time state defense forces and New York was one of 26 which have created forces to assist and augment their National Guards.