New York Guard, the State Volunteer Defense Force, Holds Annual Training

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A member of the NY Guard Search and Rescue team trains at Camp Smith. File photo courtesy of the NY Guard.

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, CORTLANDT MANOR, N.Y. (07/25/2012)(readMedia)-- Members of the news media are invited to observe New York's all-volunteer state defense force, the New York Guard, conducting annual training a Camp Smith on July 26.

The training includes an opportunity to observe New York Guard members conduct an emergency disaster response exercise. Media can observe a Tactical Operations Center command post, watch and interview members of the Search and Rescue teams, chemical decontamination teams, and chainsaw excavation groups.

The opportunity will include interviews New York Guard Maj. Gen. (two star) Fergal Foley, a former New York Army National Guard officer and commander of the New York Guard.

WHAT: Annual training for the New York Guard volunteers of the state defense force, training for disaster response roles.

WHO: More than 300 volunteer members of the New York Guard, one of 26 state defense forces.

WHEN: 11. a.m. Thursday, July 26, 2012.

WHERE: New York National Guard Camp Smith Training Site, Routes 202 and 6, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.

Media opportunity:

Visual imagery of emergency response training of NY Guard volunteers for search and rescue actions, chemical decontamination operations and command post training of members.

In order to obtain access to this secure military facility,members of the media must contact Warrant Officer Ubon Mendie by calling 347-420-7387 or 518-364-9859.

Background:

The New York Guard differs from the New York National Guard. Members of the NY Guard state defense force serve in a non-pay status and are not subject to call up to federalized duties, including deployments outside of the United States.

Currently there are 750 members of the New York Guard of the total authorized strength of 1,100 personnel.

NY Guard members serve on a volunteer basis and are paid only when ordered onto State Active Duty for state emergency response missions. Many New York Guard members have prior military experience, but such experience is not a requirement.

New York Guard members are trained in Search and Rescue techniques, chemical decontamination, operation of high-frequency radio networks that can be used for emergency communications and general support or security duties to assist and augment Army National Guard forces for support to civil authorities.

Doctors and lawyers who belong to the New York Guard assist in the mobilization and demobilization of New York Army National Guard Soldiers heading for combat zones. New York Guard engineers also assist National Guard engineers in various state projects, including construction of buildings used for urban combat training or firing range upgrades.

Following the 9/11 attacks, New York Guard members provided site security at armories around the state, freeing up New York Army National Guard Soldiers for other missions.

The New York Guard:

The New York Guard began during World War I while the New York National Guard was mobilized and sent to France. To replace the National Guard as a military force, at the command of the governor, New York and other states created State Guards. By 1919 the New York Guard consisted of 22,000 officers and enlisted servicemen. While the bulk of these men were part-time soldiers, a force was assigned full-time to Guard the New York City reservoirs, to address fears that German spies would damage the system. During this service, 40 New York Guard members died from the influenza pandemic that swept the globe in 1918 and 1919.

In 1940, Congress authorized the creation of State Guards when the National Guard was federalized on the eve of World War II. The New York State Guard was supplied with surplus uniforms and rifles and eventually mustered 24,000 men by 1945. In January and February 1945 the New York Guard aided in the state's response to an upstate snowstorm.

The New York Guard was reborn in 1950 as the Korean War raged and has been in existence ever since.

The New York Guard is one of 26 State Defense Forces authorized under federal law. Their mission is focused on providing aide to civil authorities and homeland security augmentation to support the New York Army National Guard Soldiers.

The motto of the New York Guard is "Fully Trained and Ready to Respond."