Did you know that the National Guard is older than the Army or any other branch of the U.S. armed forces? It was established nearly 140 years before the Second Continental Congress adopted a resolution approving the formation of the “Continental Army.” For the last 386 years, National Guard units have served in times of emergency.
History of the National Guard
On December 13, 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s legislature formed three regiments out of the colony’s existing militia companies. The Massachusetts Army National Guard’s 101st Engineer Battalion, the 101st Field Artillery Regiment, the 181st Infantry Regiment and the 182nd Infantry Regiment are descendants of the three 17th-century militia regiments.
During the mid-1820s, the New York militiamen from the 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment of Artillery adopted the title of “National Guard” in honor of the French Gen. Marquis de Lafayette. They had the privilege to serve as the Revolutionary War hero’s honor guard when he visited New York City on his tour of the U.S. The militiamen renamed their unit the “Battalion of National Guards” after the French Revolution’s Parisian militia, the Garde Nationale.
90th Pennsylvania Volunteers Recruitment Poster. (Heritage Auctions, HA.com)
The National Guard saw significant changes from 1898 to 1916. For instance, a new National Guard replaced the old volunteer militia system when Congress passed the Militia Act of 1903. According to author Michael D. Doubler, the act allowed the National Guard to become “the organized, trained and equipped federal reserve of the United States Army.”
Guardsmen have participated in nearly every American war from the American Revolution to the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. During World War I, the National Guard made up 40 percent of the American Expeditionary Force sent to France. More than 300,000 guardsmen reported for duty during World War II, participating in all the major theaters of the war. According to an article published by Military Times, in the over two decades since 9/11, hundreds of thousands of reservists have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The “I Am the Guard” poem highlights the numerous conflicts the National Guard’s men and women have participated in since the beginning of its history.
“Always Ready, Always There”
Journalist Sonner Kehrt said that the National Guard’s diverse skill set means it will be increasingly in demand in the future — especially on the home front. In the last few years, its members have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires in California, hurricanes and flooding, civil unrest, and more. On June 6, 2020, more than 120,000 National Guard troops were mobilized in support of overseas and domestic missions — one of the highest levels since World War II.
The 2022 National Guard Bureau Posture Statement recorded that the National Guard logged over 10.9 million days serving communities in 2020 — more than four times as many as in 2019. The majority of these hours were spent responding to the pandemic. They provided more than 632 million meals, distributed upward of 539 million pieces of personal protective equipment to essential workers, and tested or screened over 16.1 million people for the virus. They also administered more than 150,000 shots a day.
24th Regiment of the New York National Guard 1872 Shako. (Heritage Auctions, HA.com)
“Given the uncertain future and budget priorities, we expect the Department of Defense (DOD) to rely on the National Guard more, not less,” Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, the 29th chief of the National Guard Bureau, said. “Therefore, we must be ready to execute our three core missions: fighting America’s wars; securing the homeland; and building enduring partnerships that support our nation’s strategic objectives.”
More than 400,000 men and women of the National Guard play a vital role in military operations and domestic emergencies. For three centuries the organization’s members have been the custodians of security and honor. Today, we recognize their continued service and sacrifice for our country.
Further Reading
Doubler, Michael D. I Am the Guard: A History of the Army National Guard, 1636-2000. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 2001.
Punaro, Arnold L. Commission on the National Guard and Reserves: Transforming the National Guard and Reserves Into a 21st-Century Operational Force. Darby, PA: Diane Publishing Co., 2008.
