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New York Guard, state volunteer defense force, conducts annual training at Camp Smith Training Site Aug. 15-19

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, CORTLANDT MANOR, N.Y. (08/15/2022) — Two hundred members of the New York Guard, the state's volunteer state defense force, will conduct their week-long annual training at Camp Smith Training Site here August 15-19.

Service members reported in at Camp Smith today to begin their training.

The New York Guard is a force of 500 uniformed volunteers, organized as a military unit, who augment the New York National Guard during state emergencies. They provide administrative and logistics support to the National Guard. Members of the New York Guard supported the state response to COVID-19 with personnel for vaccination sites, medical supply warehousing, and other missions across the state.

Unlike members of the New York National Guard, New York Guard members do not have a federal military role and do not deploy outside the state. New York Guard members usually train in a volunteer status and are only paid when they are placed on state duty during emergencies.

Many members of the New York Guard are retired members of the National Guard and Reserve forces, who bring a wealth of experience to the force. Previous military membership is not a requirement for New York Guard service.

During the weeklong training session members who are new to the New York Guard will go through an initial entry training program and current members will conduct primary leadership and officer training. Other members will conduct emergency communications training and staffing an operations center. New York Guard engineers will also conduct flood response training efforts at Camp Smith.

When the 24,000 members of the New York National Guard were mobilized to fight in France in 1917, the state created the New York Guard as a state militia to replace the National Guard.

National Guard Soldiers had been guarding railroad bridges, the New York City water system, and the Erie Canal to prevent sabotage by enemy agents and state officials want to replace that force. Eventually there were 10,000 New York Guard members across this state with about 2000 serving on active duty as a security force.

During World War II the New York Guard was created again, and in the 1950s the New York Guard was established as a permanent force.

Media Attachments

Members of the New York Guard, the state's volunteer defense force, march in formation during their annual training at Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill. The New York Guard conducted a week of training for members from September 12 to September 18, 2021. The state defense force volunteers return to Camp Smith for training this week, from August 15-19, 2022.

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