History of the National Guard

On December 13, the United States National Guard (Both Army and Air components) will be celebrating 381 years of service upon this great continent. The Guard regards itself as the oldest current military branch, predating even America itself. However, the history of these soldiers runs deep.

The Concord Minute Man of 1775, a monument created by
Daniel Chester French in Concord, Massachusetts.

The Guard traces its founding to December 13^th, 1636, though militia in the America’s predated even that. The first militia mustering is dated in September 16, 1565 at the Spanish settlement of St. Augustine in present day Florida. Appropriately enough, this mustering was in response to a hurricane coming toward the coast. The militia was set to evacuate Spanish colonists to safety and guard supplies at the settlement while the regular troops traveled north to fight the French. Years later, the English would establish militias at their colonies of Jamestown (1607) and Plymouth Rock (1620). As time went by and these militias further developed and become more organized, every town had its own company of militiamen, typically led by a Captain. The companies of a region would then be organized into a regiment, led by either a major or a colonel. These militias were made up of every able-bodied man in the settlement and the men were forced to purchase their own equipment.

Artist interpretation of the first militia training at Salem, Massachusetts.

            As time went by in the American colonies, the militia became the staple of American armed forces. With the outbreak of the French and Indian War (Known as the Seven Years War in Europe), the British regular troops were busy fighting the French in Canada and thus it was up to the colony militias to defend the homes of the colonists from French soldiers and French allied Natives. The militias put up fierce resistance and beat back the invading French. At this time, George Washington himself was a major in the Virginia militia, leading a company of 100 men and leading the battle that would start the French and Indian War.

            With the start of the American Revolution, once again it fell to the militia to defend the colonies. It was militiamen that fired the shot heard around the world, who picked off the Redcoats at Concord, and who stood their ground at Bunker Hill. While the Continental army operated widely in the New England colonies under the leadership of now General George Washington, the Southern Colonies were mostly left to their own home-grown militias to defend themselves. Commanders like Brigadier General Francis Marion (AKA the Swamp Fox) would lead militia forces to victory over the well equipped British regulars. These militia forces, often time composed of hunters, veterans, and frontiersmen, would in many cases heavily out preform the regular troops, acquiring some of the highest kill counts and lowest casualty numbers.

Minuteman statue in
 Lexington, Massachusetts.

            From the founding of the nation up until the 20^th century, the militia acted as the backbone of the armed forces. From this point onward, the U.S. maintained a relatively small standing army and instead relied on state militias to supplement forces when war was declared. After the Spanish-American War, with America beginning to become more global, Congress passed amendments to the Militia Act of 1792, the first piece of legislation concerning militias, that regulated the training and maintaining of militias as well as passing the Dick Act, which changed the process of federalization for militia units. The Dick Act required the states to divide their forces into two sections; the dual state and federal “National Guard” and the fully state controlled “Reserve Militia”. In 1933, Congress completed the split between Dual and State militia forces with the National Guard Act. This made soldiers a part of both the state National Guard as well as the National Guard of the United States.

            Today, the National Guard still acts as a major component of the Army. The National Guard saw 300,000 soldiers mobilized during World War II, 183,000 during Korea, 23,000 in Vietnam, 75,000 in the Gulf War, and Guardsmen have seen over 450,000 deployments sense the attacks of September 11^th. During peace time, Guardsmen drill one weekend a month and two weeks every year, though these numbers can fluctuate greatly counting on other factors. The Army requires them to maintain the same standards as their active duty elements; this includes physical and moral. The National Guard also structures itself off the standard of the Active Duty, using the same unit structure and rank system.

Soldier with the 34th Infantry Division (Iowa National Guard) in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

            While being soldiers and fighting in war zones, the National Guard also acts in response to natural disasters and assistance in keeping the peace. During the LA riots, over 4000 Guardsmen were activated to patrol the streets and bring peace back to the city. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, over 50,000 Guardsmen were activated from the Louisiana national Guard as well as several surrounding states; this was the single largest stateside activation of the National Guard in American history.

            The National Guard is the oldest branch of the military as well as being the first line of defense for the United States. Guard units are operated in all 50 states, 3 territories, and even Washington DC. While only part time, they are still soldiers, fighting and sacrificing just the same, and this December 13^th, give thanks however you can.