New York Guard

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New York Guard
The shoulder sleeve insignia of the New York Guard
Active	1917–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	New York
Type	State defense force
Role	"Reserve Land Force of NYS Organized Militia"
Size	400[1]
Part of	New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs
NYG HQ	Camp Smith Training Site, NY
Nickname(s)	NYG
Anniversaries	August 3, 1917
Website	https://dmna.ny.gov/nyg/
Commanders
Civilian Leadership	Governor Kathy Hochul (Governor of the State of New York)
State Military Leadership	Major General Ray Shields (Adjutant General of New York) Brigadier General Peter P. Riley (Commanding General)
Notable commanders	Lieutenant General Hugh Aloysius Drum
Insignia
Beret flash of the New York Guard

The New York Guard (NYG) is the State Defense Force (SDF) of New York State, and is one of the four branches of the New York Military Forces (NYMF). Originally called the New York State Militia, it can trace its lineage back to the American Revolution and the War of 1812.^[2]

The organization now has a unified command structure, while formerly it contained an Army Division and an Air Division. The missions of the New York Guard include augmentation, assistance, and support of the New York Army National Guard and New York Air National Guard respectively and aide to civil authorities in New York State. New York also has a New York Naval Militia which, with the State Guard and the Army and Air National Guards, is under the command of the Governor of New York, the Adjutant General of New York, and the Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA).

The New York Guard is one of the largest organized State Defense Forces in the United States.^{[not verified in body]} It is historically derived from Revolutionary and Civil War era state military units that were reorganized several times in American history in response to various international and domestic crises.

Organized under the New York State Military Law, the New York Guard cannot be federalized at any time and cannot be deployed outside New York State without the consent of the governor.

Members of the New York Guard are entitled to many of the benefits accorded members of other components of the "Organized Militia of the State of New York", the legal collective term describing the New York Army and Air National Guards, New York Naval Militia and New York Guard. These include military leave for employees of state or local governments and many private employers.