When the Kansas National Guard was federalized and deployed during each of the world wars, the state of Kansas was forced to raise and maintain its own military force in order to protect against saboteurs, quell riots, and perform other duties which would normally fall to the National Guard.

After Kansas was opened for settlement in 1854, conflict broke out between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions.

The sheriff informed the governor that the town of Lawrence, by refusing to turn over the suspects, was in a state of insurrection.

What would become known as the Wakarusa War, the bloodless siege ended when the governor arrived and a treaty between the factions was negotiated, and the Missouri militia was disbanded and returned home.

When new territorial governor, John Geary, arrived, he ordered all militias on both sides disbanded.

The 23rd Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment was deployed to Cuba, while the 20th Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment was deployed to the Philippines, and would later take part in counterinsurgency efforts against the local populace.

[6] The Guard performed weekly drills, and provided security for key businesses and infrastructure for the duration of the war.

Although initially the State Guard was intended to have fitness requirements and was to be modeled after the National Guard, the authorization that was passed did not put a limit on the number of units created, and required only that members be United States citizens and over the age of eighteen.

Kansas requested and received, 1,273 of these surplus rifles and a large quantity of ammunition from the federal government.

In response, the Kansas Legislature passed the State Guard Act on 15 April 1941 which authorized the Kansas State Guard to be reactivated, and recruit one regiment of infantry composed of no more than thirty-three companies.

Although men who would be drafted into the federal military were not barred from admission, they were not actively recruited.