United States Secretary of War Elihu Root militated for reform of the militia, in annual reports of 1901 of 1903 and in public letters.

Located in the Miscellaneous Division of the Adjutant General's office, this small section, headed by Major James Parker, Cavalry, with four clerks, was the predecessor of today's National Guard Bureau.

The Division continued to perform under the direct jurisdiction of the Chief of Staff until the passage of the National Defense Act of June 3, 1916.

The National Defense Act of 1916 stated that all units would have to be federally recognized, and that the qualifications for officers would be set by the War Department.

Eight new civilian positions were authorized, something which the various Chiefs had been requesting for years; the number of military assigned to the Bureau had grown to 13.

The Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall hold office for four years unless sooner removed for cause, and shall not be eligible to succeed himself ...

The third major order affecting the National Guard Bureau was Army Service Forces (ASF) circular No.

It stipulated that the Chief of the National Guard Bureau was directed to report to the Commanding General, Army Service Forces.

39 stated that the National Guard Bureau was removed from the jurisdiction of the Commanding General Army Service Forces, and established it as a war Department Special Staff activity.

There were practically no promotions awarded to National Guard Bureau civilians, which did not compare favorably with other War Department agencies.

This made retaining those few key civilian employees needed in maintaining good relations with the States and working towards planning the post-war reorganization of the National Guard extremely difficult.

In 1946 a plan calling for the creation of 12 wings, 27 groups, and 84 fighter and light bombardment squadrons was authorized and tendered to the States.

June 30, 1946 saw the federal recognition of the first post-war Air Guard unit, the 120th Fighter Squadron, based at Buckley Field, Denver, Colorado.

To facilitate the dual function of the National Guard Bureau, the Departments of the Army and Air Force, along with the NGB, reorganized the latter agency on October 1, 1948.

It provided for a major general of the appropriate service, commissioned in the National Guard, to be appointed as Chief of each of the respective Divisions.

The NGB is responsible for administering programs for the development and maintenance of Army and Air National Guard units in the 50 states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.