The New Mexico National Guard traces its history to sixteenth century colonial militias of Spanish Nuevo México.

[3] There were no regular Spanish soldiers with the expedition, and none were assigned to the new colony of Nuevo México during the seventeenth century, through the Pueblo Rebellion of 1680.

In each settlement, one of their numbers was designated Maese or Maestre de Campo ("field marshal"), who served as the local leader or commander of the citizen-soldiers (vecinos, inhabitants) in his jurisdiction.

In 1862, the Territorial Militia, also known as the New Mexico Volunteers, played a decisive role in the defeat of Confederate forces in the Battle of Glorieta.

In 1898, the war with Spain called for the organization of volunteer forces, which achieved fame as Teddy Roosevelt's "Rough Riders."

Many New Mexico Guardsmen helped form the 2nd Squadron, 1st United States Cavalry, which served with Roosevelt at the legendary charge of San Juan Hill.

In 1939, the War Department suggested the 111th Cavalry convert to another branch of service and the officers of the command jointly selected Coast Artillery.

At about 0300 hours on December 8, 1941, the 200th went on full alert when the night radio crew picked up commercial broadcasts telling of the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

At 1235 hours, on December 8, Japanese bombers, accompanied by strafing planes, made their appearance over the Philippine Islands and the war was on for the 200th.

Of the 1,800 New Mexico men sent to the Philippines, 900 survived the Battle for Bataan and the horrors and atrocities of the "death march" and the privation and deep humiliation of the 40 months spent in prisoner of war camps.

was inducted into Federal Service on September 16, 1940, and immediately departed for Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for the start of intensive engineer training preparing for the upcoming assault on Europe.

The Korean War caused activation into Federal service of the 716th AAA Gun Battalion along with the 726th and 394th Signal Radar Maintenance Unit.

On June 4, 1968, 22 F-100 fighter aircraft, accompanied by 360 personnel departed Kirtland AFB for a new home station at Tuy Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam.

Guard personnel and many law enforcement officers were on duty throughout the thirty-six-hour siege during which the penitentiary was burned and thirty-three inmates were killed and many injured.

During the 1983-1989 time frame the New Mexico Army National Guard began a complete modernization program to gain high technology type units.

In November 1990, four units of the Guard were federalized into active duty in support of Operation Desert Shield later to be called Desert Storm: 720th Heavy Truck Transportation Company, Las Vegas, 812th Medical Detachment, Santa Fe, 150th Security Police flight, Albuquerque, and the Air Defense Training Activity, Ft. Bliss, Texas.

The New Mexico Air National Guard was notified in April 1991 that they would be converting to new F-16 fighter aircraft during fiscal year 1992.