Originally called the New York State Militia, it can trace its lineage back to the American Revolution and the War of 1812.

[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.

In Sketches of America (1818) British author Henry Bradshaw Fearon, who visited the young United States on a fact-finding mission to inform Britons considering emigration, described New York military service as he found it in New York City in August 1817: Every male inhabitant can be called out, from the age of 18 to 45, on actual military duty.

He never attends the muster, but, to avoid the fine, sends some of his men, who answer to his name; the same man is not invariably his deputy on parade: in this, Mr. — suits his own convenience; sometimes the collecting clerk, sometimes one of the brewers, at others a drayman: and to finish this military pantomime, a firelock is often dispensed with, for the more convenient wartime weapon—a cudgel.

Colonel Alfred Wood advised the Honorable Governor Morgan that the regiment was prepared to march and had accepted a three-year federal enlistment.

While encamped at Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, Colonel Wood and Congressman Moses O'Dell went to see President Lincoln to secure orders for the regiment to march to Washington.

The new force replaced the New York National Guard, drafted in the service of the United States on 5 August 1917.

The 1st Provisional Regiment Headquarters first located at Croton Lake and later at Ossining, New York, had the mission of guarding the water supply of the City of New York, with its territory extending from the northern boundary of the city to include the entire Croton Aqueduct system.

The territory assigned to the 2nd Provisional Regiment extended from Troy and Albany across the State to the International Border at Niagara Falls.

On 30 January 1945, the Governor declared a State Emergency caused by extraordinary heavy snow storms and freezing weather, jeopardizing the transportation of fuel and food.

The mission of this cadre was to prepare plans in coordination with Civil Defense to furnish logistical support to State Military Forces in the event of a National Emergency.

Pursuant to federal legislation for the creation of State Defense Forces, enacted by the 84th Congress (1955 – Public Law 364), and State Legislation enacted in 1958, the New York Guard was reorganized as a reserve land force of the organized Militia of New York.

Through the ensuing years to 1977, the New York Guard cadre force continued to function, with its primary objective being to establish and maintain necessary plans and programs in coordination with the Division of Military and Naval Affairs to insure of a rapid and smooth mobilization to full strength if ordered to replace the New York Army National Guard.

Further, a New York Guard study conducted in mid 1979 concluded that for the New York Guard Cadre to maintain its readiness to respond to State emergencies as ordered, its’ Tables of Organization should be expanded to allow for the recruitment & assignment of personnel having professional & technical skills compatible with advancing technologies.

Approval for such expansion was extended by issuance of Division of Military & Naval Affairs, Permanent Orders 66-1 dated 25 September 1979, which authorized a Command Headquarters Professional and Technical Detachment.

New York Guard units were activated after the attacks, performing a variety of missions, including logistical support to forces stationed at "Ground Zero."

Medical units of the Guard worked in conjunction with other DMNA forces providing care at several location including Camp Smith, in Westchester county.

New York Guard SAR teams have been mobilized, for example, in the summer of 2006 to search for a missing camper in the Adirondack Mountains preserve.

Selected units and personnel of the New York Guard were called to State Active Duty with pay in response to Hurricane Irene in 2011.

In addition to its SAR work as a secondary mission under the New York State Defense Emergency Act and Article 2-B of State and Local, Natural and Man-Made disasters Act, engineer units of the NY Guard 10th and 65th Brigades have built facilities for the National Guard.

Guard personnel are drawn from almost every profession and areas of expertise – from plumbers to professors, clerks and CEOs, persons with long prior military service and those without, and every part of the state.

[9] The New York Guard has recently undergone a force reorganization aimed at increasing overall service member availability for State Active Duty.

The New York Guard is currently organized as follows as of August 2023:[10] To join, an applicant must be between 18 and 55 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and successfully pass a medical health screening and background check.