ALBANY — As New York state continues to empty its prisons Governor Kathleen C. Hochul is open to closing more state facilities, but wants to see them repurposed, rather than
However, it wasn’t until the early twentieth century, particularly after the passage of the 1903 Militia Act, and continuing through both World Wars that the Guard was transformed from a loosely organized network of militias into the well-equipped and regimented force it remains today. It was also during this period that the state-federal relationship became more defined.
Who controls it?
Most of the time, state National Guards are activated and commanded by the governors of their respective states or territories, but presidents can federalize the Guard in certain cases. (The DC National Guard is solely under federal control.) For instance, presidents have called units into federal service to respond to hurricanes, to bolster border security, and to assist U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The National Guard can also be federalized but kept under state control, with the federal government paying for the deployment. (Statewide operations are normally funded by the