New Mexico State Guard

The New Mexico State Guard (NMSG) the state defense force of the state of New Mexico. The New Mexico State Guard is an all-volunteer, reserve military force which works parallel to the state's National Guard It is authorized by Title 32, Section 109, United States Code, NGB Reg. 10-4, Chapter 20, NMSA, 1978 Comp., U.S. Constitution, and, New Mexico State Constitution. It is one of three military divisions of the Department of Military Affairs of the State of New Mexico ("DMA"). The other two military divisions are the New Mexico Army National Guard and the New Mexico Air National Guard. The Department is headed by the Adjutant General of the State of New Mexico who holds the rank of major general, a deputy adjutant general and three assistant adjutants general. The NMSG falls under the direct supervision of the assistant adjutant general of New Mexico for state guard affairs. The Governor of the State of New Mexico is the Commander-In-Chief of the NMSG.

Training
Procedures and training for the New Mexico State Guard follow U.S. Army regulations and field manuals. While most of the soldiers in the NMSG are former members of the Armed Forces of the United States, state guardsmen are not required to have prior federal military experience. The NMSG now offers its own training in basic military discipline and demeanor, officer knowledge and skills, NCO knowledge and skills, and various operational aspects of assisting the Army National Guard and emergency management agencies with their state duties.

The State Guard provides numerous opportunities for limited military training and service for prior-military enlisted and officers who want to continue military service on a voluntary basis, college students who want stateside military service only, and professionals such as  physicians, professors, attorneys, and dentists who would like to add military service to their professional portfolio.

Duties
The New Mexico State Guard presently has the mission areas of radio communications, medical, honor guard, chaplaincy, heavy vehicle driving and maintenance, and public affairs. In all of these areas, the State Guard has the support of the New Mexico National Guard. While the State Guard functions as an reserve unit to the National Guard, it also has its own missions to help community groups and law enforcement agencies in local communities. Despite some degree of autonomy, all present NMSG missions are approved by the Adjutant General before being put into action. State guardsmen are required to attend mandatory military drill at least one week-end per month, and, can be activated and/or deployed by orders of the Adjutant General of the State of New Mexico, acting on behalf of and in the name of the Commander-In-Chief (the governor of New Mexico). Many members of the NMSG are prior-military, and many are mid-career professionals like attorneys, business people, engineers, professors, medical technicians, truck drivers, and graphic artists.

The New Mexico State Guard maintains a medical unit, the 47th Medical Company. The 47th contains both medical and non-medical personnel, who are trained to aid in recovery from natural or man-made disasters by providing medical aid. The 47th has completed both Strategic National Stockpile RSS Training and American Red Cross Shelter Management Training.

Pay
Members of the NMSG do not receive pay for weekend drills. However, the Code of New Mexico authorizes state guardsmen to be paid when activated and/or deployed by the governor in his or her capacity as commander in chief.