New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs

The New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA) is responsible for the state's New York Army National Guard, New York Air National Guard, New York Guard and the New York Naval Militia. It is headed by New York's Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Patrick A. Murphy, appointed on February 15, 2010. with the Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo serving as Commander in Chief of the state's militia forces. It is part of the New York State Executive Department.

All of the armories in New York State are run directly or indirectly by the DMNA. The DMNA headquarters, located in Latham, New York near Albany, is within 8 miles of both the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and the General Electric Research and Development facility in Niskayuna, New York.

New York National Guard
The New York National Guard consists of the
 * New York Army National Guard and the
 * New York Air National Guard

The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the "Militia of the Several States," now embodied as the National Guard, with dual federal and state missions. In fact, the National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status. Those functions range from limited actions during non-emergency situations to full scale law enforcement of martial law when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control.

The Governor may call individuals or units of the New York National Guard into state service during emergencies or to assist in special situations which lend themselves to use of the National Guard. The state mission assigned to the National Guard is: "To provide trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies or as otherwise provided by state law."

The National Guard may be called into federal service in response to a call by the President or Congress.

When National Guard troops are called to federal service, the President serves as Commander-in-Chief. The federal mission assigned to the National Guard is: "To provide properly trained and equipped units for prompt mobilization for war, National emergency or as otherwise needed."

Unlike United States Army Reserve members, National Guard members cannot be mobilized individually (except through voluntary transfers and Temporary Duty Assignments TDY), but only as part of their respective units. However, there have been a significant number of individual activations to support military operations (2001-?); the legality of this policy is a major issue within the National Guard.

The state defense force, which in New York is the New York Guard, is a military entity authorized by both the State Code of New York and executive order. The New York Guard is the state’s authorized militia and assumes the state mission of the New York National Guard in the event the Guard is mobilized. The New York Guard comprises retired active and reserve military personnel and selected professional persons who volunteer their time and talents in further service to their state.

Previous Chiefs of Staff to the Governor
Karl F. Hausauer, Major General, circ. 1949