ARLINGTON, Va. – Wednesday marked the 381st birthday of the National Guard, when the first militia regiments in North America were organized in Massachusetts on Dec. 13, 1636.

On that date, the Massachusetts Colonial Legislature directed that the colony’s existing militia companies to be organized into the following regiments: the 181st Infantry, the 182nd Infantry, the 101st Field Artillery, and the 101st Engineer Battalion.

2017 also marks the 100th anniversary of U.S. entry into World War I. The National Guard provided the bulk of the initial U.S. forces through the summer of 1918.

These days, the National Guard is an operational partner, integrated with the active Army and Air Force, in meeting the sustained demands of our nation's security and our local communities.