▁equ ipped ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army . ▁The ▁same ▁ranks ▁and ▁ins ign ia ▁are ▁used ▁and ▁National ▁Gu ards men ▁are ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁receive ▁all ▁United ▁States ▁military ▁awards . ▁The ▁Arizona ▁National ▁Guard ▁also ▁best ows ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁state ▁awards ▁for ▁local ▁services ▁rendered ▁in ▁or ▁to ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Arizona . ▁ ▁Currently , ▁there ▁are ▁over ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁Arizona ▁Army ▁Guard . ▁ ▁History ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁Indian ▁wars , ▁the ▁Arizona ▁Army ▁National ▁Guard ▁was ▁formed ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁hundreds ▁of ▁Ari zon ans ▁joined ▁the ▁ranks ▁of ▁the ▁R ough ▁R iders ▁during ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War . ▁The ▁Milit ia ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁organized ▁the ▁various ▁state ▁milit ias ▁into ▁the ▁present ▁National ▁Guard ▁system . ▁ ▁Since ▁then , ▁the ▁Arizona ▁Army ▁National ▁Guard ▁has ▁been ▁deployed ▁to ▁Korea , ▁Vietnam , ▁Ira q , ▁and ▁Afghan istan . ▁Units ▁from ▁Arizona ▁also ▁deployed ▁to ▁Louisiana ▁to ▁assist ▁with ▁the ▁H urr icane ▁K atr ina ▁after math . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 5 8 th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁was ▁created ▁September ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁as ▁the ▁First ▁Arizona ▁Vol unte er ▁Infantry . ▁Sub sequ ent ▁to ▁Pan cho ▁Villa ' s ▁murder ▁of ▁American ▁civ ili ans ▁and ▁soldiers ▁in ▁Columb us ,