To the best of my knowledge the NG is a reserve for the Federal army, and in no way a militia. And as a history teacher I am pretty sensitive to history being abused.
Actually, When I was in the New York Army National Guard, in our Armory building there was a door off of the rec room that bore the title New York Militia. It was a room where its members met occasionally, where they kept their records and some equipment. They were not a part of the Guard.
The Army National Guard was NOT the State Militia.
Our Guard unit was Co. D, 174th Armored Infantry Battalion, 27th Armored Division, and we used the rest of the armory, constantly inducting new members, training them, and discharging those whose National Service was complete, whose status went from Active (Ready) Reserve to inactive reserve for several more years. A local Army Reserve Company was housed in the same building, and its Active Reserve members also drilled there every week.
We trained as an infantry unit of the U. S. Army, which the I. D. label over the left fatigue shirt pocket proclaimed, and our uniforms displayed the same triangular shoulder patch as other Armored divisions. We were subject to immediate deployment into a combat situation, and also for restraining a civil disturbance as well.
Each year we spent time at Ft. (then Camp) Drum as an integral part of organized Division maneuvers, with full complement of equipment and vehicles. And every year our local unit underwent a Federal Inspection to assure its full capability of implementation as cadre for adding two more platoons of infantry. As constituted, our unit had a headquarters and headquarters platoon, including supply, motor pool technicians, and armorers; one full infantry platoon with machine gun squad (and we had the appropriate SAW); and one full 81mm mortar platoon. In the company assembly, the remainder of constituent members fell in as a second, but incomplete platoon with an OCS candidate as its platoon leader. Otherwise there was no difference.
When given the assignment to the machine gun squad (a slot permitting SSgt E-6 promotion) my job was to know and teach/train the squad members in disassembly, assembly, and use of the M1919A3 air-cooled .30 cal machine gun. That's not a small task, and needs someone with more experience than shooting squirrels or clay disks.
In my time, with others I received regular classes in our general roles and in one's military occupational specialty. I had the opportunity to attend NCO school (at that time West Point Cadets as tactical officers, NG or RA officer instructors), and after 6 years in 1962 was honorably discharged as Sgt. E-5, machine gun squad leader, attained Expert-badged qualification with M1 Rifle, M1 Carbine, Browning Automatic Rifle, and Master Gunner on the 81mm mortar. In one instance, as forward observer for the mortar, I gave the orders for and placed rounds on a tank at 1700 yards distance (about a mile) after only two successive single ranging bracketing rounds.
Considering the great advancement in technology and weapons since our day in the '50s and '60s (WWII/Korean equipment and veterans), I would estimate that a company of today's Guardsmen infantry would be far more dangerous to trifle with, especially one that has as a unit been returned from deployment, and salted with experienced cadre to train recruits.
Militia?
Hardly. And I just wish that I could be with them today.