The nation’s second oldest institution celebrates its 370th anniversary today. The Missouri National Guard joins 53 states and territory Guards in celebrating its roots in citizen service. Assistant Adjutant General Larry Kay explains that the Guard is a militia subservient to the community, which dates back to when the British active army left and citizens found themselves in the role of protecting their communities as citizen soldiers. The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony organized the first official regiments of the National Guard in 1636. The Missouri Guard Museum held an open house at its Ike Skelton Training Site where officers unveiled the “Our Legacy of Freedom” painting. Missouri artist John Fulton featured a chaplain from the Missouri Guard in the collage of Guards nationwide. The painting will be displayed at the National Guard Bureau in Washington D.C.