The Utah National Guard (UNTG) is part of the National Guard of the United States, a dual federal-state military reserve force in the state of Utah. It is headquartered at Joint Force Headquarters, Draper, Utah. At the call of the governor, the Utah National Guard will mobilize and deploy during times of state emergency to augment local jurisdictions and responders in their efforts to protect lives and property. The Utah National Guard is also subject to the call of the president of the United States to serve as part of the total U.S. Military force.

The Utah National Guard consists of the:

The origins of the Utah National Guard are linked to the Nauvoo Legion, a militia created in 1840 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Illinois. Following the church's migration to the west, the Legion was formally re-established in 1852 under Utah's territorial laws. This effort was largely driven by veterans of the Mormon Battalion, who had previously served in the Mexican-American War, and it provided a formal militia for the territory.

The Nauvoo Legion was active in several key historical moments in Utah, such as the Utah War of 1857-1858 and various conflicts with local Native American tribes. However, the federal Edmunds-Tucker Act of 1887 led to its official disbandment. By 1894, the modern Utah National Guard was organized, becoming the state's officially sanctioned military body.

The Utah National Guard was officially founded in Salt Lake City on March 26, 1894, with the creation of its first two infantry companies and an artillery battery. Not long after, in April 1894, the Guard undertook its first state mission, assisting law enforcement with managing Kelley's Industrial Army as it passed through Utah. In 1898, a significant number of Utahns, primarily Guard members, volunteered to serve in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, where they were involved in extensive combat operations near Manila. Later, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson mobilized the National Guard to address tensions along the Mexican border. Utah contributed artillery, cavalry, and hospital corps units to patrol the region. Some of these units were still under federal command when the United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. Approximately 1,400 members of the Utah Guard served in World War I, many integrated with active-duty Army units on the front lines.

In the years between the wars, the Jordan Narrows area was developed as a permanent training site. On April 25, 1928, the Governor of Utah officially named the site Camp W.G. Williams. Over the following 15 years, it underwent significant development through Works Progress Administration projects, including the construction of the camp's historic Officer's Club.

As Germany's aggressive actions in Europe grew in the late 1930s, it became clear that the United States was ill-prepared for a potential war. With the nation still recovering from the Great Depression, the national budget was limited. In response, Congress approved an increased defense budget, and in May 1940, the President federalized the National Guard. Over 4,000 enlisted soldiers and 150 officers from the Utah National Guard were activated for service. A large portion of Utah's Guard members were assigned to the 40th Division, a composite unit that also included Guardsmen from California and Nevada. They were initially slated for a year of training at Camp San Luis Obispo, California, before being deployed overseas.

The attack on Pearl Harbor altered their mission, and they were first tasked with defending the U.S. west coast. By late 1942, they were moved to defend the Hawaiian Islands. Subsequently, Utah National Guard units participated in combat across several Pacific islands, including Guadalcanal, Panay, Negros, and Okinawa.