§ 240-a. Historic military commands. 1. Historic military commands
are those independent military organizations located within the state as
were on the twenty-third day of April, eighteen hundred eighty-three and
are now in existence, and whose members associate themselves together at
regular meetings and elect their officers in accordance with their
respective rules and regulations or constitutions and by-laws.

2. The Old Guard of the City of New York, the Troy Citizens Corps, the
Utica Citizens Corps, the One Hundred Twenty-fourth New York State
Volunteers and the Veteran Corps of Artillery of the state of New York,
are designated as historic military commands.

3. The adjutant general may issue a certificate of election under the
seal of the chief of staff to officers of historic military commands
elected pursuant to the rules and regulations or constitutions and
by-laws of their respective commands. Such certificate of election shall
be in a format approved by the adjutant general and shall be provided by
the command at no cost to the state. Elected officers of historic
military commands may take their oath of office before any officer of
the organized militia of the state.

4. Historic military commands and independent military organizations
defined in section two hundred forty of this chapter are not units of
the militia of the state.