In the brief period of the Spanish-American War, one of the companies of the old Twenty-second regiment of Infantry while on a seperate detail, displayed such unusual qualities that later in 1902, the entire regiment was changed from Infantry to Engineers and so became the first engineer regiment in the National Guard anywhere in the United States.
Welcoming the increased respobsibilities, the regiment steadily advanced in the new field of technical training while maintaining and improving all of the essential proficiency for combat service. The years which followed the period of the Spanish War witnessed a widespread improvement through the entire National Guard. The gap which had previously kept Regular and Guardsman far apart was being rapidly bridged, and the two branches of the nation's military forces were making long strides toward that mutual respect and cooperation which disting them today.
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