The Philippine National Guard was a militia that was created by the Philippine Assembly in 1917 to serve under General John Pershing in Europe during World War I. It had 25,000 soldiers when it was absorbed by the National Army. This unit, however, was not able to see action, for it was only mustered into federal service on Armistice Day and would never leave the islands. After the war, the entire National Guard unit was deactivated, and its officers placed on the reserve list.