After the armistice and uneasy cease-fire was declared in Korea, the Ohio Guard’s focus returned to its state mission and reorganization in accordance with federal mandates. Significant challenges were met by the continuing changes and advances in technology which required a flexible and better educated force. World events also continued to impact the Ohio Guard. The Berlin Crisis of 1961 resulted in the mobilization of ten Ohio Air and Army National Guard units to help counter the Soviet threat to our NATO allies. It was during this period that the Ohio Guard adapted to the restructuring dictated by the Department of Defense. Most notable among these changes was the deactivation of the storied 37th "Buckeye" Division in February 1968.
With the escalation of the Vietnam conflict, the Ohio Guard was again called upon to engage in combat upon foreign shores. Both the Ohio Army and Air National Guard deployed units to Southeast Asia to defend South Vietnam from communist aggression. The mission to support state authorities still continued during this time with Ohio Guard playing a key role in quelling a full scale riot at the Ohio Penitentiary in 1968 and in helping to curb the violence associated with the trucker's strike in 1970. It was subsequent to this latter event that the Ohio Guard was involved in one of the most unfortunate events in its long history, the Kent State shootings of May 1970. Called to that campus to help restore order after massive unrest and destructive anti-war protests.
After the United States terminated its involvement in Vietnam, the Ohio Guard, like the rest of the military, was faced by the challenges of significantly decreased funding and adapting to new missions. Increasing attention was directed towards "peace-keeping" and civic assistance missions. Of particular success were the efforts of the Ohio Guard in saving lives and aiding hard pressed local authorities during the winter blizzards of 1977 and 1978. Also of note was the extensive mission to Honduras which provided considerable infrastructure improvement and medical assistance to an impoverished nation while at the same time providing valuable training experience to Ohio Guard personnel.