 In response to the consolidation of so many state militias, the United States Army created a new division system, and needed to fit the various state militias into the system.Originally, the 2d Infantry Regiment (California) was organized as part of the 19th Division, which consisted of various elements of state militias from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.On 16 September 1917, the 19th Division was redesignated as the 40th Division at Camp Kearny near San Diego, California.