"We are the Redshirt Army for the Redshirt Army" just didn't cut it as a recruiting slogan
The Imperial Guard is the paramilitary arm of Imperial Security. It performs a similar function to the Light Infantry of the Earth Federation, providing law enforcement services in high-risk environments and serving as a militia which may be deputized to the Imperial Army.
Unlike the Light Infantry, the Guard includes both unawakened and awakened troops, although the unawakened are heavily predominant. Guardsmen are outfitted and organized in the same style as the Imperial Army, which facilitates integration during joint operations. However, the Guards are not equipped with heavy weapons and armor, and their training focuses on law enforcement and light combat, making them poor front-line soldiers.
Originally an independent force, the Guard was reorganized as part of Imperial Security after the Ascension War. This makes it nominally part of the Imperial Bureaucracy, and subject to the direction of the Chancellor. However, the Guard's separate command hierarchy, military rank structure, and close cooperation with the Army have helped to preserve a high degree of autonomy from the rest of ImpSec and the Bureaucracy.
Behind the Scenes[]
Naturally, the name comes from the Imperial Guard of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, but the role of the Light Infantry needed to be filled by someone in the HTE.