State Defense Forces
State Defense Forces are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state. State Defense Forces are authorized by state and federal law and are under the command of the governor, as commander-in-chief, through the Adjutant General as the state's chief military officer.
State Defense Forces are distinct from the National Guard in that they are not federal entities and cannot be made so. The federal government officially recognized State Defense Forces under 32 USC Sec 109 and provided that State Defense Forces "may not be called, ordered, or drafted into the armed forces," thus preserving their independence from the National Guard.
Only about 25 states currently have active State Defense Forces, plus Puerto Rico, each with different levels of activity, state support, and strength.
SDFs generally operate with emergency management and homeland security missions.
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2 Organization 3 Future 4 States and Territories with Defense Forces 5 Related links 6 See also |
Origins
Throughout most of its history until the early 1900s, the United States maintained only a minimal army and relied on state militias to supply the majority of its troops. In 1903, the National Guard was formed to augment the militia and regular army with a federally controlled reserve force. During World War II, much of the National Guard was deployed on federal duty. Many states continued to organize distinct state militias (some building on ones that never ceased to exist) to defend their own territories and shorelines.A new emphasis was placed on State Defense Forces in the 1980's, at the height of the Cold War. SDF's were seen as a civil defense force in the event of a war with the Soviet Union where all National Guard units would be called up and presumably sent overseas.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, many SDF's saw a reduction in support and interest from states. However, with the recent emphasis on homeland security, SDFs are receiving new attention as possible sources of trained emergency management personnel.
Organization
Most states organize their State Defense Force in parallel to their National Guard force, having it report to the governor through the Adjutant General. The Force is not funded by the federal government in any way. In most states, members act on a completely volunteer basis, have to purchase any uniforms after the first, and supply their own arms (if it's an armed force at all).Future
Efforts are being made in Congress to better integrate the State Defense Forces into a larger Homeland Security strategy. This might involve enabling the Secretary of Defense to coordinate with, loan equipment to, and provide training for the State Defense Forces.States and Territories with Defense Forces
Alabama State Defense Force (Recruitment: Alabama State Defense Force Recruiting Command)Alaska State Defense Force
California State Military Reserve
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico State Guard
Georgia State Defense Force
Indiana Guard Reserve
Maine State Guard
Maryland Defense Force
Massachusetts Volunteer Militia
Michigan Volunteer Defense Force
Mississippi State Guard
New Jersey Naval Militia
New Mexico State Defense Force
New York Guard
Ohio Military Reserve
Oregon State Defense Force
Pennsylvania Military Reserve
Puerto Rico State Guard
South Carolina State Guard
Tennessee State Guard
Texas State Guard
Vermont State Guard
Virginia State Defense Force
Washington State Guard
Related links
See also
