Posted on Jul 16, 2015
How many veterans are now members of their state defense force (militia)?
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There are a number of states which maintain an official regulated militia. The majority support the state National Guard units and respond to natural disasters. Many have prior service as well as civilians with no prior military service. It is all volunteer, unpaid, unless on official orders. If you serve, where do you serve and what do you do? If you do not serve, does this interest you?
Posted in these groups: 
Militia
Militia
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 21
State Defense Forces are not Constitutional Militia. State Defense Forces are created under the Constitutional provision that States may raise troops with Congress’s consent -- Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3. Constitutional State Militia antedate and are recognized -- not created -- by the Constitution: Article 1, Section 8, Clause 15.
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1LT (Join to see)
SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA - Private Militia and State Militia are not the same. State Militia (often referred to as State Defense Force or State Guard) are Constitutionally legal and codified. The Adjutant General of the State National Guard is the Commander of the State Guard and these forces are controlled by the State Governor through TAG. These forces form a force multiplier in civil defense. State Guard soldiers, when activated for State Active Duty, are under the direct control of the NG force commander and are funded via Title 32. It is always interesting to learn peoples perspective when they do not understand the legal justification of State Guard and the Constitution. State Guard are not federal forces and other than mutual aide during disasters, seldom cross state borders.
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
1LT (Join to see) - State Defense Forces (including the ones with Militia in their names) are not the same as the Militia of the Constitution.
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1LT (Join to see)
SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA - I believe this may help better:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-1/section-8/clause-15-16/the-militia-clauses
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-1/section-8/clause-15-16/the-militia-clauses
The states as well as Congress may prescribe penalties for failure to obey the President’s call of the militia. They also have a concurrent power to aid the National Government by calls under their own authority, and in emergencies may use the militia to put down armed insurrection.1784 The Federal Government may call out the militia in case of civil war; its authority to suppress rebellion is found in the power to suppress insurrection and to...
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
1LT (Join to see) - let's not be patronizing. I've read and studied far more than this blurb on LII reveals, and apparently far more than the author of said blurb is familiar with. I know about SDFs, the National Guard, the Constitutional Militia, and private "Militia." The third and most important of those is not active in any State. The other three are commonly mistaken for it, due to a misunderstanding or ignorance of historical law.
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Though I am not a "Veteran" I am a member of the Virginia Defense Force which is the officially sanctioned constitutionally approved State Defense Force under title 32-119 USC and in Virginia code title 44. The VDF is the legitimate sibling to the Virginia National Guard under the Virginia Dept. of Military Affairs as commanded by the State Adjutant General. We have lots of great people who were in Federal service that come from a wide array of military backgrounds. It's an honor and a pleasure to serve beside them.
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
The federal government recognizes state defense forces, as per the Compact Clause of the U.S. Constitution, under 32 U.S.C. § 109 which provides that state defense forces as a whole may not be called, ordered, or drafted into the armed forces of the United States, thus preserving their separation from the National Guard. However, under the same law, individual members serving in the state defense force are not exempt from service in the armed forces (i.e., they are not excluded from the draft). Under 32 USC § 109(e), "A person may not become a member of a defense force if he is a member of a reserve component of the armed forces."
Nearly every state has laws authorizing state defense forces, and twenty-two states, plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, have active forces with different levels of activity, support, and strength. State defense forces generally operate with emergency management and homeland security missions. Most SDFs are organized as army units, but air (Puerto Rico) and naval units (Ohio) also exist. Depending on the state, they may be variously named as state military, state military force, state guard, state militia, or state military reserve.
Nearly every state has laws authorizing state defense forces, and twenty-two states, plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, have active forces with different levels of activity, support, and strength. State defense forces generally operate with emergency management and homeland security missions. Most SDFs are organized as army units, but air (Puerto Rico) and naval units (Ohio) also exist. Depending on the state, they may be variously named as state military, state military force, state guard, state militia, or state military reserve.
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SFC Randy Hellenbrand
So, are you a treasonous GOP insurrectionist or still a loyal American?? There is no in between.
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
Sorry SFC, you are thinking about a "different" group that's not us. I do know who you are thinking of, but that's not us. My unit is an official part of the Virginia Dept. of Military Affairs, which includes the 192nd Fighter wing of the Air National Guard and the Virginia Army National Guard as you can clearly see by accessing this website. We're right there on the front.
https://va.ng.mil/
About 1/2 the states have a State Defense Force and those states are members of the State Guard Association of the United States.
https://va.ng.mil/
About 1/2 the states have a State Defense Force and those states are members of the State Guard Association of the United States.
The official website of the Virginia National Guard
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1LT (Join to see), in the State of Tennessee you'll find the Tennessee State Guard. The Guard's stated mission is to "provide a professional complement of personnel to support the State mission of the Tennessee National Guard, by assisting the Tennessee Army National Guard as a force multiplier, and at the direction of the Adjutant General, to assist civil authorities with disaster relief, humanitarian causes, ceremonial service, religious and medical support for the well being and safety of the citizenry of Tennessee."
"The Tennessee State Guard, which is the all-volunteer arm of the Tennessee Military Department, is headquartered in Nashville and consists of approximately 250 personnel. It is authorized by Tennessee Code Annotated 58-1-401."
I interviewed with some of the TNSG personnel in Nashville not long after I retired in MAY98, and was offered a position and the rank of colonel. Although I'm sure they do good work for the state when called upon, I ultimately decided not to participate.
https://www.tn.gov/military/who-we-are/state-guard.html
"The Tennessee State Guard, which is the all-volunteer arm of the Tennessee Military Department, is headquartered in Nashville and consists of approximately 250 personnel. It is authorized by Tennessee Code Annotated 58-1-401."
I interviewed with some of the TNSG personnel in Nashville not long after I retired in MAY98, and was offered a position and the rank of colonel. Although I'm sure they do good work for the state when called upon, I ultimately decided not to participate.
https://www.tn.gov/military/who-we-are/state-guard.html
The Tennessee State Guard, which is the all-volunteer arm of the Tennessee Military Department, is headquartered in Nashville and consists of approximately 250personnel,It is authorized by Tennessee Code Annotated 58-1-401.
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