How do you view State Defense Forces?

[PhoenixCadet]

From those who have served in one of our country's armed forces - active, Guard, reserve - what is your view on authorized, organized, and professional state defense forces?

I've been doing quite a bit of research on them (SDF's) lately, particularly California's (due to that being my home): the California State Military Reserve. In doing this research, I've come across a wide variety of opionions. Mostly high, especially of California's SDF (the CASMR is aparrently one of the most well-organized SDF's in the nation, mostly due to it's close relationship with the CAARNG and CANG).

Some say it's a great way to serve your country (especially if you possibly won't be allowed into federal service due to a medical disqualifier), some equate them to uniformed wannabes (much like Civil Air Patrol, the USCG Aux, etc.). Some say they provide a great service to the Guad forces of California though it's not as important as being in the "real military", some say it's just as important as those who can actually be deployed overseas.

In California, according to the California Military and Veterans Code (CMVC), CASMR soldiers are in fact subject to the UCMJ, and while on State Active Duty orders, hold equal footing among their ARNG / ANG counterparts in regard to rank and authority.

What's your take on them?

-PC

*This whole topic stemming from my possible situation of not being able to serve in the military, as mentioned briefly above.

[ang1sgt]

For the most part, while they wear a Uniform that Looks like the Military, it does not make them the Military. The old Walks Like a Duck....

We had State Guard take over some functions when My Unit was called to service in 1990 for Desert Storm. While these folks were under State Orders, their Uniforms were Un-kept, their personal standards were just not up to standards. I blame this on their Supervisors. They can not have the training needed to entirely back fill a Guard Unit, or at least a Flying Wing. Too many jobs take too much training and on the Job skills that you just can not acquire through the State Guard.

I will agree that there are some very dedicated people in these State Guard Units, many are prior Military and even Retired Guard. These folks have some understanding of the way the Unit runs and should have discipline, the problem comes from being an all Volunteer, UN-PAID Unit for the most part. People can walk if they are not treated the way they feel they should be treated. With that attitude, it makes discipline difficult to maintain.

[03_SHOOTER]

Well, since you asked, I believe that every State should have and maintain it's own Militia. We had the North Carolina State Defense Militia until 1996 when it was terminated by Governor Jim Hunt (D), in complete contradiction of Section 127A of the North Carolina General Statutes, over alleged "liability insurance" issues and no actions have been taken to resolve these alleged "liability insurance" issues in the past 12 years. Since that time however, many former members of the NCSDM have formed their own Militias, and using their own time, money, and resources continue to drill and train as MP units just as they did under the NCSDM in the hopes that should we ever get a Governor whose head isn't fully impacted in their fourth point of contact, and who will reauthorize the SDM, they will be ready to pick up where they left off. Unfortunately, the nearest unit to me is over 100 miles away, and due to their swollen ranks they are unable to take any more members.

As for the professionalism of the units, the Regiment here trained with the National Guard as well as with Active MP units on Ft. Bragg, and while the beards, long hair, and unkempt uniforms may not have looked very "professional", the vast majority of the members were former military LEO's who knew their jobs inside out.

[PhilK]

The Texas State Guard (http://www.txsg.state.tx.us/) has increased in size and responsibility over the past several years. They have been called upon for various items and are no longer just used for when a unit is mobilized.

We actually had a State Guard Chaplain that would come and serve as our Squadron Chaplain because we had such a shortage of Chaplains in the state.

We have a lot of prior service types that join up, so the level of appearance and professionalism is pretty high for the most part. Whenever they show up at one of my training centers they are usually fun to work with, pretty low maintenance.