Florida Naval Militia

Last updated
Florida Naval Militia
Active1897–1903
1911–1917
1934–1941
CountryFlag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
AllegianceFlag of Florida (1900-1985).svg  Florida
Type Naval militia
Role Military reserve force

The Florida Naval Militia was the official naval militia of the state of Florida. Naval militias were organized as naval parallels to the National Guard as dual federal and state obligations, with the naval militias normally being under state control but subject to federal activation. The Florida Naval Militia was active during three periods in Florida history: between 1897 and 1903; between 1911 and 1917; and between 1934 and 1941. [1]

Contents

History

Floridian naval militiamen in 1912 Florida Naval Militia 1912.jpg
Floridian naval militiamen in 1912

History of predecessor units

Florida Naval and Marine Militia (C.S.)

The Florida Naval and Marine Militia served as a predecessor to the Florida Naval Militia. The Florida Naval and Marine Militia was a Confederate naval force which served between the years of 1861 and 1865. [2]

Naval militiamen in Sarasota, Florida, wearing their white uniforms in 1917. Naval-militia-right-before-leaving.jpg
Naval militiamen in Sarasota, Florida, wearing their white uniforms in 1917.

Spanish–American War – World War II

1897–1903

The Florida Naval Militia was first created in 1897, and consisted of one battalion of four divisions, located at Jacksonville, Pensacola, Port Tampa, and Tampa. From 15 December 1898 until 21 June 1899, the USS Wasp was loaned to the Florida Naval Militia by the U.S. Navy. [3] During the Spanish–American War, the members of the Florida Naval Militia were drafted into the federal Navy and Coast Guard, with only the Jacksonville Division being reorganized after the war until its disbandment in 1903. [1]

1911–1917

The Florida Naval Militia was reinstated in 1911 with three divisions located in Key West, Jacksonville, and Sarasota. After the onset of World War I, the entire naval militia was activated for the duration of the war, and not reconstituted under state service after the war ended. Before being federalized, members drilled once per week (later increased to twice per week), underwent physical examinations and measurements for uniforms, and were vaccinated for typhoid and smallpox. [4]

1934–1941

Due largely to the efforts of Governor David Sholtz, the Governor of Florida and an officer in the Naval Reserve, the Florida Naval Militia was reorganized in 1934. However, with the entrance of the United States into World War II, the members of the naval militia were once again called into federal service, and the organization was dissolved in 1941. [1]

Floridian naval militiamen in Sarasota, Florida, wearing their black uniforms in 1917. Sarasota-naval-militia.jpg
Floridian naval militiamen in Sarasota, Florida, wearing their black uniforms in 1917.

Although currently not organized, federal and state laws still allow each state to maintain its own military forces, including a naval militia. United States Code specifically defines the Naval Militia as one of the components of the United States organized militia, along with the National Guard. [5] So long as at least 95% of a state's naval militia's membership is composed of Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve members, naval militias may be loaned or issued vessels, material, armament, equipment, and other facilities of the Navy and the Marine Corps that are available to the Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve. [6]

States creating a naval militia may therefore either create a naval militia completely out of civilian volunteers under Title 32; a naval militia composed of Navy and Marine Corps Reserve members and eligible for federal equipment under Title 10; or a hybrid naval, composed of some units of civilian volunteers and ineligible for federal aid, and some units of federal reservists, whose units are eligible for federal aid, which allows the organization as a whole to receive federal equipment and aid while opening membership to civilians as well. The New Jersey Naval Militia offers an example of a hybrid-approach to the naval militia; the New Jersey Naval Militia was composed of three battalions. The first battalion was composed solely of navy and marine reservists in order to receive access to federal support and Navy and Marine Corps facilities. The second battalion was organized as an operational Naval State Guard, and the 3rd Division provided support and auxiliary functions. [7] [8] By only seeking federal recognition for the first battalion as a naval militia, and considering the other two as divisions of the New Jersey State Guard, the NJNM was able to receive federal aid and include significant numbers of civilian volunteers into the state naval force. Such an organizational method is legal so long as only the units with federal recognition are given access to federal equipment.

Floridian state law grants the governor the authority to create and maintain a naval militia as well; maintaining a naval militia organized under federal guidelines is authorized under Title XVII of chapter Chapter 250 in the Floridian state law. [9] Florida law also allows the creation of a state defense force, which could include or wholly consist of a naval unit not held to federal standards. [10] As such, the governor of Florida has the ability to reactivate the Florida Naval Militia based on existing legal permission at any time.

See also

Related Research Articles

The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and forms military policy with the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), both federal executive departments, acting as the principal organs by which military policy is carried out. All six armed services are among the eight uniformed services of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Guard (United States)</span> Reserve force of the United States Army and Air Force

The National Guard is a state-based military force that becomes part of the reserve components of the United States Army and the United States Air Force when activated for federal missions. It is a military reserve force composed of National Guard military members or units of each state and the territories of Guam, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, for a total of 54 separate organizations. It is officially created under Congress's Article 1 Section 8 ability to 'raise and support armies'. All members of the National Guard are also members of the organized militia of the United States as defined by 10 U.S.C. § 246. National Guard units are under the dual control of the state governments and the federal government.

Auxiliaries An organized group supplementing the military or law enforcement

Auxiliaries are support personnel that assist the military or police but are organised differently from regular forces. Auxiliary may be military volunteers undertaking support functions or performing certain duties such as garrison troops, usually on a part-time basis. Unlike a military reserve force, an auxiliary force does not necessarily have the same degree of training or ranking structure as regular soldiers, and it may or may not be integrated into a fighting force. Some auxiliaries, however, are militias composed of former active duty military personnel and actually have better training and combat experience than their regular counterparts.

Naval militia United States military reserve organization

A naval militia is a reserve military organization administered under the authority of a state government in the United States. It is often composed of reservists of the Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve, retirees and volunteers. They are distinguishable from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary which is a federally chartered civilian volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard and falls under the command of the Commandant of the Coast Guard through the Chief Director of the Auxiliary, and the United States Maritime Service and United States Merchant Marine, both of which are federal maritime services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marines</span> Military organization specialized in amphibious warfare

Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship, the boarding of vessels during combat or capture of prize ships, and providing manpower for raiding ashore in support of the naval objectives. In most countries, the marines are an integral part of that state's navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Army National Guard</span> Component of the US Army and military of the state of Florida

The Florida Army National Guard is Florida's component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. In the United States, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the federal army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. Federal coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau. The Florida Army National Guard was composed of approximately 10,000 soldiers. The main state training grounds is Camp Blanding.

The reserve components of the United States Armed Forces are military organizations whose members generally perform a minimum of 39 days of military duty per year and who augment the active duty military when necessary. The reserve components are also referred to collectively as the National Guard and Reserve.

Alaska Naval Militia State-provided naval militia for Alaska

The Alaska Naval Militia (AKNM) is the official naval militia of the state of Alaska. The Alaska Naval Militia falls under control of the state of Alaska. The legal basis for the naval militia comes from both federal and state law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida State Guard</span> Military unit

The Florida State Guard (FSG) is the state defense force of the U.S. state of Florida. The FSG was created in 1941 to serve as a stateside replacement for the Florida National Guard while the National Guard was deployed abroad during World War II. The FSG is available to the governor of Florida whenever needed, but unlike the National Guard, the FSG is trained and funded by the state and therefore can not be federalized. The FSG was reactivated in 2022 after the Florida legislature appropriated US$10 million in funding.

New Jersey Naval Militia Military unit

The New Jersey Naval Militia (NJNM) is the inactive naval militia of the state of New Jersey. As a portion of the New Jersey organized militia, it existed as an active entity from 1895 to 1963 and again from 1999 to 2002. The Naval Militia was stood down by the state in 2002 due to a concerns about training, accession processes, security clearances, background checks, rank criteria, medical standards, physical fitness criteria, vessel fitness, and command qualifications.

Pennsylvania State Guard Military unit

The Pennsylvania State Guard is the currently inactive official state defense force of the state of Pennsylvania, which was active during World War II and the Korean War. The unit was organized as a home guard composed of volunteers who were trained and organized as parallel to the state’s National Guard. As a part of Pennsylvania's official militia, the Pennsylvania State Guard was trained, organized, and funded by the state of Pennsylvania, answered to the governor, and could not be federalized or deployed abroad.

The Hawaii Territorial Guard was the state defense force of Hawaii during World War II. As a result of the National Guard of Hawaii being federalized for the duration of the war, the Hawaii Territorial Guard was created to serve as the stateside replacement for the National Guard. During the war, it was the sole military force available to the Governor of Hawaii as its captain general to use in defense of the state. Unlike the National Guard, as a state defense force, the Hawaii Territorial Guard was not subject to federalization or deployment outside of the borders of Hawaii, but rather answered only to the governor.

South Carolina Naval Militia Military unit

The South Carolina Naval Militia (SCNM) is the naval militia of the state of South Carolina. The SCNM is a naval unit organized at state level and primarily composed of Navy and Marine Corps reservists who serve simultaneously as federal and state level reservists. The SCNM can be deployed by the Governor of South Carolina to assist in emergency response or in homeland security operations.

Wisconsin Naval Militia

The Wisconsin Naval Militia is the currently inactive naval militia of the state of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Naval Militia served as a military reserve force for the state of Wisconsin, and was organized as a naval parallel to the Wisconsin National Guard.

The Indiana Naval Militia (INM) is the currently inactive naval militia of Indiana. Along with the Indiana National Guard and the Indiana Guard Reserve, the Indiana Naval Militia is a component of the military forces of Indiana. Like the members of the National Guard, the Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve personnel who make up the membership of the various naval militias have a dual federal and state status, operating as a part of their state's military forces unless called into federal service, at which time they are relieved from their state obligations and placed under federal control until they are released from active service. However, unlike the National Guard, which is activated and deployed as an entire unit, naval militia personnel are activated as individuals and deployed within the ranks of their respective reserve components. Therefore, only members of the naval militia are activated under federal service, while the naval militia itself is never federalized as a unit.

Michigan Naval Militia

The Michigan Naval Militia was founded in 1893. It is the currently an unorganized naval militia of the U.S. state and is recognized as a component of the militia of Michigan. The Michigan Naval Militia, along with the Michigan National Guard and the Michigan Volunteer Defense Force, exists as one of the military components of Michigan's organized militia.

The Rhode Island Naval Militia is the currently inactive naval militia of Rhode Island. Along with the Rhode Island National Guard and the Rhode Island State Guard, it is one of the military forces available to the Governor of Rhode Island.

North Carolina Naval Militia

The North Carolina Naval Militia is the inactive naval militia of North Carolina. The naval militia, along with the North Carolina National Guard, the North Carolina State Defense Militia, and the historic military commands, is a component of the organized militia of North Carolina.

The Maryland Naval Militia is the authorized but currently inactive unorganized naval militia of Maryland. It served as a dual federal and state military reserve force, essentially a naval and marine equivalent of the Maryland Army National Guard and the Maryland Air National Guard.

Oregon Naval Militia Military unit

The Oregon Naval Militia is the unorganized naval militia of the state of Oregon. As a naval militia, the Oregon Naval Militia was a reserve unit organized as a naval parallel to the Oregon National Guard.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Florida Naval Militia". State Archives of Florida Online Catalog. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  2. "Florida Naval and Marine Militia (1861-1865)". University of Florida Digital Collections. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  3. Turner Publishing Company Staff (Jun 15, 1999). USS Wasp. Vol. 2. Turner Publishing Company. p. 11. ISBN   1563114046 . Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  4. Shank, Ann. "Sarasota Naval Militia". Saratosa History Alive!. Archived from the original on 2014-04-16. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
  5. "10 U.S. Code § 246 - Militia: composition and classes". Legal Information Institute . Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  6. "10 U.S. Code § 8904 - Availability of material for Naval Militia". Legal Information Institute . Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  7. Girardet, Wayne E. "The New Jersey Naval Militia" (PDF). The Defense Technical Information Center Website. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 14, 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  8. "Committee Report on the New Jersey Naval Militia Joint Command to The Adjutant General: Organization". The Official Website of New Jersey. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  9. "250.04 Naval militia; marine corps". Official Internet Site of the Florida State Legislature. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  10. "Chapter 251: Florida State Defense Force". Justia . Retrieved 30 June 2014.