Rhode Island Naval Militia

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The Rhode Island Naval Militia is the inactive naval militia of Rhode Island. [1] 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.

Contents

History

The Rhode Island Naval Militia traces its roots to the American Revolutionary War, when the Rhode Island State Navy was initiated in June 1775 with the commissioning of two sloops, the Washington and the Katy (later renamed Providence), for the purpose of repelling HMS Rose from Rhode Island waters. [2] When the Continental Navy was formed in late 1775 the Alfred and Providence became part of it.

In the 1890s, during the first decade of the invention of the modern naval militia, the Rhode Island Naval Militia was organized as a torpedo unit and frequently trained at the Navy's torpedo school on Coaster's Island near Newport. [3] The Rhode Island Naval Militia first saw combat during the Spanish–American War when one hundred forty two members of Rhode Island Naval Battalion were federalized and served alongside the United States Navy. [4]

USS Miantonomoh served briefly under the Rhode Island Naval Militia before her decommissioning in November 1895. [5] After being decommissioned on 8 October 1898, USS Kanawha was loaned to the Rhode Island Naval Militia on 12 December 1898; however, Kanawha was returned to the Navy on 12 August 1899 and transferred to the War Department. [6] In 1910, the naval militia was assigned USS Aileen. [7] By 1916, the naval militia maintained an aeronautic section. [8]

In early 1916 recently retired Lieutenant (junior grade) Richard E. Byrd, USN was appointed as Inspector and Instructor of the RINM. He is credited with making great strides in improving the efficiency of the RINM and was elected by its members as its commander in December 1916. In April 1917, following the US declaration of war against Germany, Byrd was recalled to active duty. Byrd went on to lead the first flight over the North Pole in 1926 and to lead five expeditions to Antarctica.[ citation needed ]

The RINM was called into active service during World War I but was not reformed after the war since the US Naval Reserve had taken the place of state naval militias.[ citation needed ]

In the early 1970s, due to historical interest caused by the Bicentennial of the American Revolution, the RI Naval Militia was reformed as one of the state's historic military commands with the replica sloop Providence as its flagship. [9] Interest in the historic Naval Militia was short lived and it disbanded.[ citation needed ]

Personnel

Naval militias are recognized under federal law and are equipped by the federal government, and therefore, membership requirements are partially set according to federal standards. Under 10 U.S. Code § 7854, in order to be eligible for access to "vessels, material, armament, equipment, and other facilities of the Navy and the Marine Corps available to the Navy Reserve and the Marine Corps Reserve", at least 95% of members of the naval militia must also be members of the United States Navy Reserve or the United States Marine Corps Reserve. [10]

Naval militias of U.S. states are recognized as part of the organized militia of the United States under 10 U.S. Code §7851. [11] Rhode Island law also recognizes the Rhode Island Naval Militia as a component of the militia of Rhode Island. [1] Therefore, although inactive, an act of legislature by the Rhode Island General Assembly would return the Rhode Island Naval Militia to active service.

Under Rhode Island law, no employer may fire an employee due to the employee's membership in the Rhode Island Naval Militia, or due to their obligation to perform military service, or attempt to hinder their ability to perform military service. Nor may employers threaten or otherwise insinuate that an employee will suffer repercussions from the employer as a result of his or her service with the Rhode Island Naval Militia. Any employer or agent of an employer who is guilty of these offenses is guilty of a misdemeanor offense. [12]

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

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Naval Militia</span>

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 Minnesota Naval Militia is the currently inactive naval militia of Minnesota. As a naval militia, the Minnesota Naval Militia served as a Navy and Marine Corps parallel to the National Guard, where, like the soldiers of the Army National Guard and the airmen of the Air National Guard, sailors and marines could serve in a dual federal and state role as state military forces answerable to the governor, unless federalized and deployed by the federal government. The naval militia served as an active component of the organized militia from 1903 until the end of World War II.

The Missouri Naval Militia is the currently unorganized naval militia of Missouri. Along with the Missouri Army National Guard, the Missouri Air National Guard, and the Missouri State Defense Force, the Missouri Naval is recognized under Missouri law as part of the organized militia of Missouri. Like the members of the National Guard, members of the naval militia who also serve in the Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve have a dual federal and state status, serving as members of the naval militia under authority of the state government until they are called into federal service, at which time they are relieved from their state obligations and placed under federal control for the duration of their federal deployment.

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.

The Louisiana Naval Militia is the currently unorganized naval militia of Louisiana, United States. It was organized as a naval military reserve force, serving as naval parallel to the Louisiana National Guard.

The Washington Naval Militia is the currently inactive naval militia of the state of Washington. The Washington Naval Militia was organized as a naval reserve, serving as the naval parallel to the Washington National Guard.

The Hawaii Naval Militia is the inactive naval militia of Hawaii. As a naval militia, it was organized as a naval parallel to the Hawaii National Guard. Along with the National Guard, the Hawaii Naval Militia is recognized as part of the organized militia of Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Naval Militia</span> 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. ↑ "A Naval History of the American Revolution, Chapter II: Naval Administration and Organization". www.americanrevolution.org/. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  2. ↑ Hart, Kevin R. "Toward a Citizen Sailor: The History of the Naval Militia Movement, 1888-1898". The California Military Museum Official Website. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Spanish American War - RI Naval Militia in United States Service". Rhode Island Secretary of State Official Website. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  4. ↑ McSherry, Patrick. "USS Miantonomoh" . Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  5. ↑ "Kanawha II". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  6. ↑ "New York Naval Militia History". New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs . Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  7. ↑ Naval Militia Cruises, 1916. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1917. p. 160. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "Rhode Island General Laws Title 30 - Military Affairs and Defense, Chapter 30-4 Independent Military Organizations Section 30-4-5 Naval militia battalion". Justia. 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "10 U.S. CODE § 7854 - AVAILABILITY OF MATERIAL FOR NAVAL MILITIA". www.law.cornell.edu/. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  10. ↑ "10 U.S. CODE § 7851 - COMPOSITION". www.law.cornell.edu/. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  11. ↑ "Chapter 30-11-2 - Discrimination in employment against members of militia". Justia . Retrieved 24 November 2017.
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