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 Wisconsin Naval Militia was first created on 28 April 1909 when the Wisconsin Legislature authorized a naval militia consisting of one battalion of four companies. [1] The naval militia maintained units at Ashland and Bayfield until World War I. [2] By 1914, the naval militia had reached a strength of 160 men organized into three companies. [3]
In 1916, the naval militia was temporarily disbanded due to the inability of the state to procure a ship to be used for training purposes; however, new units were immediately reorganized in different parts of the state, funded with money raised by private donors. [4] Most of its members joined the U.S. Navy due to the outbreak of World War One. [5]
The naval militia was reorganized in 1927 with units in Milwaukee and Madison. [2]
The Wisconsin Naval Militia was officially disbanded in 1955. [6]
The right of states to organize and maintain naval militias is recognized by the federal government of the United States under 10 U.S. Code §7851. [7] Any naval militia may receive access to vessels, material, armament, equipment, and other facilities of the Navy and the Marine Corps which are available to the Navy Reserve and the Marine Corps Reserve if 95% or more of the naval militia's manpower is recruited from the United States Navy Reserve or the United States Marine Corps Reserve. [8]
In the spring of 2001, the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs announced the findings of a year-long study which found that reactivating the Wisconsin Naval Militia would likely prove to be a cost-effective enhancement to Wisconsin's emergency medical response capability. A bill which would have reactivated the naval militia passed the assembly of the Wisconsin Legislature by a wide margin but failed in the senate. Subsequent bills intended to reactivate the naval militia have also failed. [9]
In the United States, state defense forces (SDFs) are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state government. State defense forces are authorized by state and federal law and are under the command of the governor of each state, ,.
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.
The Wisconsin State Defense Force (WSDF) is the currently inactive state defense force of the State of Wisconsin authorized by Wisconsin law. As a state defense force, the Wisconsin State Defense Force, alongside the Wisconsin National Guard, is organized under the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs as a part of the military forces of Wisconsin. However, unlike the National Guard, the State Defense Force is a purely state-controlled organization and cannot be deployed outside the state of Wisconsin. When any part of the Wisconsin National Guard is called into service of the United States, the adjutant general may recruit volunteers to the WSDF to serve within the borders of Wisconsin.
The New Jersey Naval Militia (NJNM) is the 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 date. The Naval Militia was deactivated 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.
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.
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.
The Utah State Defense Force (USDF), formerly known as the Utah State Guard, is the currently unorganized state defense force of the state of Utah. The USDF, along with the Utah National Guard, is part of the organized militia of Utah. However, unlike the National Guard, the State Defense Force is by law solely under the command of the Governor of Utah and cannot be federalized or deployed outside the borders of Utah. Although inactive, Utah's State Defense Force Act allows the Governor to reactivate the USDF through executive action.
The South Dakota State Guard is the currently inactive state defense force of South Dakota. The State Guard is recognized as a military force separate from the South Dakota National Guard. Unlike the National Guard, the State Guard is a purely state-level military force under the command of the Governor of South Dakota, and cannot be federalized or deployed outside the borders of the state. The South Dakota State Guard was active during World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War and provided military protection to the state of South Dakota while the National Guard was in federal service.
The Georgia Naval Militia (GNM) is the legally-authorized but currently inactive naval militia of the U.S. state of Georgia. The Georgia Naval Militia, along with the Georgia National Guard and the Georgia State Defense Force, is a component of the organized militia of Georgia.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
