Wisconsin State Defense Force

The shoulder patch worn by Wisconsin State Guard soldiers during World War II.

The Wisconsin State Defense Force (WSDF) is the currently inactive state defense force of the State of Wisconsin authorized by of Wisconsin law.^[1] 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 (who is appointed by the governor) may recruit volunteers to the WSDF to serve within the borders of Wisconsin.

History

Wisconsin home guards

The military of the United States during the American Civil War was composed of a smaller professional army supported by various state militia volunteer units. Wisconsin provided multiple units to fight in the war. Initially, the War Department only requested one volunteer regiment from Wisconsin, leaving thousands of men eager to serve militarily but unable to enter the war until much later as the conflict continued longer than the federal government had anticipated. The desire of these men to serve, along with a fear of domestic unrest caused by Confederate sympathizers, caused the Wisconsin Legislature and Governor Louis P. Harvey created a legal framework for local militia companies to organize, drill, and serve as a home guard unit capable of handling state emergencies.^[2]

World War I

During World War I, when the National Guard was federalized and deployed, the state of Wisconsin created a state guard of volunteers, officially titled the Wisconsin State Guard. Members of the Wisconsin State Guard served solely as state soldiers, unlike members of the National Guard who had dual federal and state responsibilities. While the Wisconsin State Guard could not be federalized, individual members of the guard were still eligible to be drafted into federal service. Many of those who first served in the Wisconsin State Guard were inducted into the federal military at a higher rank than those enlisted who had not served any state duty.^[3] Unlike many other state defense forces, the Wisconsin State Guard was trained and equipped by the state of Wisconsin rather than relying on the War Department for donated surplus equipment.^[4] The Wisconsin State Guard consisted of several infantry regiments and drilled at National Guard bases across the state, including Camp Douglas.^[3]

World War II

The Wisconsin State Guard was again called into service during World War II for homeland security purposes while the Wisconsin National Guard was deployed abroad.^[5]

Legal status

State defense forces are authorized by the federal government under Title 32, Section 109 of the United States Code.^[6] Wisconsin law also allows the governor to reactivate the Wisconsin State Defense Force at any time any part of the Wisconsin National Guard is called into federal service.^[1] Therefore, the WSDF can be reactivated either by an act of legislature or by an executive order by the Governor of Wisconsin.

References

1 2 "State defense force authorized.". Wisconsin State Legislature Official Website. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
↑ "Wisconsin Home Guards during the Civil War". The Wisconsin Magazine of History (Wisconsin Historical Society) 2 (2): 212–214. December 1918. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
1 2 Dorward, William T. (21 June 1918). "The Wisconsin State Guard". The Milwaukee Sentinel (Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Retrieved 7 November 2014.
↑ Stentiford, Barry M. (2002). The American Home Guard: The State Militia in the Twentieth Century. Texas A&M University Press. p. 35. ISBN 1585441813. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
↑ The Wisconsin Book. Wisconsin: Legislative Reference Bureau. 1967. p. 108. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
↑ "32 U.S. Code § 109 - Maintenance of other troops". Legal Information Institute. Cornell University Law School. Retrieved 7 November 2014.

External links

Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs Official Website

State Defense Forces and Naval Militia

State Defense Forces	Alabama State Defense Force Alaska State Defense Force California State Military Reserve Connecticut Governor's Guard Georgia State Defense Force Indiana Guard Reserve Louisiana State Guard Maryland Defense Force Massachusetts State Defense Force Michigan Volunteer Defense Force Mississippi State Guard Missouri Reserve Force New Mexico State Guard New York Guard Ohio Military Reserve Oregon State Defense Force Puerto Rico State Guard South Carolina State Guard Tennessee State Guard Texas State Guard Vermont State Guard Virginia Defense Force Washington State Guard

Naval Militia	Alaska Naval Militia Connecticut Naval Militia New York Naval Militia Ohio Naval Militia South Carolina Naval Militia Texas State Guard Maritime Regiment

Historical/Defunct	Alaska Territorial Guard Arkansas State Guard Delaware State Guard Florida Naval Militia Florida State Guard Georgia Naval Militia Hawaii Naval Militia Hawaii Territorial Guard Idaho State Guard Illinois Naval Militia Illinois Reserve Militia Indiana Naval Militia Iowa State Guard Kansas State Guard Kentucky Active Militia Louisiana Naval Militia Maine State Guard Maryland Naval Militia Massachusetts Naval Militia Michigan Naval Militia Minnesota Naval Militia Minnesota State Guard Missouri Naval Militia Nebraska State Guard New Hampshire State Guard New Jersey Naval Militia New Jersey State Guard North Carolina Naval Militia North Carolina State Defense Militia Oregon Naval Militia Pennsylvania State Guard Rhode Island Naval Militia Rhode Island State Guard South Dakota State Guard Utah State Defense Force Virginia Defense Force Riverine Detachment Washington Naval Militia Wisconsin Naval Militia Wisconsin State Defense Force

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