"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom." -- John F. Kennedy		"And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms...the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure." -- Thomas Jefferson
	MILITIAS ARE NOT ANTI-GOVERNMENT. The citizen Militias of the United States are not opposed to our government. We do not advocate its overthrow. The vast majority of Militia members love their country, as well as the Republic which was established by the Founding Fathers. Indeed, our highest political precepts are built on the bedrock of constitutional doctrines; the Constitution of the United States (including the Bill of Rights) is our highest earthly law. We are opposed to tyranny, yes. But the U.S. government itself is not our enemy. It has never been our enemy.
	MILITIA MEMBERS ARE NOT CRIMINALS. Members of citizen Militias are law-abiding Americans. We do not support ourselves with criminal activities. We do not engage in extortion, obtaining laundered funds, or selling of stolen goods. It is a certainty that William Jefferson Clinton used illegal funds to keep himself in office; but we do not follow his example.
	MILITIA MEMBERS ARE NOT EXTREMISTS. We do not advocate extreme solutions to social problems. To save a few hundred lives a year caused by gun accidents, we would not destroy our fellow Americans' Second Amendment right to own guns. To save 30,000 lives a year, we would not ban automobiles. To save a few ocean-going mammals, we would not attack people in fishing boats trying to earn an honest living.
	THOSE WHO ACCUSE US of being "anti-government" and "extremist" organizations are liars. We are no more extreme than Thomas Jefferson, who had the highest praise for Militias as a bulwark of freedom. And--- like Thomas Jefferson--- we have the deepest love for this system of government which was created for the purpose of protecting our liberties. Remember: one of the primary reasons our government was established was for the protection of individual liberty.

a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.

(b) The classes of the militia are —

(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and

(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia."

The real militia
" I felt my...military and...public service might be useful to the state."
Militias have gotten a bad reputation in the news and entertainment media lately. They are usually portrayed as little better than outlaws -- either home-grown terrorists, or paranoid gun-nuts ready to make war on the "New World Order."

The truth is 180 degrees different. Twenty-four states and Puerto Rico have authorized state militias. All are organized groups of volunteers who are called on to protect lives and property in the state during times of crisis or other needs. (None use "militia" in their official organization name to avoid the stigma that word now carries.)

Militia members wear standard Army uniforms, with minor modifications. They serve without pay except when called to paid state active duty by the governor. They even pay for their own uniforms and travel expenses, but there are a few financial benefits. All the expenses of a militia volunteer are tax-deductible. And state workers' compensation coverage is in effect while a volunteer is on active duty, and during all training periods.

Despite the lack of compensation, militias perform three important missions for their states.

"We provide important back-up and support for the California National Guard by providing armory operations and security when the Guard is in federal service," said Dr. Fred-Otto Egler, public affairs officer of Los Angeles District. Egeler is a chief warrant officer and Press Officer in the California State Military Reserve (SMR).

"Another mission is emergency response, where the Maryland Defense Force (MDDF) supports civil authorities in damage assessment surveys, disaster relief operations, and ground search-and-rescue operations," said Jack Butler, a program manager in the Formerly Used Defense Sites program in Baltimore District. Butler is a colonel in the MDDF and is their Director of Operations and Training. "Our search-and-rescue operations fill a manpower void in Maryland for finding lost people, and gives the MDDF opportunities to hone our emergency response skills."

The third mission area is community service, giving communities and county or municipal governments a disciplined support team organized along military lines. These activities range from providing assistance at a community festival, to furnishing support personnel for augmenting emergency operations centers during a crisis.

"The requirements to meet one Saturday a month for Unit Training Assembly, plus about 100 hours of community service during a year, really aren't much when you stop to think about it," said Egeler.

There is no set requirement for community service in the MDDF, but a volunteer receives a service ribbon for each five events he participates in. Drills vary among the MDDF units, but most hold two-hour meetings twice a month in local National Guard armories.

The MDDF, which has about 350 members, has been called to duty for snow emergencies, flood relief, tornado relief, wildfire suppression, and ice storms. MDDF personnel recently trained to assist the state's medevac units, and the MDDF is planning advanced training for personnel who will help staff the state emergency operations center planned for Camp Fretterd, Md. The MDDF will also support various state agencies during future emergencies involving terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

"The SMR has about 800 members," said Egeler. "We have members in the desert at Fort Irwin supporting the National Guard during annual training. Besides supporting annual training, SMR soldiers are involved in emergency communications, medical and dental support to the Guard, Drug Demand Reduction programs in schools, teaching basic soldier skills to National Guardsmen during annual training and at armories, and manning the Guards' Computerized Battlefield Operations Simulation Center at Camp San Luis Obispo."

People have various reasons for joining state militias. "At my first meeting I met lawyers, TV producers, doctors, nurses, videographers, freelance writers, business owners, chaplains, Red Cross personnel, police officers, and many other people from all walks of life," said Egeler.

One common thread among all these people is service. Many (though not all) have prior military experience. "I felt that my more than 23 years of military service and my 40 years of public service might be useful to the state," said Egeler.

"The Defense Force has given me the opportunity to use training and experience I received on active duty with the Army, and then to give something back to my neighbors," said Al Eberwein, an information management specialist with Baltimore District. He is a captain in the MDDF, and their Communications Officer. "Working with others dedicated the same principles has been rewarding."

"I always wanted to wear the military uniform, and I was looking for an organization to do volunteer work in. I found both in one organization," said Deborah Horne, a public affairs specialist with Baltimore District. Horne is a second lieutenant in the MDDF and is their Community Service Officer. "I've become qualified in CPR, search and rescue, communications, and worked on various community relations projects since joining. It's a very rewarding experience."