Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

State Defence Forces (United States)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 393
Country: United States
Date formed: Jan. 1, 1980
    Accuracy of date formed: decade
Details of Formation: The group was established in the early 1980s as volunteer auxiliaries of state National Guards, amid fears that a state's entire National Guard could be sent to a conflict overseas, leaving the home front unprotected. The unarmed state "defense force" or "state guard" units were modeled after citizen brigades organized during the two World Wars to patrol armories and to handle the absent National Guard's duties in the event of a riot or natural disaster. Only the Alaskan forces are armed, although evidence suggests many units armed themselves.
Date dissolved: Unknown
    Accuracy of date dissolved: day
Details of Termination: The State Defence Force Improvement Act was introduced in the House of Representatives in June 2009 recognizing the group as an official military component of the United States, but was not signed into a law. Therefore, the group is not coded as terminated.
Termination Type(s): unclear

Former and Successor Group Information

Predecessor group(s): none
Successor group(s): none
Private Military Company? no
Former Group? no information
    Former Armed Group? no information
Former Rebel Group? no
    Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: none
PGM Becomes Rebel Group? no information
    Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: none

Government Relation, Support, and Training

Government Relation: semi-official (type 2)
Created by the Government?: no information
    Main Creating Government Institution: none
Government Link(s): state (institution); sub-national government
    If link to party, name of party: None
Training and Equipment: yes
Shared Information and Joint Operations: yes
Shared Personnel: no
Type(s) of Material Support: domestic government
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: professional group; ex soldiers; workers
Primary Membership: local
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location: Nationwide
Force Strength: [11000, 11611]
Target(s): no information
Purpose(s): protect state, national or religious institutions; protect property and investment; self-defense and security

Ethnic Characteristics

Ethnic Target(s): none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: not applicable
Ethnic Membership: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: not applicable
Ethnic Purpose: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: not applicable

Other Information

Other Information:

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: The group’s main task is to assist the National Guard, especially to perform its duties when it is absent, in case of riots or natural disaster. When there is no such emergency situation, it is mainly responsible for public security (e.g. in the event of civil disturbances, by controlling crowds and protecting citizens) and guarding state armories. The PGM is only active on the state level.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use faster mobilization

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: As a stated purpose, the group is meant to protect civilians, though there is no information about its effectiveness at doing so.
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: unknown

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no
PGM Members Paid? no
Reasons for Membership: Members are mainly regular citizens.
PGM Members Killed? no information

PGM Size

Size: After previously decreasing in size, the group gained new momentum after September 11, with its membership growing to about 11,000.

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: Members are usually not armed sometimes armed themselves. The group is normally trained one day per month.

Organisation

Organisation: The State Defence Forces are controlled by the state governor and can only be deployed at the state level. They cooperate with the National Guard and sometimes local police.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.

Evidence