Interesting question that can cause debate

[BillB]

Answer this question:
Since 1776 how many armed civilian groups were recognized by the United States Government?
Some will say "State Defense Forces", others "armed Militias". Actually both are incorrect, they were/are not recognized by the Federal Government. Even during the Civil War, many of the troops raised by states would not be included since they were Federalized and not civilian.
There has only been one organization Federally recognized and authorized.

Civil Air Patrol

[RiverAux]

SDFs are not civilian groups, they are military organizations and are recognized as such in federal law.  Heck, during WWII they received quite a lot of military weapons, funding, and other support from the federal government. 

[BillB]

River Aux

You proved my point.  CAP has been the only armed civilian organization since Independence from George III

[RiverAux]

I wasn't addressing your point, just correcting a tangential mistake. 

But, to your point, CAP was part of the federal government at the time some of our planes were armed -- we were not an independent organization as we are today.  So, I see very little difference between them providing arms to us than the arms they provided to other civilian defense organizations during the war.

[BillB]

River Aux
You say CAP was federalized.  Using your world famous saying:

Cite please.

CAP existed under the Office of Civilian Defese, wich was not Federalized. And was a complete organization of civilian volunteers. Army Air Corp asisted CAP, provided missions and at one point paid a per-diem for expenses (which never covered expenses) CAP had the same organization in World War II as exists today, minus the Corporation. But at no time were members Federalized.

[cap235629]

but they were issued government weapons, ammunition and equipment.

[RiverAux]

River Aux
You say CAP was federalized.  Using your world famous saying:

Cite please.

CAP existed under the Office of Civilian Defese, wich was not Federalized. And was a complete organization of civilian volunteers. Army Air Corp asisted CAP, provided missions and at one point paid a per-diem for expenses (which never covered expenses) CAP had the same organization in World War II as exists today, minus the Corporation. But at no time were members Federalized.

Pick any history of CAP you'd like. 

Just what the heck do you think OCD was if it wasn't an official agency of the US government?  What about when CAP was transferred to the Army Air Forces during most of the period when we were dropping bombs?  CAP was ALWAYS a federal government organization until it was incorporated after the war. 

Yes CAP members were volunteers, but we were volunteers that were part of a federal program not an independent entity.

[RiverAux]

But, just for fun, here is a link to FDR's excutive order establishing OCD: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16117

[Smithsonia]

In WW2 you had to buy your own side arm as a CAP courier pilot and member (according to the Neprud book regarding officers at least). Now you might have purchased it through the Civilian Marksmanship Program at a great discount. Or, the De-mob-surplus FCV (meaning "For Civilian Use" - the V actually being a U but the stencil template looks more V than U so the term stuck) I have a Civil Defense suspender and belt set for a baton, flashlight, canteen, med-kit, gas mask kit, and hanger knuckle for the helmet - in white - stamped FCV with CD seals. (these items were furnished to organizations like the Red Cross and then purchased by individuals.) THESE, were different that assigned to Red Cross which come with the CD or Red Cross insignia only.

I have a 1903 Springfield 30-06 A-3 built in 1943. It was made under a War Department contract. Loaned to the American Legion for ceremonial duty until the 90s. Returned to the Civilian Marksmanship Program, then purchased by me in 1999. When delivered it had never been fired and just a small nick where it apparently was dropped during it's American Legion Service. Meaning there is a combination of private, public use, and CAP use in all the material that we received during WW2 through the 60s. Additionally, I owned a 1941 Taylorcraft L2A that was built under an Army contract. Flown in the early war in regular Army Liaison world. Demobed in 1943. Flown by the Oklahoma CAP until '54 - where it had a standard civilian tail number and records - and then sold through several owners until I bought it in 2002. When it was used by the OK  Wing the plane records reflect everything normal to a private planes use. The Army/Air Corps records end in '43. So in this chat - I think BillB has it right.

[alamrcn]

Maybe attack the same fact this way...

Say that Civil Air Patrol was a "federal entity" under the OCD at the same time it was "armed" - in any sense of that description. And it was only till after the war that it was  incorporated - or "chartered by congress" as the song goes - in 1946 as a civilian entity.

Is there any other formerly armed federal entity in US history that now exists as a civilian corporation?

[JohnKachenmeister]

"Civilian" is an elusive term.

The US Army considered the CAP as an auxiliary force, armed and uniformed, but still civilians.  Other (unarmed) civilian auxiliary forces included the WASP's and the Ground Observer Corps.

But, under international law, all of these auxiliary groups, CAP, WASP's, GOC, are considered "Combatants."  They are legitimate targets of war, and if captured are entitled to status as prisoners of war.  All of them engaged in direct combat or combat support.

But, I think the last time that civilians formed/joined with militia forces to engage an armed enemy was the War of 1812.  Try the Battle of New Orleans, which actually happened 3 weeks after the war ended, but neither side knew that.