Anyone know how to contact the Maryland Defense Force?

[DNall]

Just as an aside... It's really ashame CAP members seek out other options like this cause CAP can't get their crap together & offer similiar units.

I'm glad you're looking at all the options though, that's all I ask, and then whichever direction you choose I support you 100%, just so you've made the smart considered decision that's right for you.

There's pros & cons to the ANG versus ARNG, but less so on the guard side than active. There still are some big differences, but a lot of that is going to be a personal judgement on what the best for is for you. Whatever you choose, best of luck to you.

I'd offer to do a referal, which could get me a couple grand if you decide to sign up (which I give to CAP), but I'm gone on Friday & won't really be able to follow up & help you out in the process as much as I'd like. So just check it out & if you have any questions feel free to drop me a line.

[flyguy06]

The State Defense Frce is not the real military. They are volunteers that augment the National Guard when we get mobilized. Most soldiers in the Guard never even heard of the state militia. I Have never heard of such a thing in my life. I never even heard of the SDF until I came home from Iraq last year. And I have ben in the Guard for 18 years.

[Becks]

The State Defense Frce is not the real military. They are volunteers that augment the National Guard when we get mobilized. Most soldiers in the Guard never even heard of the state militia. I Have never heard of such a thing in my life. I never even heard of the SDF until I came home from Iraq last year. And I have ben in the Guard for 18 years.

What state are you from, out of curiousity?

[DNall]

The State Defense Frce is not the real military. They are volunteers that augment the National Guard when we get mobilized. Most soldiers in the Guard never even heard of the state militia. I Have never heard of such a thing in my life. I never even heard of the SDF until I came home from Iraq last year. And I have ben in the Guard for 18 years.

What state are you from, out of curiousity?

He's in Ga ARNG, and before yall even get into this let me re-state this & either understand it or agree to disagree & lets get past it shall we, please?

Again though...no one is saying they are US Armed Forces.  When it comes down to it however, if you are in a state with both CAP and a SDF at the end of the day a SDF is military on paper and CAP is not, end of story.

Respectfully... That depends VERY much on your personal definition of "military," and whom in the US armed forces you ask.

[Becks]

I was just curious    I know GA has an SDF but I dont know much about them.

Oh, did you get my Email Dnall?

[DNall]

I did, you're nominated now, and I'll be on the phone with officer accessions in the morning to make sure the right people get in touch with you.

In your case as well, I'd strongly encourage you to explore all your options & make the informed choice that's right for you. I'd also encourage you to take charge of your own destiny, to be proactive in getting yourself informed & being on the ball with those you encounter who may not be motivated to help some guy off the street, but if you impress them then it's a different story. I'm happy to offer my advice & insight from the experience, and you're equally welcome to take or ignore it as you see fit.

I addressed your other questions in my email.

[flyguy06]

I am in the GA ARNG. Yes, we have a SDF. They did supoport stuff when we deployed to Iraq and when we came home, they di dlittle tasks like road guard and delievering drinks and snacks for soldiers. Soldiers were wondering who and what they were. I just happened to go up to one and ask. I also remember them in 2004 during the G8 conference basically doing the same thing, support type stuff. They were nice people but in no way shape or form do we consider them the actual military. They are volunteers just like CAP. I see them at airshows doing security. And I thin its great for them to want to get invovlved. But again, Are we required to offer the same customs and curteousies that we rener to mililtary officers? I dont think so. I could be wrong, but in my 18 years inthe military I have never been briefed on the SDF from official channels.

[mikeylikey]

^^ Are these SDF Officers appointed by the Governor, and if so do they receive the same state Commission that the NG Officers receive in that state?  If so, then by all means would a National Guard Officer from that state be required to salute an Officer senior to them. 

There are National Guard Officers that are not given federal recognition of their state Commissions if I remember correctly.  Aren't these the Officers that have to sign;
         CPT J DOE
         FA, (NY)

Just using New York as an example.

They are just as much an Officer as the next guy.  Granted My Commission is from the President, theirs is from a Governor.  Lets not forget, 150 years ago, ALL Commissioned military Officers were required to have a State Commission.  The only exception were Naval and Military Academy Graduates who made up the "Active duty Officer Component". 

Out of respect for the Rank, it would be proper to salute an SDF Officer if (IF) they in fact receive a State Commission.  It would be even more prudent for a NG Officer to salute an SDF Officer from the same state.

[DeputyDog]

They were nice people but in no way shape or form do we consider them the actual military. They are volunteers just like CAP.

Then you have a problem. The GaSDF is legally a part of the "organized militia" in Georgia (which includes the Georgia National Guard), and they are subject to the very same State Code of Military Justice that the Georgia National Guard is subject to when under state orders.

But again, Are we required to offer the same customs and curteousies that we rener to mililtary officers? I dont think so.

If you are Georgia National Guard under state orders you are required to.

I could be wrong, but in my 18 years inthe military I have never been briefed on the SDF from official channels.

It sounds like there is an education problem in the Georgia National Guard. If you read the Georgia state codes involving military affairs (Section 38-2-23, and Sections 38-2-50 through 38-2-55) and National Guard Regulation 10-4, then you could consider yourself "briefed from official channels".

They were nice people but in no way shape or form do we consider them the actual military.

Fortunately, the State of Georgia disagrees with you and whomever believes that. State law and the Georgia Department of Defense lists them as "state military" (which coincidentally the Georgia National Guard is when on state orders).

[flyguy06]

You are getting way deeper in the weeds than the average soldiers needs to get. Sorry, but all those codes you referenced? never read them. All I know iand do is wat we are told. Not trying to make excuses. But the comon soldier doesnt spend his time reading National Guard regulation 10-4 section 38-2-whatever you said.Please do not comment on my state. You know nothing about my state or my unit or me for that matter. Thanks.

[flyguy06]

For all of you not in the military you have to understand something. From these posts, you guys get deep into the weeds of stuff. Saluting is not really a priority. If a soldier ca do his job to standard is what we are concerned with. We dont have hour long converstaions about who should salute who. We have hour long converstaions about can this soldier get his Bradley up  ready to fight or Can we get the Company qualified for the year. I spend my drill weekends writing OPORD's for a drill 3 months into the future. Thats our focus not trival things like who should salute whom or who comes to attention. Thats cadet stuff

[stillamarine]

You are getting way deeper in the weeds than the average soldiers needs to get. Sorry, but all those codes you referenced? never read them. All I know iand do is wat we are told. Not trying to make excuses. But the comon soldier doesnt spend his time reading National Guard regulation 10-4 section 38-2-whatever you said.Please do not comment on my state. You know nothing about my state or my unit or me for that matter. Thanks.

I'm reminded of something I was told a long time ago when I was but a young Marine PFC....."Ignorance does not beget an excuse"

And as for him not knowing anything about your state? Seems he does if he can name the State Codes and NGRs that you as an "18 year" Veteran should know.

[stillamarine]

For all of you not in the military you have to understand something. From these posts, you guys get deep into the weeds of stuff. Saluting is not really a priority. If a soldier ca do his job to standard is what we are concerned with. We dont have hour long converstaions about who should salute who. We have hour long converstaions about can this soldier get his Bradley up  ready to fight or Can we get the Company qualified for the year. I spend my drill weekends writing OPORD's for a drill 3 months into the future. Thats our focus not trival things like who should salute whom or who comes to attention. Thats cadet stuff

In the old days I would say this is because you are in the NG and most NG members were sloppy. That's because I was AD and thought it was so by the reservists I saw every year at Lejeune.  Nowadays I have a higher respect for the NG and Reserves because they are deploying just as much as we did.  But to say saluting doesn't matter??  Back to that thought of sloppiness.

[DeputyDog]

You are getting way deeper in the weeds than the average soldiers needs to get. Sorry, but all those codes you referenced? never read them.

Then read them. They take less than five minutes to read. You are correct in that the average soldier doesn't need to know them. An officer does.

[DeputyDog]

For all of you not in the military you have to understand something. From these posts, you guys get deep into the weeds of stuff. Saluting is not really a priority.

It is not about saluting. Imagine yourself taking a part of your unit to a disaster response. A GaSDF Major runs up to you and gives you an order to redirect three blocks over. Do you follow his order? You and him are on state orders, but you have no clue what the GaSDF is. See a problem?

[DeputyDog]

I'm reminded of something I was told a long time ago when I was but a young Marine PFC....."Ignorance does not beget an excuse"

I learned the same thing in the same place on the same channel. Gunnery Sergeants are scary when you say, "I don't know, Gunnery Sergeant!"

"Why don't you know,...PFC?"

[mikeylikey]

I spend my drill weekends writing OPORD's for a drill 3 months into the future. Thats our focus not trivial things like who should salute whom or who comes to attention. Thats cadet stuff

Wow....I can write an OPORD in under two hours as well as get a WARNO out during that time.  I could do it quicker when I wrote for Company and below.....writing for Battalion is a little more in depth.  As far as trivial things...... I don't know what backwoods unit you are part of, but Customs and Courtesies is the area that makes the military the military.  If we did not have C&C, the structure would breakdown and we would not be effective in waging war.  Sure there was a lot of emphasis placed on C&C in "cadet land" (ROTC/WEST POINT) as well as in basic training, but we still have "refresher" classes (and hip-pocket training) on the subjects.  

A huge part of the Duty day in the Army is steeped in tradition.  Cannon fire, retreat ceremony....etc.  Hell......I am not that person that goes looking for salutes, but when a PVT fails to salute me or, fails to say the appropriate greeting for the unit, I stop them and make them aware of their mistake.  

Question......In your unit does everyone call each other by their first name.  Such as Private Jones calling the Captain by his first name?  Just wanted to know since trivial things like that don't matter to you.

[DNall]

I tried to defuse this before it got started but apparently no one wanted to listen, maybe I should try again... If an SDF is considered the military or not depends HIGHLY on one's personal definition of what the "military" is.

I do not personally consider state malitia or state commission to fall in that category. In the same way a bunch of guys with shotguns running of looters are not the police, even if legally justified in doing so & even if temporarily deputized by LE. I consider troops that are not free to leave service on demand & may be forced to deploy against their will, that have a federal mission at the disposal of the President, that may involve foreign combat zones.... that's the military & anyone not sharing in those risks/obligations is not. Tht's my opinion, others have their own view of the techincalities. I don't think it does us a lot of good to argue about it. Can we get beyond it, PLEASE?

It is not about saluting. Imagine yourself taking a part of your unit to a disaster response. A GaSDF Major runs up to you and gives you an order to redirect three blocks over. Do you follow his order? You and him are on state orders, but you have no clue what the GaSDF is. See a problem?

This is a larger issue, and I can tell you that most NG officers would not follow that order regardless of legality, unless they were briefed that SDF would be not just in the area but placed in their chain of command. An SDF officer issuing orders to NG troops under any cicumstance is the same as a CAP officer screaming at an AF Amn for not saluting him.

Now that said, the SDF gets a little more play I think than CAP does because you know that at least on a certain level that the senior NCOs & field grade officers are retired NCOs & officers respectively. The rest of the organization may or may not be, but is dominated by prior-service. There are a lot of pros/cons between CAP and an SDF. There are things they do that we in CAP would live very much to get established to complete what's missing in our assistance to the federal AF, and likewise they'd sure like a defined mission like the SaR we have. Though similiar in many ways, they are still fundamentally different. But, like much of this thread, it's not a point that can be argued.

[flyguy06]

For all of you not in the military you have to understand something. From these posts, you guys get deep into the weeds of stuff. Saluting is not really a priority. If a soldier ca do his job to standard is what we are concerned with. We dont have hour long converstaions about who should salute who. We have hour long converstaions about can this soldier get his Bradley up  ready to fight or Can we get the Company qualified for the year. I spend my drill weekends writing OPORD's for a drill 3 months into the future. Thats our focus not trival things like who should salute whom or who comes to attention. Thats cadet stuff

In the old days I would say this is because you are in the NG and most NG members were sloppy. That's because I was AD and thought it was so by the reservists I saw every year at Lejeune.  Nowadays I have a higher respect for the NG and Reserves because they are deploying just as much as we did.  But to say saluting doesn't matter??  Back to that thought of sloppiness.

I never said saluting didnt matter. I said we focus on more important isues. This conversation has gone on for 3 pages talking about a very trivial issue. I could really care less if a D+SDF guy salutes me or if I salute him. I care about soldiers and soldiers training. Thats what I am passionate about or else I wouldnt be inthis line of work. And for the record. I was an active duty 11B soldier for three years. But again, thats not the issue.

[flyguy06]

I spend my drill weekends writing OPORD's for a drill 3 months into the future. Thats our focus not trivial things like who should salute whom or who comes to attention. Thats cadet stuff

Wow....I can write an OPORD in under two hours as well as get a WARNO out during that time.  I could do it quicker when I wrote for Company and below.....writing for Battalion is a little more in depth.  As far as trivial things...... I don't know what backwoods unit you are part of, but Customs and Courtesies is the area that makes the military the military.  If we did not have C&C, the structure would breakdown and we would not be effective in waging war.  Sure there was a lot of emphasis placed on C&C in "cadet land" (ROTC/WEST POINT) as well as in basic training, but we still have "refresher" classes (and hip-pocket training) on the subjects.  

A huge part of the Duty day in the Army is steeped in tradition.  Cannon fire, retreat ceremony....etc.  Hell......I am not that person that goes looking for salutes, but when a PVT fails to salute me or, fails to say the appropriate greeting for the unit, I stop them and make them aware of their mistake.  

Question......In your unit does everyone call each other by their first name.  Such as Private Jones calling the Captain by his first name?  Just wanted to know since trivial things like that don't matter to you.

In an SF unit they do. In my unit they do not