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78-685: The MSDF operates within Massachusetts and cannot be called into federal service. The MSDF can assist the United States National Guard forces, assumes state missions when the National Guard was deployed, provide emergency support during disasters, and assist in color guards and funeral details. The Massachusetts General Court formed the MSDF's predecessor in 1863, which served until its disbandment in 1866. During

156-563: A leave of absence in the event they are activated, and are guaranteed their position upon returning from deployment. National Guard of the United States The National Guard is a state-based military force that becomes part of the U.S. military's reserve components of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force when activated for federal missions. It is a military reserve force composed of National Guard military members or units of each state and

234-863: A state of emergency by the governor of the state or territory where they serve, or in the case of Washington, D.C., by the Commanding General. Unlike U.S. Army Reserve members, National Guard members cannot be mobilized individually, except through voluntary transfers and Temporary Duty Assignments (TDY). The types of activation are as follows: law enforcement; others as determined by governor civil support; law enforcement; counter drug; WMD response; expeditionary missions; civil support and law enforcement Oklahoma City bombing ; Kansas tornadoes ; California wildfires ; various hurricanes post- 9/11 airport security; SLC Olympics ; Hurricane Katrina Cuba; Iraq; 1992 Los Angeles riots The term "activated" simply means that

312-606: A Flying Column as a quick reaction force to help compensate for the National Guard's absence, and were active for the duration of the war. In addition to the combat division, the Massachusetts State Guard operated the Women's Defense Force (WDC), a unit made up of women who were responsible for medical, firefighting, air raid alert, transportation, canteen, and communications services. During the Vietnam War,

390-538: A Velcro closure. ACU trousers with flame resistant materials are being issued for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. The updates to the ACU trousers in late 2010 included removal of Velcro fasteners from forward-tilted thigh cargo pocket flaps which were replaced with 3 buttons. This change was introduced gradually from 2009 onward and is now in full effect. Two buttons are standard (same function as on BDU trouser cargo pockets), while

468-631: A case-by-case basis): To become an officer in the Massachusetts State Defense Force, a Guardsman must have earned a bachelor's degree. Like the National Guard, members served on a reserve basis as part-time members and may only be called into service at the discretion of the Governor of Massachusetts, with the exception of drills one weekend per month. Therefore, prospective members are only required to commit to one weekend of training per month unless called up. Members of

546-523: A distance, a small one-square-inch tan patch is affixed to the left sleeve cuff on the jacket and the middle of the left cargo pocket flap on the trousers. Typically, the ACU is worn with the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) , a patrol cap , or a boonie hat and/or fleece cap as appropriate in winter months. The patrol cap is a kepi -styled straight-sided, flat-topped soft cap, with a double thick bill and internal pocket. When in garrison,

624-537: A federally-funded mission under Title 32 ("National Guard"). Outside federal activation, the Army and Air National Guard may be activated under state law. This is known as state active duty (SAD). When National Guard units are not under federal control, the governor is the commander-in-chief of the units of his or her respective state or territory (such as Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands). The President of

702-513: A flame-resist version of the ACU was developed for soldiers deploying overseas, especially to Iraq. The ACU originally used the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP), which used a pixelated pattern of tan, gray and green (Desert Sand 500, Urban Gray 501 and Foliage Green 502) and was intended to work in desert, woodland, and urban environments. In 2010, the ACU received some improvements to pockets and such. For uniforms,

780-440: A medical response during and after a disaster. State Guardsmen may also aid in color guards and military funerals. On the recommendations of a steering committee involved in the reformation of the Massachusetts State Defense Force in 2011, the MSDF was slated to expand into a number of different roles, including: Recruiting in the Massachusetts State Guard is focused at the following residents of Massachusetts (and non-residents on

858-567: A unit or individual of the reserve components has been placed on orders. The purpose and authority for that activation determine limitations and duration of the activation. The Army and Air National Guard may be activated in a number of ways as prescribed by public law. Broadly, under federal law, there are two titles in the United States Code under which units and troops may be activated: as federal soldiers or airmen under Title 10 ("Armed Forces") and as state soldiers or airmen performing

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936-662: Is a three slot pen pocket on the left arm of the jacket, and blouse bellows for increased mobility. The jacket is worn so that its bottom is between the bottom of the pocket and the top of the cargo pocket. In the field, the jacket may be replaced by the flame resistant Army Combat Shirt when worn directly under the IOTV. The ACU trousers (or ACU pants) are worn with a two-inch nylon web belt, and feature Velcro pouches for knee pad inserts, two forward-tilted thigh storage pockets with elastic drawstring and Velcro for closure during movement, and two calf storage pockets one on each pant leg with

1014-800: Is either an Army or an Air Force four-star general officer , and is the senior uniformed National Guard officer, and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity, he serves as a military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and is the Department of Defense's official channel of communication to the Governors and to State Adjutants General on all matters pertaining to

1092-793: Is given the power to pass laws for "calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions." Congress is also empowered to come up with the guidelines "for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of

1170-804: Is headed by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB), who is a four-star general in the Army or Air Force and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . The National Guard Bureau is headquartered in Arlington County, Virginia, and is a joint activity of the Department of Defense to conduct all the administrative matters pertaining to the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard . The chief

1248-529: Is intended to emphasize its use beyond Afghanistan to all combatant commands. The OCP pattern fully replaced the UCP pattern on the ACU by 1 October 2019. ACUs printed in OCP first became available for purchase on 1 July 2015, with deployed soldiers already being issued uniforms and equipment in the new pattern. The U.S. Air Force has also adopted the ACU, which they call the OCP uniform, from 2018 onward, and it replaced

1326-509: Is often not used as the night vision device mount would obstruct it. The ACU's UCP variant was typically worn with a moisture-wicking sand colored T-shirt. A Tan 499 T-shirt was authorized with the ACU's OCP variant and became the sole authorized T-shirt upon completion of the full transition to OCP in 2019. A flame-resistant green shirt is authorized for the Army Aircrew Combat Uniform (AACU). The UCP variant of

1404-597: Is the case in the National Guard, a state must meet specific requirements such as having a set percentage of its members in the federal reserves. 10 U.S.C.   § 7851 . National Guard units can be mobilized for federal active duty to supplement regular armed forces during times of war or national emergency declared by Congress, the President or the Secretary of Defense . They can also be activated for service in their respective states upon declaration of

1482-799: Is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army , U.S. Air Force , U.S. Space Force and some elements of the U.S. Coast Guard . Within the Air Force and Space Force, it is referred to as the OCP ( Operational Camouflage Pattern ) Uniform , rather than the Army Combat Uniform. First unveiled in June 2004, it is the successor to the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) and Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) worn from

1560-614: Is the only authorized army branch insignia to be worn on the ACU. It is centered 1 ⁄ 8  inch above the right name tape. The insignia may be the metal pin-on variety or the black embroidered insignia on digitized fabric with Velcro fasteners. Near Infrared (NIR) Signature Management Technology is incorporated to minimize the infrared silhouette. Permanent IR IFF squares are sewn to each shoulder to help identify friendly personnel when night vision devices are used, and are protected by Velcro tabs in garrison or when not in use. Three U.S. flag insignia are authorized for wear with

1638-585: Is worn on the left sleeve along with the American flag, and combat badges and awards earned during federal or National Guard service are allowed to be worn on the right sleeve of the MSDF uniform. Under Massachusetts law, members of MSDF are guaranteed the same employment protections as federal reservists are provided through the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), guaranteeing that all MSDF are guaranteed

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1716-619: The American Civil War , Massachusetts provided multiple units to support the Union cause. The Massachusetts militia was reformed in 1898 as the Massachusetts Provisional Militia for the Spanish–American War before again being disbanded in 1899. During the course of the war, five infantry regiments and one artillery regiment from the Massachusetts Provisional Militia were deployed. By 1908,

1794-465: The Committee on the Militia , sponsored the 1903 Dick Act towards the end of the 57th U.S. Congress . Under this legislation, passed 21 January 1903, the organized militia of the states were given federal funding and required to conform to Regular Army organization within five years. The act also required National Guard units to attend twenty four drills and five days annual training a year, and, for

1872-595: The Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) that featured new features such as shoulder pockets affixed with hook-and-loop fasteners , chest-worn rank insignia, and a new collar. The experimental features used on the CCU were eventually incorporated into the ACU, which was publicly announced in June 2004. The process of replacing the U.S. Army's BDUs and DCUs with the ACU was set to begin in April 2005. However,

1950-672: The French National Guard in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette . "National Guard" became a standard nationwide militia title in 1903, and has specifically indicated reserve forces under mixed state and federal control since 1933. On December 13, 1636, the first militia regiments in North America were organized in Massachusetts. Based upon an order of the Massachusetts Bay Colony's General Court ,

2028-1115: The Guam Air National Guard . Both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard are expected to adhere to the same moral and physical standards as their "full-time" active duty and "part-time" reserve federal counterparts. The same ranks and insignia of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force are used by the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, respectively, and National Guard members are eligible to receive all United States military awards . The respective state National Guards also bestow state awards for services rendered both at home and abroad. Under Army and Air Force regulations, these awards may be worn while in state, but not federal, duty status. Regular Army and Army Reserve soldiers are also authorized to accept these awards, but are not authorized to wear them. Many states also maintain their own state defense forces . Although not federal entities like

2106-596: The Halifax Explosion in Nova Scotia in 1917, a medical detachment from the Massachusetts State Guard was among the first units to arrive and offer aid. As an expression of gratitude for the aid provided by the Boston Red Cross and the Massachusetts State Guard, the city of Halifax sent the city of Boston a Christmas tree, a gift which was revived in the form of an annual tradition conducted by

2184-602: The Interceptor body armor outer tactical vest (OTV) to keep out debris, and worn in the down position otherwise. With the change of pattern to OCP, the Velcro tab that closed the Mandarin collar was removed, along with other Velcro closures. The front closure is zippered and reinforced with Velcro, designed for use with OTV. The tilted chest pockets, cuffs, and elbow pad insert pockets also utilize hook-and-loop closure. There

2262-719: The Militia Act of 1903 . They were now subject to an increasing amount of federal control, including having arms and accoutrements supplied by the central government, federal funding, and numerous closer ties to the Regular Army. Proposals for the establishment of a National Guard component for the United States Space Force has existed for years, even as early as 2018. A report by the Congressional Budget Office indicated that

2340-702: The National Defense Act of 1916 , which required the use of the term "National Guard" for the state militias and further regulated them. Congress also authorized the states to maintain Home Guards , which were reserve forces outside the National Guards deployed by the federal government. In 1933, with the passage of the National Guard Mobilization Act, Congress finalized the split between the National Guard and

2418-402: The Secretary of the Army . In 1956, Congress finally revised the law and authorized "State defense forces" permanently under Title 32, Section 109, of the United States Code. Although there are no Naval or Marine Corps components of the National Guard of the United States, there is a Naval Militia authorized under federal law. 10 U.S.C.   § 8901 . Like the soldiers and airmen in

Massachusetts State Defense Force - Misplaced Pages Continue

2496-555: The maroon, tan, brown, and green berets may be worn by paratroopers , rangers , advisors , and special forces respectively. The green micro fleece cap is authorized for field and garrison use outside of unit PT, per local command. A name tape is worn on the back of the patrol cap. Sew-on rank is recommended but pin-on rank is authorized on the ACU Patrol Cap and ACU Boonie Hat. The MICH (Modular Integrated Communications Helmet) Camouflage cover rank must be sewn on if worn but

2574-562: The 1980s and 1990s through to the mid-2000s, respectively. It is also the successor to the Airman Battle Uniform for the U.S. Air Force. Initially, it was made with the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP), but due to its ineffectiveness it was replaced by the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP). In early 2004, some U.S. Army soldiers in Iraq were issued the "Close Combat Uniform", a variant of

2652-494: The ACU was worn with tan Army Combat Boots and olive drab cotton socks. Commercial versions of this boot are authorized without limitation, complying with the following regulations—must be 8 to 10 inches in height, be made of tan rough side out cattle hide leather with a plain toe and tan rubber outsoles, and be without zippers, metal cleats, or side tabs. The Mountain Combat Boot is available for difficult terrain, and

2730-671: The ACU. The original "Scorpion" pattern was developed at United States Army Soldier Systems Center by Crye Precision in 2002 for the Objective Force Warrior program. Crye later modified and trademarked their version of the pattern as MultiCam, which was selected for use by U.S. soldiers and airmen in Afghanistan in 2010 as the Operation Enduring Freedom Pattern. After talks to officially adopt MultiCam broke down over costs in late 2013,

2808-469: The ACU: full-color, full-color infrared, and subdued infrared. The U.S. flag insignia is worn on the right shoulder pocket flap of the ACU coat. The subdued version is only worn as directed under tactical or field conditions in the Army, while the Air Force only authorizes the subdued flag. Subdued shoulder sleeve insignia are worn. The jacket's Mandarin collar was intended to be worn up in combat to fit with

2886-647: The Airman Battle Uniform by April 2021. The Air Force version differs only in name tapes and rank being embroidered in spice brown thread instead of black. The U.S. Space Force has also adopted the OCP Uniform, but with blue thread for ranks and tapes. The ACU jacket originally used hook-and-loop fasteners, also known by the genericized trademark Velcro , on its sleeve pockets, and to secure attachments such as name tapes, rank insignia , shoulder patches and tabs, as well as recognition devices like

2964-462: The Americas from the 17th century onward. The first colony-wide militia was formed by Massachusetts in 1636 by merging small, older local units, and several National Guard units can be traced back to this militia. The various colonial militias became state militias when the United States became independent. The title "National Guard" was used in 1824 by some New York State militia units, named after

3042-621: The Army National Guard and Air Reserve Technicians (ART) in the Air National Guard. The National Guard is a joint activity of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) composed of reserve components of the United States Army and the United States Air Force : the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard , respectively. Colonial militias were formed during the British colonization of

3120-631: The Army and Air Force under the Department of Defense . The National Guard Bureau provides a communication channel for state National Guards to the DoD. The National Guard Bureau also provides policies and requirements for training and funds for state Army National Guard and state Air National Guard units, the allocation of federal funds to the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, and other administrative responsibilities prescribed under 10 U.S.C.   § 10503 . The National Guard Bureau

3198-410: The Army began experimenting with the original Scorpion pattern, creating a variant code named "Scorpion W2". The pattern resembles MultiCam with muted greens, light beige, and dark brown colors, but uses fewer beige and brown patches and no vertical twig and branch elements. On 31 July 2014, the Army formally announced that the pattern would begin being issued in uniforms in summer 2015. The official name

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3276-486: The Army's structure. The National Guard of the several states, territories, and the District of Columbia serves as part of the first line of defense for the United States. The state National Guard is organized into units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia, and operates under their respective state or territorial governor , except in the instance of Washington, D.C. , where

3354-480: The Constitution recognized the existing state militias, and gave them vital roles to fill: "to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasion." (Article I, Section 8, Clause 15). The Constitution distinguished "militias," which were state entities, from "Troops," which were unlawful for states to maintain without Congressional approval. (Article I, Section 10, Clause 3). Under current law,

3432-549: The Guard is either partially or completely deployed. Since the MSDF cannot be deployed outside the state of Massachusetts, the Governor of Massachusetts always has military units in the state able to respond to an emergency. The primary responsibilities of the MSDF are to provide operational support to disaster relief, to provide professional support to the Massachusetts National Guard, and to aid in providing

3510-555: The Guard's federally assigned aircraft, vehicles and other equipment so long as the federal government is reimbursed for the use of fungible equipment and supplies such as fuel, food stocks, etc. This is the authority under which governors activate and deploy National Guard forces in response to natural disasters. It is also the authority under which governors deploy National Guard forces in response to human-made emergencies such as riots and civil unrest, or terrorist attacks. Army Combat Uniform The Army Combat Uniform ( ACU )

3588-509: The MSDF were assigned to either the MSDF's staff brigade or one of the three MSDF battalions: 1st Battalion (Operational Support), 2nd Battalion (Professional Support), or 3rd Battalion (Medical Response Force). The Massachusetts State Defense Force most recently used the Army Combat Uniform and a patrol cap. The patch which says "U.S. Army" on federal army soldiers is replaced by one which says "Massachusetts." An MSDF unit patch

3666-468: The Massachusetts State Guard was reorganized and trained to be able to replace the 26th Infantry Division of the Massachusetts National Guard in the event that the guard unit was deployed. The Guard was renamed the Massachusetts Military Reserve in June 1994; the State Guard name was restored during the group's reorganization after the September 11, 2001 attacks . The Massachusetts State Defense Force went on inactive status in February 2008. However, due to

3744-488: The Massachusetts Volunteer Militia consisted of two brigades and some unattached units ("total strength, 6,524"), commanded by William H. Brigham and Governor Curtis Guild, Jr. In April 1917, the General Court again reformed the militia, renaming it the Massachusetts State Guard due to the events of World War I . Anticipating a possible German invasion or other emergency and lacking the National Guard due to deployment, many states created and trained state guard units. After

3822-721: The National Guard of the United States, members of the Naval Militia are authorized federal appointments or enlistments at the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy . 10 U.S.C.   § 7852 . To receive federal funding and equipment, a state naval militia must be composed of at least 95% of Navy, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps Reservists. As such, some states maintain such units. Some states also maintain naval components of their State Defense Force. Recently, Alaska , California, New Jersey , New York, South Carolina , Texas and Ohio have had or currently maintain naval militias . Other states have laws authorizing them but do not currently have them organized. To receive federal funding, as

3900-435: The National Guard of the United States, these forces are components of the state militias like the individual state National Guards. These forces were created by Congress in 1917 as a result of the state National Guards' being deployed and were known as Home Guards. In 1940, with the onset of World War II and as a result of its federalizing the National Guard, Congress amended the National Defense Act of 1916 , and authorized

3978-407: The National Guard operates under the President of the United States or their designee. The governors exercise control through the state adjutants general . Governors may call up the National Guard for active duty to help respond to domestic emergencies and disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. The National Guard is administered by the National Guard Bureau , a joint activity of

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4056-441: The National Guard. He is responsible for ensuring that the more than half a million Army and Air National Guard personnel are accessible, capable, and ready to protect the homeland and to provide combat resources to the Army and the Air Force. He is appointed by the President in his capacity as Commander in Chief . The respective state National Guards are authorized by the Constitution of the United States . As originally drafted,

4134-403: The Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress" (clause 16). The President of the United States is the commander-in-chief of the state militias "when called into the actual Service of the United States." (Article II, Section 2). The traditional state militias were redefined and recreated as the "organized militia"—the National Guard, via

4212-457: The U.S. flag patch and the infrared (IR) tab. Originally only pin-on skill badges were authorized for wear on the ACU, with no more than five at any one time, from 2006 until 2011. In the summer of 2011, regulations were changed to allow for wearing of sew-on embroidered skill badges, similar in cut to the kind worn on the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU). The five-badge limit remained in effect, and there could be no mixing of sew-on and pin-on badges. At

4290-411: The United States commands the District of Columbia National Guard, though this command is routinely delegated to the Commanding General of the DC National Guard. States are free to employ their National Guard forces under state control for state purposes and at state expense as provided in the state's constitution and statutes. In doing so, governors, as commanders-in-chief, can directly access and utilize

4368-405: The United States maintained only a minimal army and relied on state militias, directly related to the earlier Colonial militias to supply the majority of its troops. As a result of the Spanish–American War , Congress was called upon to reform and regulate state militias' training and qualification. U.S. Senator Charles W. F. Dick , a Major General in the Ohio National Guard and the chair of

4446-433: The army as the Operation Enduring Freedom Pattern (OEF, OEF-CP, or OCP), which was far more effective for use in Afghanistan's terrain. The flame-retardant variants of the uniforms are designed to prevent third-degree burns, along with up to thirty percent of second degree burns. Additionally, all uniforms are treated with the chemical permethrin to help protect soldiers from ticks and insects. Some U.S. Army soldiers during

4524-412: The colony's militia was organized into three permanent regiments to better defend the colony. Today, the descendants of these first regiments - the 181st Infantry , the 182nd Infantry , the 101st Field Artillery , and the 101st Engineer Battalion of the Massachusetts Army National Guard – share the distinction of being the oldest units in the U.S. military. December 13, 1636, thus marks the beginning of

4602-400: The cost of the creation of a larger Space National Guard, which would be ~33% of the Space Force, calculating that the annual operating cost would be $ 385 million to $ 490 million per year. However, several states already have existing National Guard space operations, including Alaska , California , Colorado , Florida , New York , Arkansas , and Ohio ; there is also a space component in

4680-440: The creation of a Space National Guard, as proposed by the National Guard Bureau, would cost an additional $ 100 million per year in operations and support costs, with a onetime cost of $ 20 million in the construction of new facilities. This report directly contradicted the statement by the National Guard Bureau that a Space National Guard would only have a onetime cost at creation, and then be cost-neutral. The report also analyzed

4758-401: The dual control of state governments and the federal government. The majority of National Guard soldiers and airmen hold a civilian job full-time while serving part-time as a National Guard member. These part-time guardsmen are augmented by a full-time cadre of Active Guard & Reserve (AGR) personnel in both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard, plus Army Reserve Technicians in

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4836-618: The expedition's supplies while their leader, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés , took the regular troops north to attack the French settlement at Fort Caroline on the St. Johns River . This Spanish militia tradition and the tradition that was established in England's North American colonies provided the basic nucleus for Colonial defense in the New World. The militia tradition continued with the New World's first permanent English settlements. Jamestown Colony (established in 1607) and Plymouth Colony (established in 1620) both had militia forces, which initially consisted of every able-bodied adult male. By

4914-455: The fielding process began two months earlier through the Rapid Fielding Initiative. Soldiers from the Georgia Army National Guard's 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were the first in the U.S. Army to receive the ACU, subsequently deploying with them into Iraq in May 2005. Early ACUs can be distinguished by OG-green name tapes, combat and skill badges, and shoulder sleeve insignia. Due to the increased use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs),

4992-479: The first time, provided for pay for annual training. In return for the increased federal funding which the act made available, militia units were subject to inspection by Regular Army officers, and had to meet certain standards. It required the states to divide their militias into two sections. The law recommended the title "National Guard" for the first section, known as the organized militia, and "Reserve Militia" for all others. During World War I , Congress passed

5070-403: The knee area. Cuffs at the bottom of the trousers do not use drawstrings anymore for blousing; those have been again replaced by the Velcro cuff adjusters. Further changes as part of the transition to OCP removed the pockets for insertable knee pads altogether, along with the replacement of more Velcro with buttons. To be able to differentiate the Fire-Retardant ACU (FRACU) from the regular ACU at

5148-409: The latter stages of the Iraq War also wore the OEF-patterned ACU; some were seen wearing them as late as December 2011, when the United States withdrew its military forces from the country at the end of the war. The MultiCam-patterned ACUs were retired in 2019 with the UCP-patterned ones. In May 2014, the Army unofficially announced that the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) would replace UCP on

5226-403: The mid-1600s every town had at least one militia company (usually commanded by an officer with the rank of captain), and the militia companies of a county formed a regiment (usually commanded by an officer with the rank of major in the 1600s or a colonel in the 1700s). The first federal laws regulating the militia were the Militia acts of 1792 . From the nation's founding through the early 1900s,

5304-423: The need for additional assistance in emergency management, and the shortage of state resources due to frequent deployments of the National Guard, the Massachusetts State Defense Force was reactivated on May 31, 2011. The State Defense force was deactivated in 2016 by Governor Charlie Baker . The purpose of the Massachusetts State Defense Force is to execute the state duties of the Massachusetts National Guard when

5382-437: The organized militia, and the birth of the National Guard's oldest organized units is symbolic of the founding of all the state, territory, and District of Columbia militias that collectively make up today's National Guard. Previous to this, unregulated militias were mustered sporadically in Spanish and English colonies. On September 16, 1565, in the newly established Spanish town of St. Augustine , militia were assigned to guard

5460-432: The past. The waist adjustment cord has been removed and replaced by the Velcro waistband fine-adjusters, one at each hip. Instead of a knee pocket which could only accommodate soft knee inserts in the past, the knee area now features multi-layered comprehensive design which allows external hard-type knee pads to be inserted and secured. Back of the knee area has Velcro hook and loop patches to further secure knee inserts around

5538-409: The pattern was fully phased out and replaced by the Operational Camouflage Pattern on 30 September 2019, though UCP remains in service in limited capacities such as on some cold weather overgear and older body armor. Beginning in late 2010 U.S. Army soldiers deployed to Afghanistan (starting with the 173rd Airborne Brigade ) were issued ACUs made in Crye Precision's MultiCam pattern, referred to by

5616-845: The province of Nova Scotia in 1971 which continues to this day. During the 1918 flu pandemic , the Massachusetts State Guard operated nine hospitals to treat civilians. The State Guard was activated during World War II and served as a light infantry division until deactivation in February 1947. During World War II, the Massachusetts State Guard, training alongside other guardsmen from other states in New England, practiced capturing soldiers from Fort Devens (then Camp Devens) who would pose as enemy paratroopers, and "practiced using grenades, digging trenches, charging across fields with their shotguns, making incendiary and smoke bombs and Molotov cocktails, and creating roadblocks." The guard also maintained

5694-677: The respective state National Guards and the State Defense Forces are authorized by Congress to the states and are referred to as "troops." 32 U.S.C.   § 109 . Although originally state entities, the Constitutional "Militia of the Several States" were not entirely independent because they could be federalized. According to Article I, Section 8; Clause 15, the United States Congress

5772-440: The same time, the branch tape, name tapes, and rank insignia could be sewn-on at the wearers preference. Skill tabs, such as the President's Hundred Tab , Special Forces , Ranger , and Sapper are worn on the left sleeve pocket flap, and are subject to a three-tab-only rule. A tab that is an integral part of a unit patch, such as the "Mountain" or "Airborne" tab, is not counted against the rule. The U.S. Army Chaplain insignia

5850-637: The states to maintain "military forces other than National Guard." This law authorized the War Department to train and arm the new military forces that became known as State Guards. In 1950, with the outbreak of the Korean War and at the urging of the National Guard, Congress reauthorized the separate state military forces for a time period of two years. These state military forces were authorized military training at federal expense, and "arms, ammunition, clothing, and equipment," as deemed necessary by

5928-539: The territories of Guam , the Virgin Islands , Puerto Rico , and the District of Columbia , for a total of 54 separate organizations. It is officially created under Congress's Article 1 Section 8 ability to "raise and support armies". All members of the National Guard are also members of the organized militia of the United States as defined by 10 U.S.C.   § 246 . National Guard units are under

6006-503: The third button located at the very end of the pocket can be used to allow for more load and extra volume in cargo pockets. On the small calf pockets the 3-piece Velcro (2 square hook on pocket and one rectangular loop patch on the flap) have been replaced with a single button in 2012. Buttons were re-introduced and replaced Velcro on pockets after numerous complaints from soldiers in the field. The belt loops are of new design. The width has doubled, and there are now 8 of them compared to 7 in

6084-513: The traditional state militias by mandating that all federally funded soldiers take a dual enlistment/commission and thus enter both the state National Guard and the National Guard of the United States, a newly created federal reserve force. The National Defense Act of 1947 created the Air Force as a separate branch of the Armed Forces and concurrently created the Air National Guard of the United States as one of its reserve components, mirroring

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