Poll – Would You Volunteer for Out of State or Out of Country Deployments?

When originally organized State Defense Forces were intended to remain inside the state to assist their National Guard in peacetime and assume the state military duties if their National Guard deployed during a worldwide conflict. However since September 11th 2001, State Defense Forces have started to be deployed out of State to assist other States respond to terrorist threats as well as natural disasters that have caused destruction. The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) has allowed States to utilize and deploy their National Guard & State Defense Force out of State.

EMAC has allowed the California State Guard (formerly known as the California State Military Reserve) to deploy to Texas to assist in recovery operations following Hurricane Katrina, as well as allow the Alaska State Defense Force to assist in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. Going one step forward The Maryland Defense Force 10th Medical Regiment not only deployed out of the State but out of the country in 2006 to assist & augment the Maryland Air National Guard in a Medical & Humanitarian Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

With this new capability, State Defense Forces can now assist other States and have a framework to assist the National Guard in overseas deployments in support roles (Medical, Logistics, Supply, Communications, Engineering, etc.). The only stipulation for such out of state deployments require the troops in that State Defense Force to volunteer for such deployments. As per State law no member of the State Defense Force is compelled to deploy out of the State so such deployments require volunteers.

This weeks poll asks, would you volunteer for an Out of State Deployment?

• Yes, but only in the case of a natural disaster affecting another State
• Yes, for both assisting National Guard in overseas missions & natural disasters in the country
• No, I will serve only in State and not volunteer for out of State deployments

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