StateDefenseForce.com has the largest online State Defense Force publications library on the internet. It contains dozens of articles and books on State Defense Force history. From a complete volume of The New York Guard’s (State Defense Force) training & missions during World War 1 to articles featuring The State Defense Forces role in Homeland Security operations. Our staff spends a considerable amount of time and effort to discover these lost publications and make a home for them on StateDefenseForce.com
In this installment we added the following article:
- Volunteer Military Organizations: An Overlooked Asset
- Author: LTC Brent C. Bankus (Cavalry, AUS-Ret.)
- Publication: 2006
- Summary:
A 2006 article titled Volunteer Military Organizations: An Overlooked Asset by LTC Brent C. Bankus examines the critical role of State Defense Forces (SDFs) in supporting state and national needs while addressing their potential for broader use. It highlights the economic benefits of SDF missions, citing examples like the New York Guard’s medical services saving $400,000 during 9/11 and the Georgia State Defense Force saving $1.5 million through volunteer efforts in 2002. However, the article identifies significant challenges, including legal restrictions on acquiring surplus federal equipment and the lack of a centralized command structure for standardized training, policies, and interoperability that still affect State Defense Forces today. It advocates for policy reforms to enhance SDF capabilities, standardization, and integration into broader emergency response frameworks, emphasizing their critical role in cost-effective, trained manpower for homeland security and disaster response.
