StateDefenseForce.com is expanding and restructuring our Patreon membership benefits to provide greater access to our advocacy work while offering meaningful new benefits to those who provide our organization with sustained support.
We noticed the increased support in memberships once we posted ‘StateDefenseForce.com Moves to Reverse Policy To Have The Maryland Defense Force Move Toward Polo Shirts and Khaki Uniforms‘ on Patreon. We are extremely grateful for those of you who helped boost our funds which can now pay for the processing fees to obtain the documents we requested from The Maryland Military Department, as well as the transportation costs to go to The Maryland State Legislature to speak to members who oversee The Maryland Military Department.
The State Guard & Defense Force Council (Also known as StateDefenseForce.com) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening, expanding and supporting State Defense Forces throughout the United States. Patreon membership helps make possible our news reporting, legislative advocacy, historical preservation, podcasts, public education, policy development and the many other programs operated by StateDefenseForce.com.
As our work continues to grow, we want our Patreon membership program to better reflect the people who make that work possible.
Full Office of Government & Legislative Affairs Access – Corporal Tier & Above
One of the biggest changes involves our Office of Government & Legislative Affairs.
Going forward, members of the Corporal Tier ($5 per month) and above will receive access to our full collection of in-depth Office of Government & Legislative Affairs posts.
Our legislative team works to create, preserve, strengthen and expand State Defense Forces nationwide. This includes monitoring legislation, contacting lawmakers and government officials, investigating policies affecting State Defense Force personnel, advocating for better funding and benefits, and supporting efforts to establish State Defense Forces in states where they do not currently exist.
In the coming weeks major developments of significant State Guard importance will continue to be released in our ‘Office of Government & Legislative Affairs‘ Patreon Site, so that the entire State Defense Force community can remain informed of our actions to oppose and reverse the move to Polo & Khakis Uniforms.
Beginning August 18, 2026, the State Guard & Defense Force Council (Also known as StateDefenseForce.com) will adopt an Emergency National Policy Position opposing the replacement of the standard military duty uniform of any State Guard or State Defense Force with polo shirts and khaki trousers. The policy will establish our national advocacy position that personnel performing military duties, training, emergency response, security, disaster operations, and other official missions should be provided an appropriate, distinctive military duty uniform.
If your State Guard or State Defense Force has been affected by, or is currently considering, a policy that replaces the standard military duty uniform with polo shirts and khaki trousers or similar civilian-style attire, please contact the Office of Government & Legislative Affairs at [email protected] or call our toll-free line at (833) 974-6733 so we can review the matter and determine what assistance may be appropriate.
We hope this makes our advocacy work accessible to substantially more members of the State Defense Force community.
Click Here To Become A Corporal Tier Member
Colonel Tier – The American Home Guard
Members of the Colonel Tier ($50 per month) and above will also become eligible to receive a physical copy of:
The American Home Guard: State Militias from World War I to Today, 2d ed.
Written by Barry M. Stentiford and published by McFarland, The American Home Guard examines the history and development of America’s State Guards, State Militias and State Defense Forces. The newly released second edition is particularly fitting for those who have spent years serving, studying or supporting the State Defense Force mission. McFarland currently lists the second edition as a new release.
This benefit will recognize the sustained support of our Colonel and General members while providing them with a permanent addition to their military history library directly connected to the organizations we exist to support.
Click Here To Become A Colonel Tier Member
General Tier – Final Honors Program
We are also beginning development of what may become one of the most meaningful programs StateDefenseForce.com has ever developed.
Members of our General Tier ($100 per month) who have served in a State Defense Force will become eligible, after the required membership period, for our new Final Honors Program.
State Defense Force personnel dedicate years, often decades, of their lives to serving their states and their fellow citizens. They respond to natural disasters, emergencies and periods when their communities need them most. Some go above and beyond putting themselves directly in harms way to rescue stranded Americans during severe natural disasters, or fight wildfires that put their own lives in danger everyday.
Yet in many cases, when one of these volunteers reaches the end of their life, their State Guard may not have the personnel, resources or established program necessary to provide a ceremonial honor guard.
We want to help change that.
Through the Final Honors Program, a Professional Military Honor Guard Detail will be provided at the time of the member’s passing, honoring their service to their State and Country and ensuring that their service receives a final salute before they are laid to rest.
StateDefenseForce.com will coordinate with State Guard personnel located near the member and their family to perform the ceremony. If you are interested in participating in this paid Honor Guard Detail please email [email protected]. Please include your current State Guard status, whether Active Duty, Retired or Honorably Discharged. We will provide you more details about this new initiative.
If qualified personnel cannot be located locally, StateDefenseForce.com intends to provide the necessary airfare, travel and lodging to bring members of the ceremonial detail to the service.
Someone who volunteered years of their life in service to their fellow Americans deserves to have their service remembered and honored.
Our objective is simple:
No qualifying member who supported the State Defense Force mission should have to leave this world without one final salute.
Additional details concerning eligibility, ceremonial procedures and implementation of the Final Honors Program will be announced as the program is formally established.
Click Here To Become A General Tier Member
Even a Free Membership Helps
You do not have to become a paid member to support what we are building.
If you follow StateDefenseForce.com, read our articles or simply believe State Defense Forces deserve a stronger voice nationally, we encourage you to join our Patreon completely free of charge.
Our Patreon currently offers the ability to follow the organization for free, in addition to our paid membership levels.
That may seem like a small action, but it genuinely helps us.
Growing our free Patreon community demonstrates that there is a large national audience interested in State Defense Forces. It gives us a way to communicate directly with more soldiers, veterans, families and supporters while helping more people discover our reporting and advocacy.
If you cannot financially support StateDefenseForce.com right now, please join the Free Tier.
It costs nothing, and your presence still strengthens the community we are building.
However if you can even donate $1 a month and become part of The Private Tier, that will still go a long way for us to advocate for you.
Click Here To Become A Private Tier Member
Working Toward Charitable Membership Recognition
Because the State Guard & Defense Force Council (Also known as StateDefenseForce.com) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization, we will be working with Patreon and financial professionals to properly structure and document the charitable portion of qualifying Patreon contributions.
Our goal is to make it that every dollar you spend in our Patreon membership program can be listed as a charitable donation come tax season.
Because certain membership levels include goods or services, such as physical benefits, applicable IRS rules may require the value of those benefits to be deducted when determining the charitable portion of a contribution. We will provide additional information as this process is completed.
Every membership, whether Free, $5, $20, $50 or $100, helps us continue building an organization capable of advocating for, preserving and strengthening America’s State Defense Forces.
Join us and help build the future of the State Defense Force mission.
Click Here To Become A Patreon Member & Support Our State Guard Advocacy Nationwide
