NC State Guard Seeks Status Clarification
*Editor’s note: The following letter was sent to PunditHouse by Stephen J Wrona, Information Systems Chief & Treasurer, North Carolina State Guard Association
An open letter to the people and elected officials of the State of North Carolina,
Recently, the South Carolina State Defense Force (SCSDF) conducted its 2nd annual “Hurricane Hike”. The membership executed a 10k hike, wearing 45 pounds of gear to raise awareness of its mission to provide hurricane relief; search, rescue, and recovery; damage assessment; and route reconnaissance. At the start of the event, the South Carolina Adjutant General addressed the troops, and praised them for their service and readiness for the state of South Carolina.
Here in North Carolina, we are at no less risk from natural or man-made disasters than our neighbor to the south, and they are significantly more prepared to respond to large-scale natural disasters. The SCSDF could even provide support to our state should we be faced with a similar situation and should the governor ask for such support. North Carolina can be similarly prepared.
Everyone knows of the National Guard. Serve two weeks a year, and one weekend a month. While the men and women of the National Guard deserve the highest respect, what most people don’t know is that the National Guard exists to serve the federal government first and North Carolina second. If the National Guard has to choose between fighting our nation’s wars and responding to a hurricane, our troops will be deployed to the wars.
State Defense Forces on the other hand, exist solely to serve their state. By law, they cannot be federalized. They operate under the command of their state governor for use with emergency operations. According to a December 2004 report by COL (Ret) John R. Brinkerhoff, originally published in the Joint Center for Operational Analysis Journal, state defense forces “can be a highly effective, yet low cost, addition to the nation’s defenses. The lessons of the past and the exigencies of the present strongly suggest that it makes good sense to have strong and effective state defense forces.”
North Carolina fielded a State Guard during the Second World War to provide a “home guard” of troops to monitor key facilities and operations during the war. During the first gulf war, the NC State Defense Militia was used to man the armories of deployed National Guard units in order to provide the same level of emergency response while our citizen-soldiers answered the call of duty to our nation. Later, the State Defense Militia was used to provide a response to several coastal storms and tornadoes.
In April of 1996, the NC State Defense Militia was ordered to stand-down while the State Legislature addressed the issue of workers compensation laws and how they pertain to members of the state militia.
Since that date, the entire membership of the NCSDM has been ignored, and they are unsure of their status. Are they still active members of the NCSDM? Have they been released from their oath of enlistment? What do they do with state equipment that was issued to them? If a member signed for a radio, are they still accountable for that radio? Can they release that equipment to another member, or to a resident of the state acting as a member of the “unorganized militia” as defined in NCGS §127A-7 – “Composition of unorganized militia”?
It’s been over 18 years since this order was issued. The world has changed for the worse since then. We’ve had significant terrorist attacks on US soil. We have an organization that is actively working to bring its holy war to our soil. There are men and women willing to train and serve our state for free, at the Governor’s call.
If the worker’s compensation laws have not been “fixed”, there are plenty of states to look to for example legislation. If the laws have been fixed, it’s time to resolve this eighteen year old issue. Most of the states along the east coast have a State Defense Force. It is time to bring back the North Carolina State Defense Force.
Chapter 127a of the North Carolina General Statutes
Article I Classification of Militia – §127A-1 Composition of Militia
“The militia of the State shall consist of all able-bodied citizens of the State and of the United States and all other able-bodied persons who have or shall declare their intention to become citizens of the United States, subject to the qualifications prescribed in this Chapter, who shall be drafted into the militia or shall voluntarily accept commission, appointment, or assignment to duty therein.”
Article I Classification of Militia – §127A-2 Classification of Militia
“The militia shall be divided into the organized and unorganized militia. The organized militia shall consist of four classes: the North Carolina National Guard, the naval militia, the State defense militia and historic military commands.”
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