Georgia State Defense Force

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**Georgia State Defense Force**
Georgia SDF Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Country	United States
Allegiance	Georgia
Branch	State Defense Force
Size	<1000
Part of	Georgia Department of Defense
Commander in Chief	Gov. Sonny Perdue
Adjutant General	MG William Nesbitt
Commander	BG Mike McGuinn
Garrison / HQ	Atlanta, Georgia

The Georgia State Defense Force (GSDF, GASDF, or SDF) is a military unit of the Georgia Department of Defense, serving in support of the national and state constitutions under direction of the governor and the adjutant general of the State of Georgia. Members of the Georgia State Defense Force serve alongside the Georgia Army National Guard and the Georgia Air National Guard.

The mission of the Georgia State Defense Force is to provide an organized, trained, disciplined, rapid response volunteer force to assist state and local government agencies and civil relief organizations during emergencies to ensure the welfare and safety of Georgia citizens.

The SDF's members help support and augment Georgia National Guard, provide professional skills to the Georgia Department of Defense, and assist Georgia communities. Volunteers are trained to assist the National Guard, provide search and rescue, medical support, and disaster relief.

The Georgia State Defense Force is currently organized with a headquarters based in Atlanta, five brigades with geographic areas of responsibility throughout the state, a Support Command providing special skills augmentation, and medical and other detachments. Each brigade and equivalent unit is commanded by a field grade officer (usually a colonel). The current chain of command for the State Defense Force at the state level is organized under three positions: The commander-in-chief (Governor Sonny Perdue), the adjutant general (Major General William Nesbitt), and the Georgia State Defense Force commander (Brigadier General Mike McGuinn).

Current eligibility to join the State Defense Force extends to men and women between the ages of 18 and 64. Prior military experience is not required, although approximately 40 percent of active members have prior service experience.

[edit] History

The Georgia State Defense Force’s rich heritage dates back to England. Under the direction of General James Oglethorpe, Sergeants of the Guard trained future colonists in militia tactics. Georgia settlers arriving in 1733 became members of General Oglethorpe’s militia and were called up during the Battle of Bloody Marsh in 1742 to help repel the Spanish invasion of Georgia. These militia forces later joined General George Washington in the fight for American Independence.

The volunteer militia remained in continuous service throughout the 1700s and 1800s. During this time, the militia participated in Indian wars against the Creeks, Cherokees, and Choctaws, and, with the outbreak of the American Civil War, Georgia responded with over 100 volunteer regiments, battalions, and batteries. The portion that remained at home helped to defend Atlanta and Macon, shadowed by the Union advance in 1864. This volunteer commitment was second only in number to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

After World War I, the Georgia State Guard (as the SDF was then-called) was called to put down labor unrest at factories and mills across the state. During World War II, the 8,000 members of the volunteer militia force guarded war plants, critical communications facilities, utilities, reservoirs, and transportation facilities. They were trained to repel an invasion that never came. Although not officially disorganized until 1951, the Georgia State Guard began its retirement in July 1946.

The Georgia State Guard was re-authorized in 1973 to serve as a constabulary force, and throughout the 1970s and 1980s was tasked to serve as a backup for state police forces. Legislation resulted in the first muster in 1985 when it was re-activated under the command of Brigadier General John Gillette. The force was tasked to provide a cadre around a larger force to assume the vacated domestic missions of Georgia National Guard members called to federal duty.

The current Georgia State Defense Force is authorized by the Federal Government under 32 USC 109(e), by the State of Georgia under Title 38 of the Official Code of Georgia, and under NGR 10-4 (National Guard Bureau). The Georgia Department of Defense is composed of the State Defense Force, the Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard, all of whom serve under the direction of the adjutant general of Georgia.

Recent operations include support to National Guard units during the Gulf War, participation in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, emergency aid to agencies such as FEMA and GEMA, support to Georgia National Guard units and their families since 2001, and activation during the 2004 G-8 Summit at Sea Island and the 2005 Katrina and Rita hurricane evacuations.