The Pennsylvania Guard Reserve Force (PAGRF), legally incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization under the name “Pennsylvania State Military Reserve Inc.”, was founded in 1985 as a private militia group based primarily in southeastern Pennsylvania.
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Since its founding, the Pennsylvania Guard Reserve Force has sought recognition by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as an official military organization, but the matter has never been taken up by either the Pennsylvania General Assembly or successive Governors of Pennsylvania.
Exact membership numbers are difficult to determine, the PAGRF may number anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred dues paying members, concentrated largely in the suburban counties surrounding Philadelphia. The PAGRF organizes itself more or less along military lines, with members wearing variations of the U.S. Army’s battle dress uniform with modified insignia and assigning themselves military ranks and positions. Members often attend parades, political rallies, memorial ceremonies, and other patriotic gatherings and attempt to get photographs taken posing with elected politicians in an effort to further legitimize their attempts at official recognition by the Commonwealth.
According to its website, the PAGRF’s mission, if recognized by the Pennsylvanian government, would be to provide support and assistance to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and Pennsylvania Air National Guard during civil disturbances, states of emergency, and in situations where the National Guard is deployed overseas, in a manner similar to state defense forces in other states of the United States. The PAGRF purports to be carrying out such duties at the present time, despite the lack of cooperation or participation of the National Guard and lack of recognition from the government.
The PAGRF claims itself to be the modern successor to the historical Pennsylvania Reserve Defense Corps, the Commonwealth’s former state defense force, which was disbanded at the end of World War II.
As of October 2011, the PGRF has posted a statement on their website stating that "Operations are suspended due to economy and manpower. More to follow."