Naval militia

A naval militia in the United States is a reserve military organization administered under the authority of a state government. It is often composed of Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard reservists, retirees and volunteers. They are distinguishable from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, which is a federally chartered component of the U.S. Coast Guard and falls under the command of the Commandant of the Coast Guard through the Chief Director of the Auxiliary, and the United States Maritime Service and United States Merchant Marine, both of which are federal maritime services.

Under Title 10 of the United States Code, naval militias are treated differently from maritime state defense force units not primarily composed of reservists from the sea services. Naval militias are considered parts of the organized militia under federal law and thus members have a slightly different status.^[1] Naval militias, though they are state armed forces, may receive federal supplies and use Navy or Marine Corps facilities available to Naval Reserve or Marine Corps Reserve units subject to certain restrictions.^[2]

Seamen and state marines belonging to naval militias may be enlisted or commissioned into the federal sea services at the rank they are qualified for, provided the service secretary agrees.^[3]

States with naval militias

Active

Authorized by statute but inactive

Alabama ^[10]
California^[11]
- The California Naval Militia was reactivated in 1976 by the Governor of California. Unlike New York and the few other states with ship-borne active naval militia units, the California Naval Militia is a small unit of military lawyers and strategists who provide advice and legal expertise in the field of military and naval matters for the benefit of California's state defense force.
Connecticut Naval Militia^[12]
Florida Naval Militia^[13]
Georgia Naval Militia^[14]
Hawaii^[15]
Illinois Naval Militia^[16]
Indiana ^[17]
Maine ^[18]
Maryland
Massachusetts Naval Militia
Michigan ^[19]
Missouri ^[20]
New Hampshire ^[21]
New Jersey Naval Militia^[22]
North Carolina ^[23]
Rhode Island ^[24]
Tennessee ^[25]
Wisconsin Naval Militia

Gallery

New York Naval Militia Major General Robert Wolf (right), is congratulated by Major General Joseph Taluto (left).
Members of the naval militia respond to a roll-call in 1913.
Members of the New York National Guard take the helm of a New York State Naval Militia patrol boat during a random anti-terrorism measures patrol near John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, N.Y.
The New York State Naval Militia's Patrol Boat 400 conducts a random anti-terrorism measures program patrol on the Hudson River.
Members of the New York National Guard join members of the New York State Naval Militia, the Port Authority Police Department and the Coast Guard Reserve.
A naval militia bugler in 1917, deploying during World War I.
Boatswain Mate 2 Robert Quinones of the New York State Naval Militia prepares for a joint random anti-terrorism measures program patrol.
Exercises at a Naval Militia Camp in Somersville, New York.
The New York State Naval Militia's Patrol Boat 400 is docked on the Hudson River prior to a random anti-terrorism measures program patrol.
Naval militiamen boarding the USS Alabama circa 1910.
Naval militiamen in the early twentieth century.