When Arizona Governor Jan Brewer poked President Obama in the chest on the runway in Phoenix, it was clear that the working relationship between the the Copper State and Uncle Sam was about as fruitful as Marlin’s hook-up with The Freedom Group. Uncle Sam is ending the “surge” of National Guard troops from border patrol duty, with no end in sight to illegal immigration and drug thuggery. Amidst fears that the feds want to enforce unconstitutional gun laws on Arizonans, Governor Brewer has signed SB1495, a bill establishing an Arizona militia. Aside from drug mules and human traffickers, the new Arizona state militia has scared a few folks . . .

This is dangerous…..and are we taxpayers going to be footing the bill? Membership to exclude anyone but white supremacists? And how is this going to create jobs, maintain laws and how do we stop a bunch of zealots running rampant?

Good questions all, from a commentator underneath the post at arizonacapitoltimes.com. Still, same as it ever was. As the not entirely pro-federal government militia man at arizonastateguard.com points out . . .

Under Title 32 of the USC, those State Defense Forces, or “SDFs”, *cannot* be forced into federal service. Unlike the National Guard forces, SDFs are intended to remain within the boundaries of their own state, and to remain under the exclusive command and control of each state’s Governor.

Title 32 State Defense Forces already exist in 23 states (plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico). Those states that have activated their State Defense Forces include California, New Mexico, and Texas. The fact is, Arizona is the only southern border state that does *not* have an active State Defense Force.

Only now it does. Which adds to the law enforcement bunfight on the border; a farrago of law enforcement agencies that includes the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (And Really Big Fires); Tribal and State police; local Sheriffs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S Army, the National Guard and the  Federal Bureau of Investigation (for investigating the ATF when a cartel member murders a CPB agent with one of the guns the ATF helped smuggle into Mexico.)

Anyway, the Arizona State Defense Force is a game changer on many levels. Watch this space, as your humble reporter will join them for some training in the fall.

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72 COMMENTS

        • This is true, Brewer could easily beat him – at basketball; metrosexuals don’t know anything about real.
          When they thump their chest it’s because they have asthma from stepping outside of their protected little world.

      • I do miss that. That and a good pursuit…
        It’s called RBT, or reality based training.
        It WILL get the pucker factor up and get your blood pumping!

  5. She should have declared that every Arizonan is a member of the militia at some token base rank.

    -D

    • Already done – everyone is already a member of the “unorganized militia”.

      http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/10C13.txt

      -CITE-
      10 USC Sec. 311 01/03/2012 (112-90)

      -EXPCITE-
      TITLE 10 – ARMED FORCES
      Subtitle A – General Military Law
      PART I – ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL MILITARY POWERS
      CHAPTER 13 – THE MILITIA

      -HEAD-
      Sec. 311. Militia: composition and classes

      -STATUTE-
      (a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied
      males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section
      313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a
      declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States
      and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the
      National Guard.
      (b) The classes of the militia are –
      (1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard
      and the Naval Militia; and
      (2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of
      the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the
      Naval Militia.

  7. My fat ass would never be able to complete that training but I have to admit, it does look fun, scary and I know I would learn a lot from it.

    As to the topic, YAY for the states that have these Defense Forces!

  8. This is old news – SB1495 was signed into law 2 years ago. Even the capitol times article you linked to was posted 2 years ago…

  9. It’s about damn time. As for Brewer for President, I’ll pass. She may be fun to watch on 2A and immigration related issues, but she has just as many statist tendencies as John McCain on other issues.

      • I don’t know if they are issued weapons are provide their own. They often have booths at gun shows though

      • I looked it up. Military hardware. They are to be equipped similarly to the National Guard.. Pictures show training exercises with M4s. There is a provision in the State Code for Armories.

    • The California Military Department not only includes the National Guard and the State Military Reserve (which you mentioned), but also a largely defunct Naval Militia (all of the ships were mustered in WWI), it also includes the California Cadet Corps, a paramilitary youth organization, open to students in elementary school through college. It was originally meant to be a breeding ground for military officers, but is now more focused on educational goals, leadership building. Basically the Boy Scouts, plus military drills, knowledge and ranks.

      I am very sad that we did not have this is my high school. It used to be required if the HS was of a sufficient size to have a chapter. Now the law is if there are 100 students who voluntarily sign up, the high school, or college, must, by law, organize companies. Failure to do so means loss of some funding.

      No surprise, but Los Angeles School District said f u to that, and refuses to cooperate. Hey, the program, and the State Militia, almost died during the Vietnam War, when funding for it was slashed.

  13. The video shows how a knife wielding opponent can quickly close the distance before you can react with your firearm. I’ve done this training before. Even at 30ft the guy hit me with the knife before I drew. That is why states that have weird self defense rules are detrimental to your health . If a guy draws a knife I should damn well have the right to pull my ccw on him immediately. The next few seconds may determine if I get a cozy bodybag or a crackhead messes his pants.

  14. Anti-gunner: “Don’t be silly… the Second Amendment only protects the rights of the states to have militias.”

    The same anti-gunner, upon learning of state state militias: “OH GOD WHITE SUPREMACISTS WITH GUNS THIS IS DANGEROUS MAKE IT STOP.”

  15. Perhaps the new state militia can start a guest training program. For a fee you can come to Arizona, train and patrol with their militia, learn the skills and bring back new knowledge to your own state. Might be a nice little revenue stream for AZ too.

    • Most Units do it for free as mine does you bring your weapon food tentage we get a class together number wise you all come we train you go home with better skill sets

  16. Red Man was fun in TKD too if they didn’t beat the crap out of you, Randy

  17. Self Defense tip: learn how to sprint and lose weight!

    That gents, is some fun a$$ Simunition training. I’ve said it before on TTAG – achieve 100% hits while running, against a running target, which may be shooting back, and you have every right to give a massive ration of sh!t to anyone who misses in a DGU.

    And FYI – you really have to resist the urge to punch role players. One of my biggest sins was kicking in an unlocked door at a training house. Oops! I got a righteous chewing out for that.

      • Simunitions is not LEO only – a local training company near me offers classes specifically geared towards CCW scenarios. I will be taking classes this summer

        • Ditto. I took a FoF class with simunitons with a local company last year. Every single attendee was a normal CWP holder. One guy had his 12 year old son with him. Every scenario was designed to replicate very possible situations for normal people. I almost shit myself when it was my turn to get carjacked. LOL.

  18. Yes, folks they do exist. New York, ironically enough, has one of the most extensive and effective ones at that.
    After 1902 many of the duties of the old “Militia System” were taken over by the National Guard (effectively an Army Reserve after 1917) and State Guards (Organized Militia) – the subject at hand. Even so the “Unorganized Militia” as its now known, as been utilized on an individual basis in both World Wars and Korea in both the National Guard, State Guards and other defensive organizations. The principle of an “Armed Populace” is as important as ever and has been recognized as such by the Supreme Court in the Miller, Heller and McDonald cases.

    As your article implies, a widespread membership in the State Guards or similar organizations should be encouraged as a service to the community – with its members trained in the use and exercise of otherwise restricted weaponry – why should a few TV performers have all the fun? You don’t necessarily need to go to Arizona, your state may well have one.

  19. “Someone got excited (Eric Holder?),
    Had to call the state militia,
    I wanna move…..”

    If you’re over the age of Majority, you’re in the militia, whether you like it or not.

    I’m glad to see Arizona making a move on this.

    Every state needs to do this. And if the states won’t, the citizens need to step up. The NRA needs to start going in this direction, as our revered Founders had intended. Self reliant groups of citizens banding together to face existential threats in a well regulated manner. Small unit tactics, first-aid/trauma management, logistics, intelligence, disaster preparedness, neighborhood/AO defense/offense. Neighbors, friends, family taking seriously their rights and duties to defend the Constitution, their civil rights and their communities against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

  20. The date on the article from arizonacapitoltimes.com is April of 2011. Has something more recent been done with it?

  21. For all those libs wetting their panties at the Az militia. If the feds would do their job a state militia would not be needed.

  22. This is old news on so many levels. I laughed when I first read this because, even two years ago, this bill had long been preceded by the AZ Constitution:

    Chapter 1, Article 2, Rev. Statute 26-124:

    A. When the governor proclaims an emergency, and, upon advice of the adjutant general, determines that the national guard does not have sufficient troops to meet the emergency, the governor may authorize the adjutant general to accept for service from the unorganized militia a specified number of volunteers.

    B. If the governor deems an emergency of a nature that all or a large portion of the unorganized militia should be called into service of the state, s/he shall by proclamation order all members of the unorganized militia to enroll with the county recorder of the county in which they reside…The persons called into service shall be determined by lot in accordance with a plan devised by the governor and implemented by him/her…

    C. Upon mobilization for state purposes members of the unorganized militia shall be organized under the command of the officer the governor designates into units comparable to units of the national guard.

    Elsewhere in the constitution the unorganized militia is defined as:

    Section 1. The militia of the state of Arizona shall consist of all capable citizens of the state between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, and of those between said ages who shall have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States, residing therein, subject to such exemptions as now exist, or as may hereafter be created, by the laws of the United States or of this state.

    So, if you’re an Arizona resident and fall within the age perimeters, Congratulations! You’re already in the state’s militia.

  23. Um… What’s a “bunfight”? Now I want to see that. Two Brazilian beauties bunfighting!

    • Not what you’re thinking. Imagine instead two portly gentlemen pointlessly tossing dinner rolls at each other in a posh restaurant.

      Though if it makes you happy, I suppose they could be Brazilian agriculture magnates or something.

    • Be careful or you will invoke the fury of the Bready Campaign to Prevent Bun Violence.

  24. I am happy to say that I have supported Gov Brewer throughout her career. (State legislature, Secretary of State, and Governor)

    Even if I didn’t already like her, the Obama tarmac incident would have changed my mind.

    I appreciate the freedoms that we have here in AZ, such as open carry for as long as I can remember, and more recently, constitutional carry.

    But if the desert heat doesn’t keep me humble, I remind myself that we also foisted McCain, Flake, and Napolitano into the national scene. Almost as annoyingly flaccid is that we fall under the jurisdiction of the 9th circuit court of appeals.

    Thankfully, madam Brewer has a pair.

  25. How bout it, neighborly Utahns? Can’t let the ‘zonies have all the fun can we? I’m game if y’all are. I’ll even kick up my running that I’m terrible at keeping up on.

  26. Way to go Arizona!

    Just this morning I read that the US DofD has told Congress that have absolute conviction the military’s new plans and systems can control the next wave of attempted illegal immigration.

  27. Hell yea! I was thinking it was time for all states to start forming up the militia.

  28. Mormon, baptist, evangelical, protestant. It doesn’t matter anymore. We all agree to the God given right of self defense.

    • Jewish, Muslim (Sunni, Shēite, Sufi, Alhuite et cetera), Hindu, Wiccan, Asatru, Buddhist, Native American spiritualist, Shintoist, Kûng Fu’tsian, Voodon, T’ka, Taoist, Iblis…

  29. I’m pretty sure these new, recognized by the state, militia members could use their status to get around the NFA, using the same forms cops and national guard use to buy actual assault rifles.

    I might need to move, unless Kasich gets a hint.

    • Yes you can, but it’s mostly confined to “on duty”. BTW Ohio already has a Militia (Ohio Military Reserve) as well as a Naval Militia.

  30. So when you say you’re going to train with the Arizona State Defense Force what organization are you specifically referring to? As far as I can determine there is no such entity endorsed and funded officially by the Government of the State of Arizona. If there is such an entity, can you throw out some contact information for us? Do you plan on training with Mike Simpson and the Marauders? If so, I’d be interested in an informed analysis of the training his firm provides and whether it is representative of the state of the industry.

    • To answer your question, here’s a list of the various states involved, known by their various titles:

      Alabama State Defense Force, Alaska State Defense Force, George State Defense Force, Indiana Guard Reserve, Louisiana State Guard, Michigan Volunteer Defense Force, Mississippi State Guard, New Mexico State Guard, Ohio Military Reserve, Oregon State Defense Force, South Carolina State Guard, Tennessee State Guard, Texas State Guard, Vermont State Guard, Virginia State Defense Force & Washington State Guard.

      In addition to the above “expected” states, the following “grabber” states are also included with – ironically – some of the best and well-funded units:
      California State Military Reserve, Connecticut – Governor’s Foot and Horse Guards, Maryland State Defense Force, Massachusetts State Defense Force and the New York Guard.

      Ohio, New Jersey and New York also have Naval Militias.

      You can find additional info at the various state sites or the SGAUS (State Guard Asso of the US) web site.

      As I mentioned, these organizations are a great opportunity to gain training in military arts, otherwise restricted firearms and useful skills good to know in any case, as well as continue the fine traditions of the American Militia.

      • California also has a Naval Militia.

        Odd that Kansas doesn’t have a Home Guard of some sort, although with so many armed citizens and the notions of civic pride and neighborliness, maybe we don’t really need one.

        Should Quantrill’s great grandkids start raiding, we’re ready…

  33. As far as I’ve been able to determine, there is no such thing as an Arizona State Government funded or endorsed State Milita. If you have contact information for such an organization please provide it so those of us who are citizens of Arizona can enroll. What is this Arizona State Defense Force? From their information, it appears as a small group of individuals who happen to own a 2.5 ton truck. Are you planning on training with MTT as the video seems to suggest to me? If so, I would be interested in your informed opinion of their training director, Mike Simpson, and the training program he has established. Does it represent the state of the industry?

    • My unit has sent personal there I have went as Cdr of our unit, it depends on what course you are taking I find as well as my men who have went to other courses his system/style of training complete and safe. Of course the Militias training normally is free also, now he does ask for donation which is only fair during an op like that to cover his cost but is never required. And now as we have been to train the trainer cert course we now train and as like him it is free.You supply your food lodging ie tentage weapon of choice.

      • I have been looking into militia groups in AZ and so far this one seems to be the best. The others all seem a bit too trigger happy. I am not opposed to using deadly force if it is called for but a group like that needs cool headed, competent leaders But I am afraid we are going to need them before too much longer.

  34. How to smoke out the last remaining opponents to the marxist-jewish regime while appearing to oppose it even as said regime issues their paychecks.

  36. May I suggest that anyone with concerns about the State Guard/State Defense Force movement, they make contact with the State Guard Association of the United States….SGAUS.org.

  37. whats with all these agencies and who are they really protecting and using for their justification of so much money thrown into these agencies, do they look at us all as humans or just people they want to pay the price for dare trying to live inside dangerous setup traps, hiding inside with no communicaion of being alright

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