The Maryland Defense Force (MDDF) is the
state defense force
In the United States, state defense forces are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state government. State defense forces are authorized by state and federal law and are under the command of the governor of each state.
...
for the state of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. The MDDF is organized as a volunteer military organization organized parallel to the
Maryland National Guard
The Maryland Military Department (MMD) is a department of the State of Maryland directed by the adjutant general of Maryland.
The Maryland Military Department consists of the:
*State Operations section, which manages fiscal and administrative du ...
and is designed to augment the National Guard during stateside emergencies. However, as a state defense force, the MDDF is solely under control of the State of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
and cannot be federalized or deployed outside the borders of Maryland.
History
The history of the MDDF dates back to colonial days in the 17th century,
but it was formally established in 1917 with the mission "to protect public buildings, water supplies, and other properties". It was called the Maryland State Guard. It was disbanded in 1920 to make room for the National Guard to return to duties in the armories.
![Maryland Defense Force Exercise](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Maryland_Defense_Force_Exercise.jpg)
The Maryland State Guard was reactivated in 1939 in response to World War II. It was then deactivated in 1947. As of 1983, the Maryland State Guard was reactivated and renamed the Maryland Defense Force. In 1994, the Maryland Defense Force's missions were expanded to
search and rescue
Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
, armory staffing, and disaster relief. As of
September 11, 2001
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerc ...
, the Maryland Defense Force was tasked with its current mission, which is to provide support to the Maryland Military Department as needed.
In August 2005, members of the 10th Medical Regiment, including civilian medical professionals who were sworn into the MDDF on the tarmac of
Martin State Airport
Martin State Airport is a joint civil-military public use airport located nine nautical miles (10 mi, 17 km) east of the central business district of Baltimore, in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The facility is located wit ...
, departed for Louisiana in two C130 cargo planes operated by the
Maryland Air National Guard
The Maryland Air National Guard (MD ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Maryland, United States of America, and a reserve component of the United States Air Force. It is, along with the Maryland Army National Guard, an element of the Maryla ...
to provide medical treatment to approximately 6,300 hurricane victims over eighteen days as an operation called Operation Lifeline.
In 2006, members of the 10th Medical Regiment, despite not being subject to deployment outside the state of Maryland, voluntarily deployed with the 175th Medical Group of the
Maryland Air National Guard
The Maryland Air National Guard (MD ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Maryland, United States of America, and a reserve component of the United States Air Force. It is, along with the Maryland Army National Guard, an element of the Maryla ...
to
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
as a part of a training exercise where the 10th Medical Regiment assisted in providing medical aid to the local populace.
In September 2007, the MDDF participated with the National Guard for Exercise Vigilant Guard, a major homeland security/terrorist response exercise held in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
In June 2012, the MDDF provided food and water to residents of Baltimore during the heat emergency.
During the
2015 Baltimore protests
On April 12, 2015, Baltimore Police Department officers arrested Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African American resident of Baltimore, Maryland. Gray's neck and spine were injured while he was in a police vehicle and he went into a coma. On Ap ...
, members of the Maryland Defense Force, including members of the 10th Medical Brigade as well as logistical support personnel and military chaplains, deployed alongside the Maryland Army National Guard in support of their mission.
Legal protection
The Code of Maryland guarantees that members of the Maryland Defense Force who are called to active duty or training are entitled to a leave of absence, and full reemployment rights after their deployment ends. This is only for Maryland State employees. Members of MDDF are also covered by Maryland workers compensation where actively deployed by the Maryland Governor.
Units
Maryland Defense Force Band
The Maryland Defense Force Band provides back up support for the 229th Army Band of the
Maryland Army National Guard
The Maryland Army National Guard (MD ARNG) is the United States Army component of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is headquartered at the old Fifth Regiment Armory at the intersection of North Howard Street, 29th Division Street, near Martin Lut ...
.
The MDDF band plays in military ceremonies, concerts, and receptions organized by the
Maryland Military Department
The Maryland Military Department (MMD) is a department of the State of Maryland directed by the adjutant general of Maryland.
The Maryland Military Department consists of the:
*State Operations section, which manages fiscal and administrative d ...
. The band includes wind, brass, and
percussion instruments.
Cavalry Troop A
Cavalry Troop A, the ceremonial cavalry unit of the
Maryland Military Department
The Maryland Military Department (MMD) is a department of the State of Maryland directed by the adjutant general of Maryland.
The Maryland Military Department consists of the:
*State Operations section, which manages fiscal and administrative d ...
, was established January 8, 2004.
The troop acts in a ceremonial and public relations role as a recruiting aid for both the MDDF and the
Maryland National Guard
The Maryland Military Department (MMD) is a department of the State of Maryland directed by the adjutant general of Maryland.
The Maryland Military Department consists of the:
*State Operations section, which manages fiscal and administrative du ...
.
Training for Troop A includes mounted cavalry drill, equitation or skill-at-arms on horseback or dismounted drill and ceremony and basic military customs and courtesies.
Chaplain Corps
The MDDF Chaplain Corps includes ordained ministers, staff assistants, and chaplain assistants who provide spiritual support for members of the MDDF, the Maryland National Guard, their families, and in times of emergency, civilians.
The Chaplain Corps can be called upon to perform religious rites or sacraments when deployed. Chaplains are required be ordained ministers of their faith, in good standing with their church, and must meet secondary education requirements. On top of certification requirements, chaplains must have passed MDDF Basic Training and courses in MDDF-specific Chaplain duties.
256th Cyber Defense Unit
The 256th Cyber Defense Unit (CDU) was created in 2010 to supplement the cyber teams of the Maryland National Guard. Its mission statement includes providing support to the Maryland Military Department, improving the security stance of the State of Maryland agencies and being prepared to respond with the Maryland Military Department in case of a cyber emergency. In order to complete this mission, the MDDF Cyber Security Unit regularly trains with the Maryland Army & Air National Guard. In addition, they participate in numerous joint training exercises with members of the Maryland Air National Guard, Maryland Army National Guard and various state agencies.
The 256th CDU consists of five sections: Headquarters, Hunt Operations, Incident Response and Recovery (IRR), Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) & IT Operations
121st Engineer Regiment
The 121st Engineer Regiment acts as a rapid relief engineering unit intended to deploy after an emergency to aid the Maryland Military Department in civil relief efforts.
Since 2009, the 121st Engineer Regiment has conducted all of the inspections of state military facilities across Maryland for the
Maryland Army National Guard
The Maryland Army National Guard (MD ARNG) is the United States Army component of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is headquartered at the old Fifth Regiment Armory at the intersection of North Howard Street, 29th Division Street, near Martin Lut ...
.
Maryland Emergency Engineering Response Team (MEERT)
The Maryland Emergency Engineering Response Team is a unit of graduate engineers, most of whom are licensed professional Maryland engineers, organized to work closely with both the
Maryland Army National Guard
The Maryland Army National Guard (MD ARNG) is the United States Army component of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is headquartered at the old Fifth Regiment Armory at the intersection of North Howard Street, 29th Division Street, near Martin Lut ...
and the
Maryland Emergency Management Agency
Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM). is the department of the Maryland state government with primary responsibility and authority for emergency preparedness policy, and for coordinating hazard mitigation, incident response, and di ...
(MEMA).
Finance Corps
The Finance Corps of the MDDF is composed of licensed financial consultants, advisers, and civilian energy managers. The mission of the Finance Corps is to provide the following:
*Emergency Financial & Administrative surge capacity support to military and civil authorities during field training exercises and emergency missions.
*Financial analysis, accounting, management, and forecasting for MDDF assets
*Practical financial briefs to Maryland National Guardsmen and their families at group program events – Yellow Ribbon, Soldier Readiness, Recruit Sustainment, and Retirement
*Energy analysis, accounting, management, and forecasting with the Installation Status Report (ISR), a decision support tool for garrison commanders and military facility managers.
Judge Advocate Corps
The Judge Advocate Corps (JAC) of the MDDF is composed of licensed attorneys.
10th Medical Regiment
![Maryland Defense Force Exercise II](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Maryland_Defense_Force_Exercise_II.jpg)
The 10th Medical Regiment is the medical arm of the MDDF and is registered with the Office of the Surgeon General as a
Medical Reserve Corps
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a network in the U.S. of community-based units initiated and established by local organizations aimed to meet the public health needs of their communities. It is sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary ...
unit. The mission of the regiment is to provide emergency surge capacity support to civil authorities during an emergency.
Unlike other MDDF guardsmen, members of the 10th Medical Regiment are allowed to serve in backup status and attend only an annual muster one day per year.
In August 2005, on a purely voluntary basis as state guardsmen cannot be ordered to deploy outside the state of Maryland, members of the 10th Medical Regiment provided medical service to approximately 6,300
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
victims over an eighteen-day period as a part of Operation Lifeline.
Included in those deployed were civilian medical professionals who, despite a willingness to volunteer in providing medical care for hurricane victims, had no means of deployment into the emergency zone as civilians. These medical volunteers were inducted into the MDDF on the tarmac of
Martin State Airport
Martin State Airport is a joint civil-military public use airport located nine nautical miles (10 mi, 17 km) east of the central business district of Baltimore, in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The facility is located wit ...
.
As members of the MDDF, these volunteers received military transport, worker's compensation eligibility, and liability protection under Maryland law.
Over 100 of those sworn in with the purpose of taking part in Operation Lifeline elected to remain members of the MDDF following deployment.
Operation Lifeline, with only 250 MDDF volunteers lasted for 18 days and aided 6,300 patients.
In 2006, volunteers from the 10th Medical Regiment deployed to
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
alongside the 175th Medical Group of the
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
to provide medical care for locals as a part of a training mission.
Pioneer Detachment
The Pioneer Detachment, which is based at
Anne Arundel Community College
Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) is a public community college in Arnold, Maryland. The college was founded in 1961 and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The community college offers letters of recognition, 4 ...
, is a student-run detachment whose members are assigned cyber-security, medical, engineering, and force protection responsibilities.
Troop Command
The MDDF Troop Command assigns members and units of the MDDF to work in tandem with the Maryland Army National Guard, Maryland Air National Guard, and Maryland Emergency Management Agency.
See also
*
Maryland Naval Militia The Maryland Naval Militia is the authorized but currently inactive unorganized naval militia of Maryland. It served as a dual federal and state military reserve force, essentially a naval and marine equivalent of the Maryland Army National Guard an ...
*
Maryland Wing Civil Air Patrol
Maryland Wing, Civil Air Patrol (abbreviated MDWG) is the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the U.S. state of Maryland. Its headquarters (HQ) is located in Granite, Maryland on the site of a former Nike Missile Base (BA-79). Granite is a ...
*
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGA, USCGAUX, CGAux, or USCG Aux) is the civilian uniformed volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard. Congress established the unit on 23 June 1939, as the United States Coast Guard Reserve ...
References
Further reading
*Cole, Merle T
Second Regiment, Infantry, Maryland State Guard: An Early State Defense Force The Journal of Military History
''The Journal of Military History'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering the military history of all times and places. It is the official journal of the Society for Military History. The journal was established in 1937 and the ed ...
.
* Fisher, Charles R
The Maryland State Guard in World War II Military Affairs.
External links
Official websiteMaryland Military Historical Society
{{State Defense Forces
Maryland Military Department
Military in Maryland
State defense forces of the United States