The New Jersey State Guard, previously known as the New Jersey State Militia, is the inactive
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.
...
of New Jersey, and is one of
New Jersey's authorized military forces. The State Guard served as the stateside replacement for the
New Jersey National Guard
The New Jersey Army National Guard consists of more than 6,000 Citizen-Soldiers. The New Jersey Army National Guard is currently engaged in multiple worldwide and homeland missions. Units have deployed to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Germ ...
during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
when the National Guard was deployed abroad.
The New Jersey State Guard, along with the
New Jersey National Guard
The New Jersey Army National Guard consists of more than 6,000 Citizen-Soldiers. The New Jersey Army National Guard is currently engaged in multiple worldwide and homeland missions. Units have deployed to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Germ ...
and the
New Jersey Naval Militia
The New Jersey Naval Militia (NJNM) is the inactive naval militia of the state of New Jersey. As a portion of the New Jersey organized militia, it existed as an active entity from 1895 to 1963 and again from 1999 to 2002. The Naval Militia was stoo ...
, is recognized as a component of the organized militia of New Jersey.
History
World War I
On 22 March 1917, the state of New Jersey authorized a State Militia to respond to emergencies and provide reinforcements to local law enforcement in the event of a riot or disorder. Ultimately, the New Jersey State Militia reached a strength of 36
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
companies, two machine gun companies, and seven bands, all organized into seven
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
s, with a total numerical strength of over 3,250 officers and men. Each county in the state had at least one company and one platoon stationed within its borders. The State Militia was armed by the federal government. In addition to the New Jersey State Militia, the state incorporated local home guard units, which were locally armed and equipped by various individual cities, into the state's military command structure by designating such units as a part of the New Jersey State Militia Reserve. These additional forces were given official legislative recognition in 1918, and by 30 June 1918, consisted of 84 units of Home Guard, with a total strength of 6,420 men.
World War II
The New Jersey State Guard was reactivated in 1941 by executive order.
By the end of December 1941, the New Jersey State Guard was on continuous duty.
During World War II, the State Guard was charged primarily with the protection of vital installations, such as bridges, reservoirs, and power plants. By 1945, the State Guard had reached aggregate strength of 2,076 officers and enlisted men, with over 10,000 men serving the State Guard from 1941 through 1945.
The turnover rate was extremely high; between 1 January 1942 and 30 April 1943, the State Guard, which had an authorized strength of 2,100, lost 946 members to the draft. The State Guard's composition also varied due to desegregation. In 1943, Senator
William Warren Barbour
William Warren Barbour (July 31, 1888November 22, 1943) was an American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate from 1931 to 1937 and again from 1938 until his death in office in 1943. He was also a bus ...
lobbied for a racially mixed State Guard. Ultimately,
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Alfred E. Driscoll
Alfred Eastlack Driscoll (October 25, 1902 – March 9, 1975) was an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey Senate (1939–1941) representing Camden County, who served as the 43rd governor of New Jersey, and as ...
eventually ordered racial integration within the New Jersey State Guard.
Legal status
Each state has the legal authority to maintain its own state defense force, as recognized by the federal government of the United States under Title 32, Section 109 of the
United States Code
In the law of the United States, the Code of Laws of the United States of America (variously abbreviated to Code of Laws of the United States, United States Code, U.S. Code, U.S.C., or USC) is the official compilation and codification of the ...
. Twenty-three states and the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporate ...
currently maintain state defense forces. Under New Jersey law, the New Jersey State Guard as a part of the organized militia may be organized, maintained and disbanded at the discretion of the Governor at any time when additional defense forces are required and such action is not prohibited by Federal and State laws and regulations.
See also
*
New Jersey Wing Civil Air Patrol
The New Jersey Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the state of New Jersey. New Jersey Wing headquarters are located at the McGuire AFB entity of Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst. New Jersey Wing c ...
References
{{State Defense Forces
State defense forces of the United States
Military in New Jersey