The Virginia Defense Force (VDF) is the official

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. ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, one of the three components of Virginia's state military along with the

Virginia National Guard The Virginia National Guard consists of the Virginia Army National Guard and the Virginia Air National Guard. It is part of the Government of Virginia though the National Guard across the United States is mostly funded by the federal government ...

which includes the

Virginia Army National Guard The Virginia Army National Guard is composed of approximately 7000 soldiers and maintains 46 armories in communities throughout Virginia. The Governor may call individuals or units of the Virginia National Guard into state service during emerg ...

, the Virginia Air National Guard, and the unorganized militia. As of 2019, the VDF has approximately 250 soldiers. The VDF is the descendant of the Virginia State Guard, the

Virginia Regiment The Virginia Regiment was formed in 1754 by Virginia's Royal Governor Robert Dinwiddie, as a provincial corps. The regiment served in the French and Indian War, with members participating in actions at Jumonville Glen and Fort Necessity in 1754, ...

, and ultimately the Colonial Virginia militia of the

Virginia Colony The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colonial empire, English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertG ...

. The Virginia Defense Force Command is headquartered at the historic Old City Hall, but drills out of the Waller Armory in

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

. State law allows the command to grow to as many as 7,800 troops to be activated in the VDF when necessary by a call out by the Governor. The VDF is all-volunteer unless activated to "Active Duty" status and augmented by unorganized militia draftees by the

Governor of Virginia The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022. Oath of office On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...

. The federal government authorizes purely state-level forces under which provides that state forces as a whole may not be called, ordered, or drafted into the

armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

of the United States, thus preserving their separation from the National Guard. However, under the same law, individual members serving in state-level forces are not exempt from service in the armed forces by nature of serving in a state defense force. But, under 32 USC § 109(e) "A person may not become a member of a defense force if he is a member of a reserve component of the armed forces." However, officer or soldiers placed on the retired roll of the Active Army or Reserve components, are eligible, with prior approval from the Governor, to transfer their commission to a military command within that State, and continue to serve at present or higher rank.

History

In 1607, the Virginia Militia was formed as a part of the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

system in order to provide an organized defense against attacks and to give the Governor a body of men capable of bringing order during a disaster. The

Indian massacre of 1622 The Indian massacre of 1622, popularly known as the Jamestown massacre, took place in the English Colony of Virginia, in what is now the United States, on 22 March 1622. John Smith, though he had not been in Virginia since 1609 and was not an ey ...

took place in the

Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colonial empire, English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertG ...

, when Chief

Opechancanough Opechancanough (; 1554–1646)Rountree, Helen C. Pocahontas, Powhatan, ''Opechancanough: Three Indian Lives Changed by Jamestown.'' University of Virginia Press: Charlottesville, 2005 was paramount chief of the Tsenacommacah, Powhatan Confed ...

led the

Powhatan Confederacy The Powhatan people (; also spelled Powatan) may refer to any of the indigenous Algonquian people that are traditionally from eastern Virginia. All of the Powhatan groups descend from the Powhatan Confederacy. In some instances, The Powhatan ...

in a coordinated series of surprise attacks; they killed a total of 347 people, a quarter of the population of the Virginia colony. Soon after in 1623, the Governor, Sir

Francis Wyatt Sir Francis Wyatt (1588–1644) was an English nobleman, knight, politician, and government official. He was the first English royal governor of Virginia. He sailed for America on 1 August 1621 on board the ''George''. He became governor shortl ...

, dictated that all men in the Virginia Militia must drill every month on their county court house green. He also appointed officers to lead the Militia for the first time. By 1676, the Virginia Militia had responded to numerous Indian raids and had served during

Bacon's Rebellion Bacon's Rebellion was an armed rebellion held by Colony of Virginia, Virginia settlers that took place from 1676 to 1677. It was led by Nathaniel Bacon (Virginia colonist), Nathaniel Bacon against List of colonial governors of Virginia, Colon ...

. As the

18th century The 18th century lasted from January 1, 1701 ( MDCCI) to December 31, 1800 ( MDCCC). During the 18th century, elements of Enlightenment thinking culminated in the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions. During the century, slave trad ...

evolved into a near continuous war between the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and French Empires, and due to wars with Indian tribes and French incursions to the west of the colony, The

was formed by Governor Dinwiddie in 1754 out of the Virginia Militia. It was the first all professional colonial regiment ever raised in the New World and thus given status of a regular British Army regiment during the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754� ...

. Its officers were often unpaid volunteers and they would provide a corps to serve as Aides de Camp to the Commanding Generals of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

as well as fighting forces. Colonel

Joshua Fry Colonel Joshua Fry (1699–1754) was an English-born American adventurer who became a professor, then real estate investor and local official in the colony of Virginia. Although he served several terms in the House of Burgesses, he may be best kn ...

was selected as the first commander and

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

as its Lt. Colonel. Washington became its Colonel in 1755 and established the command at

Winchester, Virginia Winchester is the most north western independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Frederick County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Winchester wit ...

. The regiment was a hybrid and included soldiers of "foote, rangers and mounted" and fought in the southern battles of the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

. Its colors were retired in 1758 and members were returned to the Virginia Militia. As the revolutionary spirit spread across the new nation, the

House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses was the elected representative element of the Virginia General Assembly, the legislative body of the Colony of Virginia. With the creation of the House of Burgesses in 1642, the General Assembly, which had been established ...

reconstituted the Virginia Regiment and expanded it dramatically. Further, it was determined that the standard Militia unit needed to institutionalize separate mounted troops. In 1776, the State reorganized the Virginia Regiment into ten regiments of infantry called "The

Virginia Line The Virginia Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "Virginia Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Virginia at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together with similar contingents ...

", and organized the first mounted infantry unit called the Virginia Light Horse Regiment. Colonel Theodorick Bland, a Virginia Militia officer was tasked to form, out of the Militia, this mounted regiment. In turn, it was commanded by Lt. Colonel

Henry Lee III Henry Lee III (January 29, 1756 – March 25, 1818) was an early American Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot and U.S. politician who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia United States House of Representatives, Repres ...

or "Light Horse Harry", father of General Robert E. Lee of the Union and Confederate Armies. In the summer of 1776, Bland and Lee organized The Virginia Light Horse regiment. This unit was predominantly led by the aristocracy of Virginia and made up of the wealthy

planters Planters Nut & Chocolate Company is an American snack food company now owned by Hormel Foods. Planters is best known for its processed nuts and for the Mr. Peanut icon that symbolizes them. Mr. Peanut was created by grade schooler Antonio Gentil ...

and merchants sons. The Virginia Light Horse was by November of that year brought into

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

service and was re-designated the

1st Continental Light Dragoons The 1st Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Bland's Horse, was a mounted regiment of the Continental Army organized between 13 June and 10 September 1776 in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was made up of men from eastern and northern Virgini ...

. Troops 1 & 2 were stood up outside of

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, troops 3 & 4 were stood up in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, and 5th & 6th troops were assigned to the Virginia Regiment/Line as it assumed Federal military duties. Henry Lee, a Virginia militia Captain, was commissioned by Congress in 1776 to form 5th Troop. 5th Troop took over 6th Troop and evolved over the years into Lee's Legion and later into the 2nd Partisan Corps; it was the primary cavalry force in the Southern Campaign and was on active duty until its colors were retired in 1783, again at

. In 1846, the main county units mustered for service in the Mexican War, but the requirements on the Virginia Regiment did not have them actually deploy west and they were sent back to their homes and colors cased again in 1848. These units formed the nucleus of the Virginia Divisions of the Confederacy in the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

; and though little activity took place during the reconstruction period, the Virginia troops again mustered for service in the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

. These troops were incorporated in the 2nd U.S. Virginia Volunteer Cavalry and Infantry in 1898/99, but were not deployed and stood down in 1901, except the Fourth Virginia Infantry, Fourth Regiment Volunteers (Norfolk, mustered May 20, 1898) sent from the United States for service in

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

. 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 ...

, the Virginia State Volunteers (later renamed the Virginia Volunteers) were organized as a state defense force to support civil authorities from 1917 to 1921. The group guarded bridges, waterways, fuel storage areas, and public buildings and facilities during the war years, armed with surplus weapons dating back to 1876. Due to the possibility of imminent American involvement in

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 ...

, Governor

Price A price is the (usually not negative) quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services. In some situations, the price of production has a different name. If the product is a "good" in the c ...

ordered the establishment of the Virginia Protective Force on January 2, 1941. The force executed the stateside duties of the National Guard until disbandment in 1947. Virginia Defense Force conducts a Change of Unit Designation Ceremony

Virginia Defense Force conducts a Change of Unit Designation Ceremony

Various units were activated and deactivated during the 1960s as crowd control units during the protests in Washington, D.C. In 1983, a change in the post-Civil War Constitution of Virginia allowed the Commonwealth to permanently re-activate the

pursuant to federal law under Title 32 Section 109 of the U.S. Code regarding the re-formation of state guard units. It was modernized and brought into line with the standards of the U.S. Army regulation concerning Guard and Reserve forces. The newly reorganized command was established as the Virginia Defense Force, commanded by a Major General, subordinate the Governor of Virginia, and directly assigned to the Adjutant General's forces as an element of the Virginia Department of Military Affairs. To date, it is one of a few US military units that can claim battle participation for campaigns and wars that took place prior to the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the ...

in 1776. The Virginia Regiment (now the VDF) can also claim participation alongside such storied regiments as the 44th and 48th Infantry regiments (now

Royal Anglian Regiment The Royal Anglian Regiment (R ANGLIAN) is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It consists of two Regular battalions and one Reserve battalion. The modern regiment was formed in 1964, making it the oldest of the Line Regiments now operating i ...

), and the

Queen's Royal Hussars The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish) (QRH) is a British armoured regiment. It was formed on 1 September 1993 from the amalgamation of the Queen's Own Hussars and the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars. The regiment and its antece ...

of the

, and the 5th Regiment de Hussards, 2d Regiment de Dragoons, and 12th Cuirassier Regiment (France) of the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...

due to the campaigns of the 18th century. In March 2020, elements of the Virginia Defense Force were activated to assist in Virginia's

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

response with medical and logistics planning.

Mission

The mission of the VDF is by the Code of Virginia to support the Virginia National Guard at the following times # Provide for an adequately trained organized reserve militia to assume control of Virginia National Guard facilities and to secure any federal and state property left in place in the event of the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard. # Assist in the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard. # Support the Virginia National Guard in providing family assistance to military dependents within the Commonwealth in the event of the mobilization of the National Guard. # Provide a military force to respond to the call of the Governor in those circumstances described i
§ 44-75.1

Membership

Applicants to the VDF must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to obtain membership: * Legal Resident of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia * A valid Social Security number * Age 16 to 65 (Minors require written consent of parent or legal guardian.) * Physical ability to perform in any assigned billet * No felony convictions * Good moral character

Uniforms

210808-Z-A3554-0001 - Captain Gay of the Virginia Defense Force

Members of the VDF wear an "M81" woodland-camouflaged version of the Army Combat Uniform (ACU). Officers wear the standard "blues" uniform for dress functions, and the regular Army "Mess Dress" for formal functions. The modifications are brass/gold rank, the Virginia state flag and distinctive unit insignia on the chest pocket. The VDF wear OD green name tags with black lettering, as well as subdued division patches like standard Army issue uniforms. The VDF no longer uses the abbreviation VaDF or State Guard. The command and control is the Department of Military Affairs, Commonwealth of Virginia; or the Virginia Defense Force. Virginia Defense Force Shelter Augmentation Liaison Team

Virginia Defense Force Shelter Augmentation Liaison Team

Functionality

The creation of a state defense force by a state is authorized by 32 USC 109 (c). Title 44-54 of the Virginia Code sets the targeted membership of the Virginia Defense Force at 1,200 members. Activation is by an executive order of the Governor in the event of an emergency; or the President if there is a declaration of a disaster area. Virginia Defense Force talks to National Guardsman

Virginia Defense Force talks to National Guardsman

Title 44–54.12, although providing for the use of armories and other state lands for Defense Force purposes, specifically prohibits members of the Defense Force from training with firearms, without the specific instruction/authorization of the Governor. The Defense Force is evolving into a Civil Affairs command and will provide training in military related specialties such as communication, infrastructure restoration, public shelters, traffic control, and unarmed security missions. VDF companies and battalions are self-training but conduct annual training as a division every year at Ft. Pickett, Virginia. Many of the VDF members have conducted training with

FEMA The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...

, NIMS, ICS, the

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

Virginia State Police The Virginia State Police, officially the Virginia Department of State Police, conceived in 1919 and established in 1932, is the state police force for the U.S. state of Virginia. The agency originated out of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehi ...

, as well as meeting the requirements of

SGAUS The State Guard Association of the United States (SGAUS) is a non-profit organization advocating for the advancement and support of regulated state military forces, as established by state governments under the authority of federal law. The SGAUS ...

. During the

Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

, the VDF was tasked with securing vacated armories, maintaining equipment, and providing support to families of deployed troops.

The VDF maintains several Shelter Augmentation Liaison Teams (SALT), with each team consisting of three VDF members who serve as liaisons between the

and the

in the event that the National Guard is deployed to take over shelter management from the police during a stateside emergency. During a deployment, the teams will deploy with the state police, note the practices and procedures put in place, and brief the National Guard on these procedures when the National Guard arrive so as to provide a smooth transition in the change of command. The Virginia Military Advisory Council is the Defense Force's link to a higher authority and the staff of the Adjutant General of Virginia. For 2011, the budget passed by the Virginia Legislature allocated to the Virginia Defense Force about $240,000.

Reorganization and Consolidation

Virginia Defense Force and National Guard communications exercise

Prior to 2014 the Virginia Defense Force command structure consisted of a single

Light infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

division, the George Washington Division, with its headquarters and attached Military Policy Company and Communications Battalion operating out of the Virginia National Guard Headquarters (formerly at the Dove Street Armory in Richmond, Virginia) as command and control overseeing five

Regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

s, each consisting of two or more

companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...

, representing regions across the Commonwealth. After a major force-wide reorganization by the end of 2013 several units had been dissolved including the Aviation Battalion, Riverine Detachment, and Military Police Battalion. By 2015 the 5th Regiment, based out of

Gate City, Virginia Gate City is a town in Scott County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,034 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Scott County. Gate City is part of the Kingsport– Bristol (TN)– Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistica ...

, was consolidated into the 4th Regiment as 'C Company' and the 3rd Regiment, based in Winchester, Virginia, was relocated to Richmond as a reserve regiment. As a result of the force-wide reorganization the Virginia Defense Force's headquarters, now termed "Force Headquarters", was moved to Waller Depot in Richmond, Virginia. On September 29, 2019 the Virginia Defense Force consolidated its remaining four regiments into a single regiment, the 1st Regiment. In a ceremony at Ft. Pickett, the 2nd Regiment in Manassas, the 3rd Regiment (Reserve) in Richmond, and the 4th Regiment in Lynchburg were stood down while the 1st Regiment was stood up as a single consolidated command. According to Brigadier General (VA) Justin P. Carlitti, Commanding General of the VDF, the consolidation was conducted in an effort to improve the unit's agility, morale, and reduce workloads as well as position the VDF as whole for future growth in both its mission and size.

Units

VDF is designed a force multiplier for the

. As of 2020 the command structure of the VDF is organized as a single

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

consisting of six line companies located in Fairfax, Warrenton, Winchester, Virginia Beach, Lynchburg, and Cedar Bluff, with each company made of

platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may range ...

s focused on civil support security and communications. Previously known as Force Protection units, civil support security platoons provide capabilities such as traffic management, access control, gate sentry and vehicle searches, and the communications platoons utilize HF radios and tactical communication packages for data and voice messaging as well as incident management.

Current Units (2019 - present)

The major units of the VDF and where they are headquartered are: * VDF Headquarters:

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

* 1st Regiment ** HHC:

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

** A Company:

Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. First settled in 1757 by ferry owner John Lynch (1740–1820), John Lynch, the city's populati ...

** B Company:

Warrenton, Virginia Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, of which it is the seat of government. The population was 9,611 at the 2010 census, up from 6,670 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2019 was 10,027. It is at the junction of U.S. R ...

**C Company:

**D Company:

Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...

**E Company:

Fairfax, Virginia The City of Fairfax ( ), colloquially known as Fairfax City, Downtown Fairfax, Old Town Fairfax, Fairfax Courthouse, FFX, or simply Fairfax, is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth ...

**F Company:

Cedar Bluff, Virginia Cedar Bluff is a town in Tazewell County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,139 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area, which has a population of 107,578. History Cedar Bluff is a 19th-century mil ...

* Communications Battalion: Lynchburg

Former Units

VDF Aviation Battalion

The Virginia Defense Force maintained an aviation battalion with companies in the

Hampton Roads Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's ...

area,

Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

, and Danville. The Virginia State Guard organization of World War II also once had a "Flying Corps" of several squadrons, but these were all eventually absorbed into the

Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol The Virginia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the state of Virginia. Virginia Wing headquarters are located in Richmond, Virginia. The Virginia Wing consists of over 2,000 cadet and adult members at ...

(CAP). The VDF's Aviation Battalion maintained fifteen privately owned aircraft, and conducted damage assessment, aerial reconnaissance, and search and rescue missions. The Aviation Battalion assisted the

DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic en ...

with counter-drug trafficking reconnaissance in rural and remote areas of Virginia. The Aviation Battalion was dissolved in the wake of the VDF's major reorganization in the fall of 2013.

VDF
Riverine A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
Detachment

The Virginia Defense Force maintained a riverine detachment which was capable of conducting inland aquatic

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 ...

operations as well as transport and security operations. The Riverine Detachment was dissolved in the spring of 2013. The RD, as an (unofficial) part of the naval militia of the state, formerly carried the traditions of the

Virginia State Navy A Virginia State Navy (or Virginia Navy) existed twice. During the American Revolutionary War, the provisional government of the Virginia Colony authorized the purchase, outfitting, and manning of armed vessels to protect the colony's waters fro ...

VDF Military Police

The Virginia Defense Force

Military Police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear recon ...

operated less-than-lethal security missions. The Military Police trained in such subjects as command post security,

first responder A first responder is a person with specialized training who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance or incident resolution at the scene of an emergency, such as an accident, disaster, medical emergency, structure fire, crime, or terr ...

training, incident management, traffic control, crowd control, riot control, vehicle checkpoints, vehicle and personal searches, military assistance and civil disorders,

baton Baton may refer to: Stick-like objects *Baton, a type of club *Baton (law enforcement) *Baston (weapon), a type of baton used in Arnis and Filipino Martial Arts *Baton charge, a coordinated tactic for dispersing crowds of people *Baton (conductin ...

and other skills that were necessary to ensure the safety of the personnel of the VDF and citizens of the Commonwealth. The MP Company, and subsequently MP Battalion, was a Commonwealth of Virginia Law Enforcement agency until its dissolution in a major force-wide reorganization in the fall of 2013, and some of its former personnel have been re-designated as HQ Security and Access Control Teams for their respective regiments.

VDF 2nd Regiment

The 2nd Regiment, previously headquartered in Manassas was responsible for Northern Virginia with A Company operating in Manassas and Fairfax and B Company operating in Fredericksburg and Bowling Green with a detachment in Warrenton and Culpeper.

VDF 3rd Regiment

Originally the 3rd Regiment's headquarters and A Company were based in Winchester with B Company in Leesburg and C Company in Charlottesville, the previous reorganization left the 3rd Regiment in a Reserve status and relocated to Richmond. It was stood down in a ceremony on September 29, 2019 at Ft. Pickett.

VDF 4th Regiment

The 4th Regiment, headquartered in Lynchburg with three companies garrisoned in Bedford (A Company), Lynchburg (B Company), and Gate City / Pulaski (C Company, remnants of the 5th Regiment) respectively, was stood down in a ceremony at Ft. Pickett on September 29, 2019.

VDF 5th Regiment

The Virginia Defense Force 5th Regiment, originally based out of Gate City, was de-activated in 2015, and its remaining companies, detachments, personnel, and materials were then absorbed into the 4th Regiment, where its made up the 4th Regiment's Company C.

Legal protection

The Code of Virginia guarantees that members of the Virginia 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. However, members employed out of state or by the Federal government do not enjoy such protections.

Virginia Defense Force awards

The following ribbons and medals are awarded to members of the Virginia Defense Force: * Life Saving Medal (LSM) * Distinguished Service Ribbon (DSM) * Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) * Commendation Medal (CM) * Military Commendation Certificate Ribbon (MCR) * Active Service Ribbon (ASR) * VDF Service Medal (VDFSR/VSR) * Community Service Ribbon of the VDF