Maryland Defense Force
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Official seal of the Maryland Defense Force |
The
Maryland Defense Force is the
State Defense Force for the state of
Maryland,
United States. Its main mission is to provide
medical,
legal, and logistic support for the
Maryland Army National Guard and
Maryland Air National Guard. The Maryland Defense Force falls under the command of the
Governor of Maryland and the Adjudant General. It is a component of the Maryland Military Department. Their history dates back to colonial days in the
17th century but was formally established in
1917 with the mission "to protect public buildings, water supplies, and other properties. It was called Maryland State Guard. Disbanded in
1920 to make room for the National Guard to return to duties in the armories. The Maryland State Guard was reactivated in
1939 in response to Hitler's rampage in Europe. It was then deactivated in
1947.
As of
1983, Maryland State Guard was reactivated and renamed Maryland Defense Force. In
1994, Maryland Defense Force missions was expanded to
search and rescue, armory staffing, and disaster relief. As of
Sept 11, 2001, Maryland Defense Force is now tasked with its current mission to provide support to the Maryland Military Department as needed.
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