State Guards in USA?

[Adm.Lee]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

So in the US, Guards are essentially little more than wannabes with time on their hands or emergency volunteers who may carry weapons?
Can somebody shed more light on what they're actually for and what they can and can't do?

That's about what I've heard about the Ohio State Guard, but I may be confusing them with the Unorganized Militia. I'm told the SG is authorized 4 MP battalions, but I've not heard much more about them. They are supposed to be the Governor's troops to call up if/when the Guard is called up. The Unorganized Militia is a constitutional holdover from the musket days, and every able-bodied male in the state is considered a member.

There is an Ohio Naval Militia, but all I've heard about them is that they keep ships and boaters away from Camp Perry during the shooting events. The shooting ranges apparently have their backstops against Lake Erie, thus the desire to keep beery fishermen from getting shot by strays.

If the governor is serious about working on-- and funding-- "his" guard between mobilization (presumably some time in 1996-97) and the TDM, they might turn out to be credible crowd-control forces. Otherwise, yuck.