SGAUS Mission:

Support State Defense Forces

The mission of the State Guard Association of the United States (SGAUS) is to advocate for the advancement and support of regulated state military forces established by state governments under the authority of Title 32, Section 109, of the United States Code. These units are typically called state defense forces, state guards, or state military reserves and are regulated by state law and operational guidance provided by the U.S. Army’s National Guard Bureau.

• Sponsor and promote federal and state legislation in support of state military forces.
• Facilitate cooperation between state defense forces, the Department of Defense, the National Guard Bureau, and
  active/reserve federal forces.
• Establish and promote uniformed and professional state defense force standards.
• Facilitate and promote the exchange of best practices between state defense forces.
• Educate public officials and communities of the benefits of establishing and maintaining state defense forces.
• Educate public officials and communities that state defense forces established by state governments under
  the authority of 32 USC 109 are legal and professional military organizations and that they are separate from private militias.
• Support state defense force recruitment and retention programs.

References:

History of State Defense Forces: SGAUS Keynote Address by Dr. Barry Stentiford (November 2022)

National Guard Bureau Instruction – NATIONAL GUARD INTERACTION WITH STATE DEFENSE FORCES, 15 June 2017

32 USC 109 – Maintenance of other Troops

National Guard Bureau Regulation 10-4

Department of Defense House Armed Services Committee Report 108-491 (2005)

State Defense Forces and Homeland Security (2004)

George J. Stein, “State Defense Forces: The Missing Link in National Security” (1984)