Michigan Defense Force

State agency of Michigan

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Michigan Defense Force

Agency overview
Formed| 2004
Preceding agencies|

* Michigan State Troops Home Guard (1917–1952)
* Michigan Emergency Volunteers (1988–1998)

Headquarters| Lansing, Michigan
Employees| 100 officers and enlisted members
Agency executive|

* MAJ (MI) Jeff Steinport, Brigade Commander

Parent agency| Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Child agency|

* 1st - 2nd Battalions

Website| midefenseforce.us

The Michigan Defense Force (MIDF), formerly Michigan Volunteer Defense Force (MIVDF), is a military force, constituted as a state defense force and an element of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The MIDF is one of the three components of the military establishment of Michigan, along with the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.[1]

## History

[edit]

### Michigan State Troops

[edit]

Michigan's first state defense force was established as the Michigan State Troops Home Guard along with the Michigan State Troops Permanent Force in Act No. 53 Public Acts of Michigan on 17 April 1917. The Michigan State Troops organizations served on in-state active duty during World Wars I and II, and the Korean War.

### Michigan Emergency Volunteers

[edit]

The Michigan State Troops were reconstituted as the Michigan Emergency Volunteers (MEV) by Public Act 246 of 1988.[2] The MEV's original intention was for it to be a trained emergency volunteer force in case the National Guard was sent out of the state in a national emergency. The MEV was disbanded in October 1998.[3]

### Michigan Volunteer Defense Force / Michigan Defense Force

[edit]

The word volunteer has been dropped from the name.[when?] The Michigan Defense Force is the third branch of the Michigan military along with the Michigan Army National Guard and Michigan Air National Guard. All the missions and training are done in Michigan. Drills are one weekend a month and training events are usually two weeks per year, focusing on disaster response, search and rescue, first aid, military customs and courtesies, and drill and ceremony. The maximum enlistment age is 55.[4]

## Uniforms, training, and duties

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The uniform differs slightly from the Army uniform; MIDF soldiers wear the state flag on their right shoulder instead of the American flag.[5]

The MIDF is tasked with emergency management missions such as handling the reception, storage and stationing of the Strategic National Stockpile in Michigan, and supplying trained and uniformed Community Emergency Response Teams.[3]

MIDF missions have included working alongside the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in processing benefit applications for military veterans,[6] and providing disaster response aid including tree and debris removal following tornado activity.[7]

As of 2022[update], the force's mission is: to provide ready and able military forces to assist state and local authorities in times of state emergencies and to augment the Michigan Army National Guard and Michigan Air National Guard as required.[8]

## See also

[edit]

* Michigan Naval Militia
* Michigan Wing Civil Air Patrol

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Michigan Legislature". www.legislature.mi.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
2. ^ "Michigan Legislature - Section 32.651". www.legislature.mi.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
3. ^ a b Ast, William F. (20 April 2009). "State military reserve looking for local recruits". The Herald-Palladium. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
4. ^ "Frequently asked questions". Michigan Defense Force.
5. ^ Cunningham, Jeffrey (10 June 2016). "Little-known Michigan Volunteer Defense Force has local officials' backs". MLive Media Group.
6. ^ Boyd, Jason (22 August 2014). "MIVDF go above and beyond to help veterans". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
7. ^ Walker, Cryss (20 March 2019). "Tornado recovery underway". WSYM-TV. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
8. ^ "Our Mission". Michigan Defense Force.

## External links

[edit]

* Official site

* v
* t
* e

State defense forces and naval militia

State defense forces|

* Alaska State Defense Force
* California State Guard
* Connecticut State Guard
* Florida State Guard
* Georgia State Defense Force
* Indiana Guard Reserve
* Louisiana State Guard
* Maryland Defense Force
* Michigan Defense Force
* Mississippi State Guard
* New Mexico State Defense Force
* New York Guard
* Ohio Military Reserve
* Oregon Civil Defense Force
* Puerto Rico State Guard
* South Carolina State Guard
* Tennessee State Guard
* Texas State Guard
* Vermont State Guard
* Virginia Defense Force
* Washington State Guard

Naval militia|

* Alaska Naval Militia
* New York Naval Militia
* Ohio Naval Militia
* South Carolina Naval Militia
* Texas State Guard Maritime Regiment

Inactive/historical/defunct|

* Alabama State Defense Force
* Alaska Territorial Guard
* Arkansas State Guard
* Colorado State Defense Force
* Connecticut Naval Militia
* Delaware State Guard
* Florida Naval Militia
* Georgia Naval Militia
* Hawaii Naval Militia
* Hawaii Territorial Guard
* Idaho State Guard
* Illinois Naval Militia
* Illinois Reserve Militia
* Indiana Naval Militia
* Iowa State Guard
* Kansas State Guard
* Kentucky Active Militia
* Louisiana Naval Militia
* Maine State Guard
* Maryland Naval Militia
* Massachusetts Naval Militia
* Massachusetts State Defense Force
* Michigan Naval Militia
* Minnesota Naval Militia
* Minnesota State Guard
* Missouri Naval Militia
* Missouri State Defense Force
* Nebraska State Guard
* New Hampshire State Guard
* New Jersey Naval Militia
* New Jersey State Guard
* North Carolina Naval Militia
* North Carolina State Defense Militia
* Oklahoma State Guard
* Oregon Naval Militia
* Pennsylvania State Guard
* Pennsylvania Navy
* Rhode Island Naval Militia
* Rhode Island State Guard
* South Dakota State Guard
* Utah State Defense Force
* Washington Naval Militia
* Wisconsin Naval Militia
* Wisconsin State Defense Force

* v
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Michigan state agencies

* Government of Michigan

Principal
departments|

* Agriculture and Rural Development
* Attorney General
* Civil Rights
* Corrections
* Education
* Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
* Health and Human Services
* Insurance and Financial Services
* Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
* Military and Veterans Affairs
* Natural Resources
* State
* State Police
* Labor and Economic Opportunity
* Technology, Management and Budget
* Transportation
* Treasury

Current
units|

* Civil Service Commission
* Economic Development Corporation
* Gaming Control Board
* Geological Survey
* State Historic Preservation Office
* State Housing Development Authority
* Liquor Control Commission
* Mackinac Bridge Authority
* Mackinac Island State Park Commission
* Michigan Lottery
* Occupational Safety and Health Administration
* Public Service Commission
* Office of Retirement Services
* State Transportation Commission
* Veterans Affairs Agency
* Volunteer Defense Force

Former
departments|

* Department of History, Arts and Libraries
* Department of Information Technology
* Railroad Commission

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