State Militias

State militias are organized military forces maintained by individual U.S. states, separate from the federal military. Historically, they served as local defense units, and today they primarily include National Guard units that can be called into state service for emergencies like natural disasters or public safety concerns. Under federal law, they can also be activated for national defense, working alongside the U.S. military. These militias provide states with a trained force capable of responding to various emergencies while maintaining a legal and organizational distinction from the regular armed forces.