State Guards Aid in Strengthening Homeland Security
By: U.S. Congressman Lincoln Davis

Increased responsibilities for Homeland Security initiatives/duties, coupled with the deployment of our National Guard forces in various theaters of the War on Terrorism, has raised the need for improving our states' ability to provide support and reserve forces for our National Guard. During the past year, 3,700 Tennessee National Guard troops have been activated for defense or security operations in the state, the country, or somewhere around the world. What if all of our National Guardsmen were called away on active duty? Who could the Governor call?

I have introduced a bill with Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), the State Defense Force Improvement Act of 2003, which seeks to strengthen America's current twenty authorized defense forces and encourages states without defense forces to initiate the state controlled military reserve units.

Tennessee is one of those twenty states with a state defense force, otherwise known as State Guards. In 1985, the Tennessee Defense Force was created to provide a trained and organized military reserve force that would provide service to the state when the National Guard was under federal control or otherwise on a mission for the Governor and unable to perform certain duties. The Tennessee State Guard is an all volunteer organization with no federal mission. Most members of the State Guard have previous military experience and are dedicated to serving their state and country. Being that guard members are volunteers, these forces provide this benefit at no cost to the federal government and negligible cost to state government. State Guard troops receive no pay while engaged in training and support activities and receive standard military pay grades only if called to state active duty. These forces constitute the most cost-effective force in our nation's defense and homeland security efforts. State Guards are exclusively under state-control and commanded by our Governors and Adjutants Generals, nevertheless they are responsible for full coordination with and support of our National Guard under joint federal-state command and regulation.

This unique structure has led to some confusion as to what degree the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security can and should coordinate with these units in terms of supply, training, and mission determination. The State Defense Force Improvement Act will clarify these questions. Through this legislation, the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security are fully cleared to coordinate with state defense forces, and use these resources in defending our homeland against terrorism and natural disaster.

In the process, the readiness levels and public recognition of State Defense Forces will be dramatically increased through improved and standardized training and certi fication, better access to supplies and field training opportunities, and elimination of burdensome costly regulations that have developed over the years through lack of federal legislative clarity.

The State Guard reserve forces located in the 4th Congressional District include: 203rd Infantry Battalion in Columbia, 205th Infantry Battalion in Centerville, 303rd Military Police Battalion in Jacksboro, 305th Infantry Battalion in Rockwood, and the 403rd Infantry Battalion in McMinnville.

Davis, a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure, Science and Agriculture Committees, is a Major in the Tennessee State Guard.