The
Massachusetts State Defense Force (MASDF) is one of the
State Military Forces of
Massachusetts. The guard reports directly to the State Adjutant General and is under the command of the Governor. The guard is headquartered at
Milford, Massachusetts, in the same building as the
National Guard. The director of the guard is appointed by The Adjutant General of Massachusetts (TAGMA).
The MASG is composed of volunteers who operate solely within Massachusetts and may not be called into federal service. The force has regular and auxiliary branches, with regular-branch volunteers pledging a 3-year enlistment with attendance requirements. It is headquartered in
Milford, with Regional Support Battalions located in
Reading,
Bourne,
Worcester,
Westfield and
Pittsfield.
The MASG assists the
United States National Guard forces, assumes state missions when the National Guard is deployed, provides emergency support during disasters, and assists in
color guards and funeral details.
History
Early history
The
Massachusetts General Court formed the MASG's predecessor in 1863, which served until its disbandment in 1866. It was reformed in 1898 as the Massachusetts Provisional Militia for the
Spanish-American War before again being disbanded in 1899.
In 1908, the Mass. Vol. Militia consisted of two brigades and some unattached units...
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