{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/44-54.4.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/44-54.4.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/44-54.4.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/44-54.4.html"}],"law_id":65677,"edition_id":1,"section_id":65677,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.4","catch_line":"Organization; definitions","history":"1989, c. 414; 2011, cc. 572, 586; 2016, c. 614.","full_text":"The Virginia Defense Force with a targeted membership of at least 1,200 shall be organized within and subject to the control of the Department of Military Affairs.\n\t\tWhen called to state active duty, the mission of the Virginia Defense Force shall be to (i) provide for an adequately trained organized reserve militia to assume control of Virginia National Guard facilities and to secure any federal and state property left in place in the event of the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard, (ii) assist in the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard, (iii) support the Virginia National Guard in providing family assistance to military dependents within the Commonwealth in the event of the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard, and (iv) provide a military force to respond to the call of the Governor in those circumstances described in \u00a7 44-75.1.\n\t\tNothing in this article shall be construed as authorizing the Virginia Defense Force or any part thereof to be called, ordered or in any manner drafted by federal authorities into the military service of the United States. However, no person by reason of his enlistment or appointment in the Virginia Defense Force shall be exempted from military service under any law of the United States.\n\t\tMembers of the Virginia Defense Force may serve in either of the following duty statuses:\n\n1\n\n“Training duty,” which is the normal service and training performed by the Virginia Defense Force in order to be prepared for state active duty, and which includes but is not limited to organization, administration, recruiting, maintenance of equipment, armory drills, annual duty training, and training exercises.2\n\n“State active duty,” which is the performance of actual military service for the Commonwealth when called by the Governor or his designee to active duty in service of the Commonwealth in accordance with Article 7 (§ 44-75.1 et seq.).\n\t\t\t“Military duty” and “military service,” as used in this title, shall include the activities of the members of the Virginia Defense Force while in training duty and state active duty status.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":238713,"text":"The Virginia Defense Force with a targeted membership of at least 1,200 shall be organized within and subject to the control of the Department of Military Affairs.\n\t\tWhen called to state active duty, the mission of the Virginia Defense Force shall be to (i) provide for an adequately trained organized reserve militia to assume control of Virginia National Guard facilities and to secure any federal and state property left in place in the event of the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard, (ii) assist in the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard, (iii) support the Virginia National Guard in providing family assistance to military dependents within the Commonwealth in the event of the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard, and (iv) provide a military force to respond to the call of the Governor in those circumstances described in \u00a7 44-75.1.\n\t\tNothing in this article shall be construed as authorizing the Virginia Defense Force or any part thereof to be called, ordered or in any manner drafted by federal authorities into the military service of the United States. However, no person by reason of his enlistment or appointment in the Virginia Defense Force shall be exempted from military service under any law of the United States.\n\t\tMembers of the Virginia Defense Force may serve in either of the following duty statuses:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":238714,"text":"“Training duty,” which is the normal service and training performed by the Virginia Defense Force in order to be prepared for state active duty, and which includes but is not limited to organization, administration, recruiting, maintenance of equipment, armory drills, annual duty training, and training exercises.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":238715,"text":"“State active duty,” which is the performance of actual military service for the Commonwealth when called by the Governor or his designee to active duty in service of the Commonwealth in accordance with Article 7 (§ 44-75.1 et seq.).\n\t\t\t“Military duty” and “military service,” as used in this title, shall include the activities of the members of the Virginia Defense Force while in training duty and state active duty status.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15482,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Defense Force","identifier":"4.2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13447,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:55:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:55:23","permalink":{"id":222045,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15482,"identifier":"4.2","token":"44\/1\/4.2","url":"\/44\/1\/4.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13447,"edition_id":1,"name":"Military Laws of Virginia","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13446,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:54","permalink":{"id":221551,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13447,"identifier":"1","token":"44\/1","url":"\/44\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13446,"edition_id":1,"name":"Military and Emergency Laws","identifier":"44","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:54","permalink":{"id":221549,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13446,"identifier":"44","token":"44","url":"\/44\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":70776,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.10","catch_line":"Discipline","url":"\/44-54.10\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.10","metadata":false},{"id":73890,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.11","catch_line":"Discharge; dismissal","url":"\/44-54.11\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.11","metadata":false},{"id":83530,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.12","catch_line":"Arms, equipment and facilities","url":"\/44-54.12\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.12","metadata":false},{"id":65677,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.4","catch_line":"Organization; definitions","url":"\/44-54.4\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.4","metadata":false},{"id":58985,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.5","catch_line":"Composition of units","url":"\/44-54.5\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.5","metadata":false},{"id":59635,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.6","catch_line":"Members, appointment and enlistment","url":"\/44-54.6\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.6","metadata":false},{"id":69855,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.7","catch_line":"Regulations","url":"\/44-54.7\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.7","metadata":false},{"id":71059,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.8","catch_line":"Administration of oaths","url":"\/44-54.8\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.8","metadata":false},{"id":74238,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.9","catch_line":"Uniform; rank in precedence; command","url":"\/44-54.9\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83530,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.12","catch_line":"Arms, equipment and facilities","url":"\/44-54.12\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.12","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":58985,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.5","catch_line":"Composition of units","url":"\/44-54.5\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.5","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/44-54.4\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1989. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 414 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1989 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2011, chapters 572<\/a> and 586<\/a>; in 2016, chapter 614<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":84228,"section_number":"58.1-3506","catch_line":"Other classifications of tangible personal property for taxation","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-3506\/"},{"id":79344,"section_number":"65.2-103","catch_line":"Coverage of members of the Virginia National Guard or Virginia Defense Force during response to orders","order_by":null,"url":"\/65.2-103\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":69493,"section_number":"44-75.1","catch_line":"Militia state active duty","order_by":null,"url":"\/44-75.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":222059,"object_type":"law","relational_id":65677,"identifier":"44-54.4","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.4","url":"\/44-54.4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/44-54.4\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.4","dublin_core":{"Title":"Organization; definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 44-54.4","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Virginia Defense Force with a targeted membership of at least 1,200 shall be organized within and subject to the control of the Department of Military Affairs.\n\t\tWhen called to state active duty, the mission of the Virginia Defense Force shall be to (i) provide for an adequately trained organized reserve militia to assume control of Virginia National Guard facilities and to secure any federal and state property left in place in the event of the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard, (ii) assist in the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard, (iii) support the Virginia National Guard in providing family assistance to military dependents within the Commonwealth in the event of the mobilization of the Virginia National Guard, and (iv) provide a military force to respond to the call of the Governor in those circumstances described in \u00a7 44-75.1<\/a>.\n\t\tNothing in this article shall be construed as authorizing the Virginia Defense Force or any part thereof to be called, ordered or in any manner drafted by federal authorities into the military service of the United States. However, no person by reason of his enlistment or appointment in the Virginia Defense Force shall be exempted from military service under any law<\/span> of the United States.\n\t\tMembers of the Virginia Defense Force may serve in either of the following duty statuses:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> “Training duty,” which is the normal service and training performed by the Virginia Defense Force in order<\/span> to be prepared for state active duty, and which includes but is not limited to organization, administration, recruiting, maintenance of equipment, armory drills, annual duty training, and training exercises. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> “State active duty,” which is the performance of actual military service for the Commonwealth when called by the Governor or his designee to active duty in service of the Commonwealth in accordance with Article 7 (§ 44-75.1<\/a> et seq.).\n\t\t\t“Military duty<\/span>” and “military service,” as used in this title, shall include the activities of the members of the Virginia Defense Force while in training duty and state active duty status. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nORGANIZATION; DEFINITIONS (\u00a7 44-54.4)\n\nThe Virginia Defense Force with a targeted membership of at least 1,200 shall be\norganized within and subject to the control of the Department of Military\nAffairs.\n\t\tWhen called to state active duty, the mission of the Virginia Defense Force\nshall be to (i) provide for an adequately trained organized reserve militia to\nassume control of Virginia National Guard facilities and to secure any federal\nand state property left in place in the event of the mobilization of the\nVirginia National Guard, (ii) assist in the mobilization of the Virginia\nNational Guard, (iii) support the Virginia National Guard in providing family\nassistance to military dependents within the Commonwealth in the event of the\nmobilization of the Virginia National Guard, and (iv) provide a military force\nto respond to the call of the Governor in those circumstances described in \u00a7\n44-75.1.\n\t\tNothing in this article shall be construed as authorizing the Virginia Defense\nForce or any part thereof to be called, ordered or in any manner drafted by\nfederal authorities into the military service of the United States. However, no\nperson by reason of his enlistment or appointment in the Virginia Defense Force\nshall be exempted from military service under any law of the United States.\n\t\tMembers of the Virginia Defense Force may serve in either of the following\nduty statuses:\n\n1. “Training duty,” which is the normal service and training\nperformed by the Virginia Defense Force in order to be prepared for state active\nduty, and which includes but is not limited to organization, administration,\nrecruiting, maintenance of equipment, armory drills, annual duty training, and\ntraining exercises.\n\n2. “State active duty,” which is the performance of actual military\nservice for the Commonwealth when called by the Governor or his designee to\nactive duty in service of the Commonwealth in accordance with Article 7 (§\n44-75.1 et seq.).\n\t\t\t“Military duty” and “military service,” as used in\nthis title, shall include the activities of the members of the Virginia Defense\nForce while in training duty and state active duty status.\n\nHISTORY: 1989, c. 414; 2011, cc. 572, 586; 2016, c. 614.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}