{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/44-54.6.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/44-54.6.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/44-54.6.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/44-54.6.html"}],"law_id":59635,"edition_id":1,"section_id":59635,"structure_id":15482,"section_number":"44-54.6","catch_line":"Members, appointment and enlistment","history":"1989, c. 414; 1996, c. 70; 2011, cc. 572, 586; 2020, c. 488.","full_text":"The age limitations of \u00a7 44-1 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Virginia Defense Force shall consist of:\n\n1\n\nSuch volunteers who of their own volition agree to service in conformity with regulations prescribed by the Adjutant General who are (i) residents of the Commonwealth or any contiguous state, (ii) at least 16, provided that any volunteer under the age of 18 shall have the written consent of at least one parent or guardian, and (iii) less than 65 years of age may join the Virginia Defense Force, except that the Adjutant General may, on a case-by-case basis, authorize volunteer members of the Virginia Defense Force to be accessed or retained beyond the age of 65 to the age of 75.2\n\nSuch persons of the unorganized militia who may be drafted to fill the force structure of the Virginia Defense Force or who may be ordered out for active duty until released from such service.\n\t\t\tThe officers of the Virginia Defense Force shall be appointed by the Governor in conformity with regulations prescribed by the Adjutant General.\n\t\t\tEnlisted members shall be enlisted and retained in conformity with regulations prescribed by the Adjutant General.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":218406,"text":"The age limitations of \u00a7 44-1 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Virginia Defense Force shall consist of:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":218407,"text":"Such volunteers who of their own volition agree to service in conformity with regulations prescribed by the Adjutant General who are (i) residents of the Commonwealth or any contiguous state, (ii) at least 16, provided that any volunteer under the age of 18 shall have the written consent of at least one parent or guardian, and (iii) less than 65 years of age may join the Virginia Defense Force, except that the Adjutant General may, on a case-by-case basis, authorize volunteer members of the Virginia Defense Force to be accessed or retained beyond the age of 65 to the age of 75.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":218408,"text":"Such persons of the unorganized militia who may be drafted to fill the force structure of the Virginia Defense Force or who may be ordered out for active duty until released from such service.\n\t\t\tThe officers of the Virginia Defense Force shall be appointed by the Governor in conformity with regulations prescribed by the Adjutant General.\n\t\t\tEnlisted members shall be enlisted and retained in conformity with regulations prescribed by the Adjutant General.","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":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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/44-54.6\/","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 3 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 1996, chapter 70<\/a>; in 2011, chapters 572<\/a> and 586<\/a>; in 2020, chapter 488<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":57005,"section_number":"44-4","catch_line":"Composition of unorganized militia","order_by":null,"url":"\/44-4\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":66464,"section_number":"44-1","catch_line":"Composition of militia","order_by":null,"url":"\/44-1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":222067,"object_type":"law","relational_id":59635,"identifier":"44-54.6","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.6","url":"\/44-54.6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/44-54.6\/","token":"44\/1\/4.2\/44-54.6","dublin_core":{"Title":"Members, appointment and enlistment","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 44-54.6","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The age limitations of \u00a7 44-1<\/a> to the contrary notwithstanding, the Virginia Defense Force shall consist of:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Such volunteers who of their own volition agree to service in conformity with regulations prescribed by the Adjutant General who are (i) residents of the Commonwealth or any contiguous state, (ii) at least 16, provided that any volunteer under the age of 18 shall have the written consent of at least one parent or guardian, and (iii) less than 65 years of age may join the Virginia Defense Force, except that the Adjutant General may, on a case-by-case basis, authorize volunteer members of the Virginia Defense Force to be accessed or retained beyond the age of 65 to the age of 75. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Such persons of the unorganized militia who may be drafted to fill the force structure of the Virginia Defense Force or who may be ordered out for active duty until released from such service.\n\t\t\tThe officers of the Virginia Defense Force shall be appointed by the Governor in conformity with regulations prescribed by the Adjutant General.\n\t\t\tEnlisted members shall be enlisted and retained in conformity with regulations prescribed by the Adjutant General. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nMEMBERS, APPOINTMENT AND ENLISTMENT (\u00a7 44-54.6)\n\nThe age limitations of \u00a7 44-1 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Virginia\nDefense Force shall consist of:\n\n1. Such volunteers who of their own volition agree to service in conformity with\nregulations prescribed by the Adjutant General who are (i) residents of the\nCommonwealth or any contiguous state, (ii) at least 16, provided that any\nvolunteer under the age of 18 shall have the written consent of at least one\nparent or guardian, and (iii) less than 65 years of age may join the Virginia\nDefense Force, except that the Adjutant General may, on a case-by-case basis,\nauthorize volunteer members of the Virginia Defense Force to be accessed or\nretained beyond the age of 65 to the age of 75.\n\n2. Such persons of the unorganized militia who may be drafted to fill the force\nstructure of the Virginia Defense Force or who may be ordered out for active\nduty until released from such service.\n\t\t\tThe officers of the Virginia Defense Force shall be appointed by the Governor\nin conformity with regulations prescribed by the Adjutant General.\n\t\t\tEnlisted members shall be enlisted and retained in conformity with\nregulations prescribed by the Adjutant General.\n\nHISTORY: 1989, c. 414; 1996, c. 70; 2011, cc. 572, 586; 2020, c. 488.","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}}