                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ORGANIZATION; DEFINITIONS (§ 44-54.4)

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.
		When 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 §
44-75.1.
		Nothing 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.
		Members of the Virginia Defense Force may serve in either of the following
duty statuses:

1. &#8220;Training duty,&#8221; 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. &#8220;State active duty,&#8221; 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 (&#xA7;
44-75.1 et seq.).
			&#8220;Military duty&#8221; and &#8220;military service,&#8221; 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.

HISTORY: 1989, c. 414; 2011, cc. 572, 586; 2016, c. 614.