Washington Naval Militia

The Washington Naval Militia is the currently inactive naval militia of the state of Washington. The Washington Naval Militia was organized as a naval reserve, serving as the naval parallel to the Washington National Guard.

History

The Washington Naval Militia was commissioned on 9 January 1910. By that year, it reached a strength of 286 officers and enlisted men.^[1] The USS Concord was assigned as barracks ship for the Washington Naval Militia at Seattle until 15 June 1914 when it was reassigned to the Public Health Service.^[2]

In 1911, the USS Wyoming was assigned to the Washington Naval Militia, until its reassignment in 1913.^[3] In 1912, the USS Vicksburg was assigned to the Washington Naval Militia, where it remained until 1917.^[4]

The USS New Orleans served as a training ship for the Washington Naval Militia over the summer of 1914.^[5] On the first through the twenty-second of July 1914, the Washington Naval Militia sailed to Honolulu aboard the USS Milwaukee during a training exercise.^[6]

Personnel

Naval militias are partially regulated and equipped by the federal government, and therefore membership requirements are partially set according to federal standards. Under 10 U.S. Code § 7854, in order to be eligible for access to "vessels, material, armament, equipment, and other facilities of the Navy and the Marine Corps available to the Navy Reserve and the Marine Corps Reserve", at least 95% of members of the naval militia must also be members of the United States Navy Reserve or the United States Marine Corps Reserve.^[7]

Legal status

Naval militias of individual U.S. states are recognized by the federal government of the United States under 10 U.S. Code §7851.^[8]

See also

• Washington State Guard

References

1. Register of the Naval Militia of the U.S. United States. Division of Naval Militia Affairs. p. 4.
2. "Concord". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
3. "Wyoming". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
4. "Vicksburg II (Gunboat No. 11) 1897-1921". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
5. "New Orleans I (Ship-of-the-Line)". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
6. "Milwaukee II (C-21)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
7. "10 U.S. CODE § 7854 - AVAILABILITY OF MATERIAL FOR NAVAL MILITIA". law.cornell.edu/. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
8. "10 U.S. CODE § 7851 - COMPOSITION". law.cornell.edu/. Retrieved 7 February 2016.