Virginia Defense Force

The Virginia Defense Force (VDF) is the official state defense force of Virginia, one of the three components of Virginia's state military along with the Virginia National Guard and the Virginia Air National Guard; with a current roster of over 900 Soldiers. The VDF is the descendant of the Virginia State Guard, the Virginia Regiment, and even earlier the Colonial Militia of the Virginia Colony. The Command is headquartered at the historic Old City Hall, but drills out of Waller Armory in Richmond, Virginia. State law allows the command to grow to as many as 7,800 troops to be activated in the VDF when necessary by a call out by the Governor. The VDF is all-volunteer unless activated to "Active Duty" status by the Governor of Virginia, or brought onto active duty by the President as Commander in Chief of the greater Army of the United States. The federal government authorized purely state-level forces under 32 U.S.C. § 109 which provides that state forces as a whole may not be called, ordered, or drafted into the armed forces of the United States, thus preserving their separation from the National Guard. However, under the same law, individual members serving in state-level forces are not exempt from service in the armed forces. But, under 32 USC § 109(e) "A person may not become a member of a defense force if he is a member of a reserve component of the armed forces." However, if an Officer or Soldier is placed on the retired roll of the Active Army or Reserve components, he or she is elgible, with prior approval from the Governor, to transfer their commission to a military command within that State, and continue to serve at present or higher rank.