California lawmakers contemplate "naval militia"

[Judi Lynn]

California Lawmakers Contemplate 'Naval Militia'

POSTED: 11:11 am PST December 20, 2004

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- State lawmakers are contemplating the creation of a new "naval militia" to be drawn from Navy, Marine and Coast Guard reserves, according to the Sacramento Bee.


Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed two new laws extending fringe benefits to the militia, even though the agency doesn't formally exist.


The legislation sets the stage for a new dual federally trained force that could be activated -- like the National Guard -- during a state emergency.


While the National Guard's members are affiliates of the U.S. Army and Air Force, the California Naval Militia would be reserves from the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.
(snip/)

http://www.theksbwchannel.com/news/4011158/detail.html

[Wisc Badger]

1. Can they do this????

:shrug:

[mitchtv]

2. excuse the spelling " Leibesraum"

look out Oregon. Anchslauss

[heidler1]

3. Why give * the means to start more wars? Very stupid.

Make * create a draft if he wants to dabble in world politics. That way some of the rich kids will get sucked up and the popularity of the war will drop like a hot rock.

[coreystone]

10. Lebensraum ("living space")....:-)

Defined
Lebensraum
"Without consideration of "traditions" and prejudices, it must find the courage to gather our people and their strength for an advance along the road that will lead this people from its present restricted living space to new land and soil, and hence also free it from the danger of vanishing from the earth or of serving others as a slave nation.
--- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf 1"

Link: http://history1900s.about.com/library/holocaust/aa110899.htm

---------------------

I am not alluding to any thoughts regarding the "Gubernator", but, it does deserve a bit of the watchful eye; cooperatively and PNAC wise.

:-)

[SKKY]

4. Will someone explain to me why this is bad?

...I see this as a good thing. We complain, and Kerry Campaigned on, that enough isn't being done to protect American here in The States. So now someone wants to do just that, and it's being viewed negatively? I don't see how this could possibly be a negative thing.

[Hobarticus]

5. Methinks it's not necessarily a bad thing, either.

In theory, at least.

Anyone who saw "Farenheit 9/11" and that long lonely stretch of Oregon coast can't argue that this a bad thing.

How it's pulled off will tell the tale.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

6. So...

THIS is why we can't have our nice new Bay Bridge. :)

[Shipwack]

7. Why does this make sense? How can it work?

Well, in one respect it makes sense... from a true "conservative/Republican" viewpoint, the state government will take over more responsibility for its own protection, increasing state power over federal power... Though I think this could be done more cheaply and better if we just properly funded the Coast Guard to do their job in the first place....

Where will the ships come from? Built from overseas? Brought out of mothballs? New construction? The last has the possible added benefit of helping the economy... But all of these things cost money... lots of it. Guns or butter...

And staffing? I doubt the naval reserves have all the proper ratings with experience to man more than a few ships. And what about the shore infrastructure? Supply, repair, etc... Where will the officers come from? Higher ranking officers don't join the reserves... They're getting fat checks from fortune 500 companies. Of course, given the general quality of todays officer corps, an officer shortage just might be a good thing. (Yes, I am bitter..., and yes, I am sure there are fine examples of leadership in the navy, somewhere...)

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Not enough information, but this may be okay

On the face of it, I see this as a good possibility. There's simply not enough information here or in the link, however, to form any real opinion.

[jody]

9. California has a militia under state law

QUOTE
The California State Military Reserve (CA SMR) is the State Defense Force of California authorized by United States Code and the California Military and Veteran’s Code.

The CA SMR assists the California National Guard in its Homeland Defense mission by assisting in training the California National Guard so that the Combatant Commander receives soldiers and airmen prepared to get the job done, and to come home safely. In addition, the CA SMR assists the CNG in the mobilization of these soldiers and airmen.

The CA SMR assists the CNG in its Homeland Security Mission by providing individual soldiers and airmen as well as rapid response teams to Military Assistance to Civil Authorities in the preparation, prevention, deterrence, preemption, defense, and mitigation of natural and man-made threats to California.

The CA SMR is a volunteer operational force upon which the California National Guard depends. Its members are subject to call to state active duty by the Governor of the State of California.

Many examples of CA SMR activities and further information are contained on this website.
UNQUOTE

[kineneb]

12. If the Feds invade

can we kick them out?? I have always thought we could do without Wash.DC, being 3000 miles away and all that.

I'm thinking of getting one of those "US out of California" bumper stickers...

[radar]

11. Surf's UP!!!

I wonder if they'll put language in the legislation to keep them from getting grabbed by the federal gov't.?

Broke a 100. Got 92 to go. April 17. DEROS man. California this summer. Waves are good they tell me, surfin's gonna be good ...

Charlie don't surf!

[haele]

13. Interesting - looks to be more of an adjunct to the Coast Guard

http://www.calguard.ca.gov/casmr/newmilitia.htm

Plans for the naval militia do not envision a fighting force, but no decision has been made on whether members ever would bear arms, officials said. The militia could help patrol the state's hundreds of miles of shoreline or its several dozen ports and harbors, if asked. It also could provide special skills - such as underwater diving - that might not be readily available elsewhere.
(snip)
New York has a naval militia and has used it, among other things, to respond to the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and to the explosion of TWA Flight 800 off Long Island in 1996. Prospects for a California Naval Militia are part of a much larger state Military Department study, expected to be completed in January, on how to enhance state defense forces.
(snip)
Besides New York, states with naval militias include New Jersey, Ohio and Alaska, Hagan said.
In the early 1890s, California created a naval battalion of the National Guard, but no such unit has existed for decades. Hagan said a new naval militia could draw from about 22,000 Navy and Marine reservists currently drilling in California. To create basically a paper militia, without boats but with authority to activate reservists for state emergencies, could cost about $250,000 a year, Hagan said. That estimate assumes two full-time employees, but costs could be cut considerably by using volunteers, he said. If patrol boats or other vessels were purchased, the price tag could exceed $1 million, depending on the quantity and kind sought, he said.

Other than a rather nebulous mission and some question of the price tag (one always has to follow the money and contracts), I've got no problems with this - in fact, since it seems that the State of California isn't going to be able to depend on the feds for help with port and shoreline security, this can be both a primary line of defense as well as an alternative ocean safety resource (c.f. - assisting with distressed ships, drilling platform mishaps and other ocean disasters).

Haele