Maryland Defense Force

Maryland Defense Force
Seal of the Maryland Defense Force
Active	1917–1920 1941–1947 1983–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Maryland
Type	State defense force
Part of	Maryland Military Department
Headquarters	Reisterstown, Maryland
Motto(s)	Officio Vocante Parati (Ready When Called)
Website	www.mddf.maryland.gov
Commanders
Civilian leadership	Governor Larry Hogan Governor of the State of Maryland
State military leadership	Major General Linda L. Singh Adjutant General of the State of Maryland Brigadier General (MDDF) Lorenza Cooper Commanding General, Maryland Defense Force

The Maryland Defense Force (MDDF) is the state defense force for the state of Maryland. The MDDF is organized as a volunteer military organization organized parallel to the Maryland National Guard and is designed to augment the National Guard during stateside emergencies. However, as a state defense force, the MDDF is solely under control of the State of Maryland and cannot be federalized or deployed outside the borders of Maryland.

The history of the MDDF dates back to colonial days in the 17th century, but it was formally established in 1917 with the mission "to protect public buildings, water supplies, and other properties". It was called the Maryland State Guard. It was disbanded in 1920 to make room for the National Guard to return to duties in the armories.

The Maryland State Guard was reactivated in 1939 in response to World War II. It was then deactivated in 1947. As of 1983, the Maryland State Guard was reactivated and renamed the Maryland Defense Force. In 1994, the Maryland Defense Force's missions were expanded to search and rescue, armory staffing, and disaster relief. As of September 11, 2001, the Maryland Defense Force was tasked with its current mission, which is to provide support to the Maryland Military Department as needed.

In August 2005, members of the 10th Medical Regiment, including civilian medical professionals who were sworn into the MDDF on the tarmac of Martin State Airport, departed for Louisiana in two C130 cargo planes operated by the Maryland Air National Guard to provide medical treatment to approximately 6,300 hurricane victims over eighteen days as an operation called Operation Lifeline.

In 2006, members of the 10th Medical Regiment, despite not being subject to deployment outside the state of Maryland, voluntarily deployed with the 175th Medical Group of the Maryland Air National Guard to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a part of a training exercise where the 10th Medical Regiment assisted in providing medical aid to the local populace.

In September 2007, the MDDF participated with the National Guard for Exercise Vigilant Guard, a major homeland security/terrorist response exercise held in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.