Always Ready, Always There

Objective: Establish the United States National Guard.

Summary:

“The most important national legislation in militia history.” - Jerry M. Cooper

On January 21st 1903, Colonel James Montgomery Rice, Esq., second-great-granduncle of Thomas Montgomery Marriøtt, helped establish the United States National Guard with the passage of the Militia Act of 1903.

The ensuing century has made the effort seem obvious, even inevitable, with National Guard soldiers being deployed for every major war since — including 55% of all combat troops in the War on Terror—however, it took Colonel Rice, and others, nearly 20 years of advocacy and debate to achieve.

Channeling 31 years of legal practice, and 25 years of military service — including 3 years of continuous service as a Union Army infantryman in the American Civil War which covered 1,000 marched miles and 13 battles — Colonel Rice authored dozens of advocacy papers that were nationally syndicated. This selection provides a window into the years leading up to and after the Militia Act of 1903 was passed:

Exposition:

• 1888, Military Education and the Volunteer Militia

• 1894, The National Guard — What It is and Its Use

• 1896, The Defense of our Frontier

• 1896, The Present Congress and the National Guard

• 1901, Field Service Instruction and the National Guard Officer

• 1904, The New National Guard

Type: #nationaldefense #civilsupport #civicvirtue #commongood