Wisconsin Code § 321.51

State defense force authorized
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(1) AUTHORITY
AND NAME. The adjutant general may establish a plan for organizing a military force to be known as the “state defense force.”
The governor, or adjutant general if designated by the governor,
may organize the state defense force, which may include an aviation unit, if all or part of the national guard is called into federal
active duty. The state defense force shall be a uniformed force
distinct from the national guard, composed of commissioned or
assigned officers and enlisted personnel who volunteer for service. A person who is on active duty in the U.S. armed forces, including the active reserve components, may not serve in the state
defense force. A person in the retired or inactive reserve may
serve in the state defense force.
(2) ORGANIZATION; RULES AND REGULATIONS. (a) The governor or adjutant general, if designated by the governor, may prescribe regulations, instructions, and policies consistent with this
section governing the enlistment, organization, administration,
equipment, uniforms, maintenance, training, and discipline of the
state defense force. The regulations, instructions, and policies, to
the extent the governor considers necessary, shall conform to existing law governing the national guard. The regulations, instructions, and policies shall prohibit a member of the state defense
force from accepting any gifts, donations, gratuities, or other
things of value given to the member because he or she is a member of the state defense force other than wages and benefits paid
by the state.
(b) If the state defense force is organized under sub. (1), the
adjutant general may perform the duties under s. 321.04 (2) (a),
(b), (c) and (d) for the state defense force.
(c) Officers and enlistees, while on state active duty, in the
state defense force shall receive the base pay and allowances of
the identical grade in the U.S. army.
(d) The adjutant general may organize a recruitment and
training unit of not more than 12 persons at each state armory.
The unit shall establish recruitment lists of persons interested in
becoming members of the state defense force, recruit full units
for the state defense force, and train the persons recruited.
(e) If the state defense force is organized under sub. (1), the
adjutant general shall perform the duties under s. 321.04 (1) (a) to
(n) and (q) for the state defense force.
(3) REQUISITIONS; ARMORIES; OTHER BUILDINGS. The governor or adjutant general, if designated by the governor, may requisition military property from the federal government for the use
of the state defense force. The governor or adjutant general, if
designated by the governor, may make available to the state defense force the facilities of state armories and military property
and other state premises and property. The department may rent
or lease buildings or parts of buildings and grounds for armory
purposes or continue in possession of those premises leased by
the department for the use of the national guard, paying rent from
the appropriation under s. 20.465 (1) (a). All leases made under
this subsection terminate upon dissolution of the state defense
force regardless of the term provided in the lease, unless the
premises are needed for national guard purposes. The lease for
the premises needed for the national guard may be assigned by
the department to the national guard organization that intends to
occupy the premises.
(4) USE OUTSIDE THIS STATE. The state defense force may
not serve outside the boundaries of this state unless one of the following applies:
(a) Upon the request of the governor of another state, the governor of this state orders all or part of the state defense force to assist a military unit or law enforcement agency of the other state.
The governor may recall the state defense force from the other
state at any time.
(b) Upon order of the officer in command, the state defense
force continues in fresh pursuit of insurrectionists, terrorists, or
enemy forces into another state until they are apprehended or captured or until a military unit or law enforcement agency of the
other state or the forces of the United States have had a reasonable opportunity to take up the pursuit or to capture those per-

sons. Any pursuit under this subsection may only take place if
the other state gives authority for the pursuit. Any person who is
captured in the other state by the state defense force shall without
unnecessary delay be surrendered to a military unit or law enforcement agency of the state in which the person is captured or
to the United States. The surrender of the person captured shall
not constitute a waiver by this state of the right to extradite or
prosecute the person for any crime committed in this state.
(5) FEDERAL ACTIVE DUTY. No unit of the state defense force
may be drafted, as such, into the U.S. military. No person shall
by reason of membership in the state defense force be exempted
from federal active duty.
(6) DISQUALIFICATIONS. No person who has been expelled
or dishonorably discharged from any military or naval organization of this state, of another state, or of the United States may be
a member of the state defense force.
(7) OATH. The oath to be taken by officers or enlistees in the
state defense force shall be substantially in the form prescribed
for officers of the national guard. The oath shall be filed in the
same manner as in the national guard.
(8) ENLISTEES. No person may be enlisted in the state defense force for more than one year, but enlistment may be
renewed.
(9) RETENTION OF ITEMS OF UNIFORM. Officers and enlistees
of the state defense force who have served honorably may, upon
application to the unit commander, be permitted to retain items of
their uniform. If retained, the uniform may be worn only on occasions essentially of a military character at which the uniform is
more appropriate than civilian clothing, such as memorial services, military weddings, military funerals, military balls, military parades, military reunions, and meetings or functions of associations formed for military purposes, the membership of
which is composed largely or entirely of honorably discharged
members of the U.S. military, national guard, and state defense
force.
(10) LABOR DISPUTES. The state defense force may not be
used to interfere with the orderly process of a labor dispute.

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