OM wrote:
I think we call this The National Guard these days; another good name at
the present time would be IED fodder.


...There's been some argument that the Guard is the evolutionary "next
step" of the Militia. I firmly believe this is false, as the "weekend
warriors" are really more of the "minor league" of the US Arrrrmy.
When a Militia was called up to the front, they weren't broken up and
absorbed into regular regiments. The Guardsmen usually are reassigned
to units based on their training and not retained as a unit.


Wikipedia has a article on this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militia_(United_States)
Based on the Militia Act of 1903, there is an _Organized Militia_: The
National Guard and Naval Militia; and a _Reserve Militia_: "which
presently consist of every able-bodied man of at least 17 and under 45
years of age who are not members of the National Guard or Naval Militia."

Pat
OM