Upholding the spirit of the original volunteers of Oglethorpe’s Militia, the Georgia State Defense force is an all-volunteer component that augments the Georgia National Guard. The origin of the modern State Defense Force was the Georgia State Guard which was created after the Georgia National Guard was adopted into federal service for WWI in 1917 and disbanded in 1921. The activation of the Georgia National Guard for WWII prompted the Military Department of Georgia to reestablish an all-volunteer organization designated the Georgia State Defense Corps (SDC). The SDC was redesignated the Georgia State Guard in 1942 and disbanded in 1947. Since its establishment in 1985, today’s Georgia State Defense Force has provided critical assistance to emergency response operations.