Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-05-09
MICHIGAN STATE
TROOPS ARE GIVEN
LEGAL STATUS
GOV. SLEEPER SENDS OUT OR
DER ESTABLISHING THEM
ALSO HOME GUARDS


ter from Major Roy C. Vandercook
of Lansing, secretary of the war
preparedness board of the the state,
enclosing a copy of Governor Sleep
er's order establishing the Michigan
state troops and also matters pertain
ing to the home guards from which
we clip he following:
Executive office:-
l do hereby authorize and direct
the organization and acceptance in
to the service of the state of units
of teh militia to be collectively
known as michigan State Troops
Such units will, for the duration of
the existing war, take the place Of
similar units Of the Michigan Nation
al Guard now in or hereafter called
into the service of the United States.
In order TO be recognized as a unit
in the Michigan State Troops, each
man enlisted therein must make and
subscribe the following declaration,
oath, and contract of enlistment:
Desiring to be enlisted in the
Michigan State Troops for the
period of three years, do declare
that / am of legal age TO enlist
and believe myself to be physic-
ally qualified to perform tht dut-
les of an able-bodied soldier;
that / am of good habits and
character in all respects, and
have never been discharged from
the United States service (army,
navy, or marine corps), or from
the organized militia or Nation
al Guard or any other service on
account of disability or through
sentence or either civil or mill
tary court, nor discharged from
any service, except with good
character and for reasons given
by me to the recruiting officer
prior to enlistment, and that / am
a citizen of the United States. /
do further declare that i am
Each company of the Michigan
State Troops shall consist of at least
fifty enlisted men and three officers.
The number of on-commissioned Of
ficers, privates first-class, buglers,
ETC., shall be in the proportion pres
cribed by regulations for the Michi-
gan National Guard. The higher
units of the Michigan State troops,
when organized shall conform to the
organization prescribed by law or
regulations for the Michigan Nation
al Guard, with such variations there
from as may be especially prescribed
in orders from time to time by the
Governor.
Before any company or unit is ac-
-eepted into the state service it shall
first be inspected by an officer detail
ed for that purpose by the Givernor,
and if found properly organized and
otherwise in compliance with condi-
tions prescribed herein, may be for
mally accepted and mustered into the
Michigan State Troops.
inf ha
Michigan State Troops will be ad-
dressed to the Adjutant General at
Lansing, giving such information as
to the strength as will justify the de-
failing of an inspecting officer to in
spect the unit applying for recogni-
tion.
Service in the Michigan State
Troops will not obligate anyone to
Federal service, neither will it exempt
therefrom.
All service in the Michigan State
Troops will be purely voluntary and
with out compensation for drills or
other such information. Troops plac-
ed on actual duty will receive the pay
prescribed by law, but no tropps will
be placed on actual duty except upon
the order of the Governor.
While the official designation of
the troops herein authorized is
michigan State Troops" it is de-
sired that the local units shall be
known as Home Guards" These
Hme Guard units are expected to
render every assistance TO the Fed
eral recruiting service and other fed
eral activities, to stimulate local
pride in national guard and volunteer
organizations, and to perform such
other duties as may be required of
them from time to time.
The law, rules and regulations gov
erning the Michigan National Guard
in the service of the state will, as
far as applicable and except as other
wise prescribed, govern the Michigan
State Troops and the individuals COM
posing the same. This applies es-
pecially to discipline and the means
of enforcing the same. Obedience to
orders will in all cases be strictly re-
quired.