Virginia Defense Force The Virginia Defense Force ( VDF ) is the official state defense force of Virginia , one of the three components of Virginia ' s state military along with the Virginia National Guard and the Virginia Air National Guard ; with a current roster of over 1000 Soldiers . The VDF is the descendant of the Virginia State Guard , the Virginia Regiment , and even earlier the Colonial Militia of the Virginia Colony . The Virginia Defense Force is the most recognizable force of the Virginia militia , itself considered a combined force of all National Guard , state defense , and unorganized militia in the state of Virginia . The Virginia Defense Force Command is headquartered at the historic Old City Hall , but drills out of Waller Armory in Richmond , Virginia . State law allows the command to grow to as many as 7 , 800 troops to be activated in the VDF when necessary by a call out by the Governor . The VDF is all - volunteer unless activated to " Active Duty " status and augmented by unorganized militia draftees by the Governor of Virginia . The federal government authorizes purely state - level forces under which provides that state forces as a whole may not be called , ordered , or drafted into the armed forces of the United States , thus preserving their separation from the National Guard . However , under the same law , individual members serving in state - level forces are not exempt from service in the armed forces by nature of serving an a state defense force . But , under 32 USC § 109 ( e ) " A person may not become a member of a defense force if he is a member of a reserve component of the armed forces . " However , if an Officer or Soldier is placed on the retired roll of the Active Army or Reserve components , he or she is eligible , with prior approval from the Governor , to transfer their commission to a military command within that State , and continue to serve at present or higher rank . History . In 1607 the Virginia Militia was formed as a part of the British Milita system in order to provide an organized defense against attacks and to give the Governor a body of men capable of bringing order during a disaster . Soon after in 1623 , the Governor dictated that all men in the Virginia Militia must drill every month on their county court house green . He also appointed officers to lead the Militia for the first time . By 1676 , the Virginia Militia had responded to numerous Indian raids and had served in Bacon ’ s Rebellion . As the 18th century evolved into a near continuous war between the British and French Empires , and due to wars with Indian tribes and French incursions to the west of the colony , The Virginia Regiment was formed by Governor Dinwiddie in 1754 out of the Virginia Militia . It was the first all professional colonial regiment ever raised in the New World and thus given status of a regular British Army regiment during the 7 Years War . Its officers were often unpaid volunteers and they would provide a corps to serve as Aides de Camp to the Commanding Generals of the British Army as well as fighting forces . Colonel Joshua Fry was selected as the first commander and George Washington as its Lt . Colonel . Washington became its Colonel in 1755 and established the command at Winchester , Va . The regiment was a hybrid and included soldiers of “ foote , rangers and mounted ” and fought in the southern battles of the French and Indian War . Its colors were retired in 1758 and members were returned to the Virginia Militia As the revolutionary spirit spread across the new nation , the House of Burgesses reconstituted the Virginia Regiment and expanded it dramatically . Further it was determined that the standard Militia unit needed to institutionalize separate mounted troops . In 1776 , the State reorganized the Virginia Regiment into ten regiments of infantry called “ The Virginia Line ” , and organized the first mounted infantry unit called the Virginia Light Horse Regiment . Colonel Bland , a Virginia Militia officer was tasked to form , out of the Militia , this mounted regiment . In turn , it was commanded by Lt Colonel Henry Lee III or " Light Horse Harry " , father of General Robert E . Lee of the Union and Confederate Armies . In the summer of 1776 , Bland and Lee organized The Virginia Light Horse regiment . This unit was predominantly led by the aristocracy of Virginia and made up of the wealthy planters and merchants sons . The Virginia Light Horse was by November of that year brought into Continental Army service and was re - designated the 1st Continental Light Dragoons . Troops 1 & 2 were stood up outside of Boston , troops 3 & 4 were stood up in Pennsylvania , and 5th & 6th troops were assigned to the Virginia Regiment / Line as it assumed Federal military duties . Henry Lee , a Virginia militia Captain , was commissioned by Congress in 1776 to form 5th Troop . 5th Troop took over 6th Troop and evolved over the years into Lee ’ s Legion and later into the 2nd Partisan Corps ; it was the primary cavalry force in the Southern Campaign and was on active duty until its colors were retired in 1783 , again at Winchester , Virginia . In 1846 , the main county units mustered for service in the Mexican War , but the requirements on the Virginia Regiment did not have them actually deploy west and they were sent back to their homes and colors cased again in 1848 . These units formed the nucleus of the Virginia Divisions of the Confederacy in the Civil War ; and though little activity took place during the reconstruction period , the Virginia troops again mustered for service in the Spanish American War . These troops were incorporated in the 2nd U . S . Virginia Volunteer Cavalry and Infantry in 1898 / 99 , but were not deployed and stood down in 1901 . The various county units were organized and evolved into U . S . Cavalry and Infantry forces for WWI and WWII after the National Guard Act in 1903 . During the two World Wars , the Guard was activated for Home Defense , but were inactivated upon cease - fire agreements . Various units were activated and deactivated during the 1960s as crowd control units during the protests in Washington , D . C . In 1983 , a change in the post - Civil War Constitution of the State of Virginia allowed the State to permanently re - activate the Virginia Regiment . It was modernized and brought into line with the standards of the U . S . Army regulation concerning Guard and Reserve forces . The newly reorganized command was established as the Virginia Defense Force , commanded by a Major General , subordinate the Governor of the State , and directly assigned to the Adjutant General ' s forces as an element of the Virginia Department of Military Affairs . To date , it is one of a very few US military units that can claim battle participation for campaigns and wars that took place prior to the Declaration of Independence in 1776 . The Virginia regiment ( now the VDF ) can also claim participation alongside such storied regiments as the 44th and 48th Infantry regiments ( now Royal Anglian Regiment ) , and the Queen ' s Royal Hussars of the British Army , and the 5th Regiment de Hussards , 2d Regiment de Dragons , and 12th Cuirassier Regiment ( France ) of the French Army ; due to the campaigns of the 18th century . Mission . The mission of the VDF is by the Code of Virginia § 44 - 54 . 4 to support the Virginia National Guard at the following times : As of August 2006 , the VDF Commander is Major General John D . Taylor . The senior NCO and Division Command Sergeant Major is CSM Andy Stevens . Uniforms . Members of the VDF wear the woodland camouflage version of the Army Battle Dress Uniform ( BDU ) and a modified Class A dress uniform with a black beret and distinctive VDF flash in red with gold trim and the letters VA in gold . Officers wear the standard " blues " uniform for dress functions , and the regular Army " Mess Dress " for formal functions . The modifications are brass / gold rank , the Virginia state flag and distinctive unit insignia on the chest pocket . The VDF is authorized by Section 44 - 54 . 4 of the Virginia Code . The VDF wear OD green name tags with black lettering , as well as subdued division patches like standard Army issue uniforms . The VDF no longer uses the abbreviation VaDF or State Guard . The command and control is the Department of Military Affairs , Commonwealth of Virginia ; or the Virginia Defense Force . Functionality . The creation of a state defense force by a state is authorized by 32 USC 109 ( c ) . Title 44 - 54 of the Virginia Code sets the targeted membership of the Virginia Defense Force at 1 , 200 members . Activation is by an executive order of the Governor in the event of an emergency ; or the President if there is a declaration of a disaster area . Title 44 - 54 . 12 , although providing for the use of armories and other state lands for Defense Force purposes , specifically prohibits members of the Defense Force from training with firearms , without the specific instruction / authorization of the Governor . The Defense Force is evolving into a Civil Affairs command and will provide training in military related specialties such as communication , infrastructure restoration , public shelters , traffic control , and unarmed security missions . VDF companies and battalions are self training but conduct annual training as a division every year at Ft . A . P . Hill , Virginia . Many of the VDF members have conducted training with FEMA , NIMS , ICS , the regular military and State Police , as well as meeting the requirements of SGAUS . The Virginia Military Advisory Council is the Defense Force ' s link to a higher authority and the staff of the Adjutant General . For 2011 the budget passed by the Virginia Legislature allocated to the Virginia Defense Force about $ 240 , 000 . Units . The VDF ' s numerous units altogether make up the George Washington Division , headquartered in Richmond , Virginia . Most units comprising the VDF are battalion or brigade - sized units . The units of the VDF are : Subordinate Units