Yugoslav Civil Defense

**Civil Defense** (shortened to JCO or CO) is a catch-all term given to the many paramilitaries within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. These paramilitaries essentially provide a fit and healthy population for the JNA to recruit from, while providing educational opportunities to the general public for shooting sports, outdoors activities and general fitness. In wartime however, these paramilitaries serve as a reserve force for the JNA.

## Doctrine and Philosophy

The JNA inherits the 'Total People's Defense' doctrine, which places heavy emphasis on paramilitaries and asymmetric warfare, instead of conventional armies and symmetric warfare. To this end, the Yugoslav Civil Defense (JCO) exists independently from the JNA, though in wartime it may be operationally used as reserve forces. While State-organized organizations are not allowed and the existing JCOs administered by the Ministry of the Interior, they are highly decentralized and display varying levels of officiality. The JNA, the national armed forces of FRY, maintains its own armed forces and its own reserve forces. This enables the FRY to have a well-trained and ready population at all times, and a large manpower to pick from in the event of a major war.

Due to the less-than-official and decentralized nature of these organizations, there is no real way to pinpoint the exact number of manpower available to them. It's assumed however that 'several million' citizens would be ready at all times in the case of a foreign invasion at all times. Anyone of the ages 16-65 can join a Civil Defense organization, though of course a higher percentage of young candidates are desired.

Much of their philosophy is based on small units defending familiar terrain. Civil Defense forces would defend factories, towns and other vital areas in order to delay the enemy while also wearing them down by waging an asymmetrical war on them. They operate much like light infantry units in combat, and are essentially the reserve forces.

In peacetime however, their tasks are more or less relegated to civilian duties such as educating the public on subjects like sports shooting, navigation, basic mechanical or electrical maintenance, disarming and disposal of explosive ordnance and et cetera, while also providing educational opportunities towards this end. Many of these functions are handled by civilians, though the Ministry of the Interior may also provide assistance when needed.

These paramilitaries may also act as first-response in case of emergencies, and are to provide assistance to the local authorities if needed.

## Equipment

In no small part due to their decentralized nature and their day-to-day jobs (which are often of civilian nature), their combat equipment varies wildly. For firearms they largely have access to antique/surplus rifles (i.e. M59/66 rifles) and some in modernized form (i.e. M70N rifles), with truly modern rifles being relatively scarce. They have access to a plethora of mortars (even in improvised forms) and IEDs. For vehicles most of their options are little more than civilian vehicles, though with some infantry mobility vehicles also being provided. They possess a fair amount of recoilless guns and a limited amount of ATGMs, MANPADSes and light rocket artillery.

However, it should be noted that due to the rather civilian nature of their day-to-day jobs much of this equipment is hard to come by in the wild. It is near-impossible to get actual pictures of their equipment, much less the said equipment being used.

## See also

Yugoslav National Army

Yugoslav Technological Index