The Rhode Island Naval Militia is the currently inactive naval militia of Rhode Island. Along with the Rhode Island National Guard and the Rhode Island State Guard, it is one of the military forces available to the Governor of Rhode Island.
Contents
History
The Rhode Island Naval Militia traces its roots to the American Revolutionary War, when the Rhode Island State Navy was initiated with the commissioning of two sloops for the purpose of repelling the HMS Rose from Rhode Island waters.
In the 1890s, during the first decade of the invention of the modern naval militia, the Rhode Island Naval Militia was organized as a torpedo unit and frequently trained at the Navy's torpedo school on Coaster's Island near Newport. The Rhode Island Naval Militia first saw combat during the Spanish–American War when one hundred forty two members of Rhode Island Naval Battalion were federalized and served alongside the United States Navy.
The USS Miantonomoh served briefly under the Rhode Island Naval Militia before her decommissioning in November 1895. After being decommissioned on 8 October 1898, the USS Kanawha was loaned to the Rhode Island Naval Militia on 12 December 1898; however, the Kanawha was returned to the Navy on 12 August 1899 and transferred to the War Department. In 1910, the naval militia was assigned the USS Aileen. By 1916, the naval militia maintained an aeronautic section.
Personnel
Naval militias are recognized under federal law and are equipped by the federal government, and therefore, membership requirements are partially set according to federal standards. Under 10 U.S. Code § 7854, in order to be eligible for access to "vessels, material, armament, equipment, and other facilities of the Navy and the Marine Corps available to the Navy Reserve and the Marine Corps Reserve", at least 95% of members of the naval militia must also be members of the United States Navy Reserve or the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
Legal status
Naval militias of U.S. states are recognized as part of the organized militia of the United States under 10 U.S. Code §7851. Rhode Island law also recognizes the Rhode Island Naval Militia as a component of the militia of Rhode Island. Therefore, although inactive, an act of legislature by the Rhode Island General Assembly would return the Rhode Island Naval Militia to active service.