State Defense Force to form here

Published 6:46 pm Thursday, January 28, 2010

Dick Dorsey is no longer a hard-charging U.S. Marine, but he feels like he’s contributing to the state’s military and emergency preparedness by serving in the Georgia State Defense Force.

“I’m not young enough to be in the Marines anymore, or the (Georgia Army) National Guard,” said Dorsey, 62. “But it feels good to be doing my part by serving.”

The SDF — a volunteer quasi-military unit that cannot be federalized, sent out of Georgia or deployed overseas — is a “rapid response force” under the state Department of Defense. Part of serving includes training in emergency response, providing security, learning first aid and how to conduct search-and-rescue operations in an effort to help state and local government agencies and civil relief organizations when the need arises.

Dorsey said the SDF deployed in Dahlonega earlier this month on a search-and-rescue mission after a young man went missing in snowy weather, and annually deploys in Dalton to provide security and traffic control at the Heritage Park fireworks display on the Fourth of July.

The State Defense Force will hold a registration drive on Sunday at the American Legion at 1118 N. Glenwood Ave. at 2 p.m. It is open to people ages 18 to 64, with or without prior military service. A physical is not required, but questions will be asked about an applicant’s physical ability and possible limitations. Applicants will also have to agree to a background check.

By charter, the State Defense Force is an unarmed force, said Maj. Jerry Willard, commander of the SDF’s First Battalion, which is based in Rome. Any specifics about training will be discussed at Sunday’s registration drive.

Dorsey said there are three levels of physical participation: Level 1 includes being physically able to take part in field operations including crowd control and search-and-rescue; Level 2 is being able to stand in formation but not taking part in some field operations; and Level 3 is primarily administrative duty and not having to stand in formations.

“We’re looking to have a platoon-sized group of men and women attached to First Battalion, but based in Dalton,” said Sgt. 1st Class Carl Gentry. “We’ve had this in the planning phase for quite awhile and feel that now is the time to implement this so we can respond quickly to emergencies and other needs in this part of our state.”

Initially, the Dalton unit will consist of a platoon of between nine to 12 people, and within a year’s time it is hoped — through recruitment drives — that up to four platoons will comprise a Dalton company.

Gentry said to “meet our mission” the SDF drills once a month and also trains in traffic and evacuation control, evacuee shelter augmentation, disaster reconnaissance, base and field medical support, crowd control and other tasks authorized by the Georgia Department of Defense. The Dalton unit will meet one weekend a month at the National Guard Armory on Crawford Street, and once a year at the Catoosa County Training Center, Dorsey said.

“We’re appealing to the citizens of Whitfield, Catoosa, Walker and Murray counties in particular,” said Gentry.

For more information or to register contact Warrant Officer 1st Class Dorsey at (706) 313-1888 or Gentry at (423) 991-4268. Walk-ins are also welcome. Information can also be found at the Web site www.gasdf.com.