Citizen's Defense Force
| The Citizen's Defense Force | |
|---|---|
| La Fuerza Defensiva de la Gente | |
| File:NASCMartialFlag.png The Flag of the Citizen's Defense Force | |
| Founded | 25. December. 2030 |
| Current form | 17. August. 2051 |
| Service branches | Gendarmerie Verde Defense Force |
| Headquarters | State Security Ministry Building, Veluna City |
| Leadership | |
| President | Nataliya Valinova |
| War Minister | Pabloc Coruna Pancha |
| State Security Minister | John Dinkley |
| Manpower | |
| Military age | 18-50 |
| Conscription | None |
| Available for military service | 8,898,951 males, age 18-50 (2062 est.), 6,139,564 females, age 18-50 (2062 est.) |
| Fit for military service | 5,932,634 males, age 18-50 (2062 est.), 5,743,657 females, age 18-50 (2062 est.) |
| Reaching military age annually | (2062 est.) |
| Active personnel | 654,392 |
| Reserve personnel | 1,479,243 |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | $376,000,000,000 |
| Percent of GDP | 1.1% |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | Commonwealth Armory System Veiled Isle Armory System |
| Related articles | |
| History | History of the Citizen's Defense Force |
| Ranks | Ranks of the Citizen's Defense Force |
The Citizen's Defense Force (CIDFOR) is the secondary military arm of The North American Socialist Commonwealth, as well as its Gendarmerie. It can trace its roots to the citizen's defense militias formed by the revolutionaries in 2030 which served the Provisional Government, and was formally founded upon adoption of the Constitution by the Provisional Government in 2031. Being a Gendarmerie it is under the joint Command of the War Ministry and the State Security Ministry. The Commonwealth Defense Force is often called the "Shield of the Commonwealth" as it is the defender of the Commonwealth and its Guardian allowing the The Commonwealth Defense Force to serve as the sword. Curiously, the Citizen's Defense Force is also responsible for commanding the Defense Forces of the Commonwealth's off world territories as a means of allowing them that degree of autonomy but to prevent them using military force to further their seperate aims.
| Component | Personnel |
|---|---|
| Gendarmerie | 275,740 |
| Coastal Defense Force | 62,789 |
| Civil Air Patrol | 56,979 |
| Reserve Equipment Force | 132,104 |
| Veiled Isle Defense Force | 123,670 |
| Verde Defense Force | 126,780 |
| Total Active | 654,392 |
| Gendarmerie | 128,726 |
| Coastal Defense Force | 40,122 |
| Emergency Defense Divisions | 1,261,436 |
| Strategic Air Defense Force | 75,118 |
| Verde Defense Force | 102,567 |
| Total Reserve | 1,479,243 |
Attitudes to The Citizen's Defense Force
The Citizen's Defense Force is generally well received in the Commonwealth, as is its soldiery. This is partially due to the massive public image campaign utilized by the Citizen's Defense, but also because it is an element of the Commonwealth's Defense apparatus that is regularly seen in public, and are most composed of the Commonwealth's citizenry. Very often the members of CIDFOR are not viewed as Professional military like those in CODFOR, but as the common people. However, a fairly sizable element of the population actively despises CIDFOR for its role in riot control, and, in Southland as the strongarm that some say forced the hands of Southern legislatures in ratification of the Constitution, a fact which the Commonwealth's government most vehemently denies.
Generally speaking CIDFOR doesn't receive as much attention from the government as CODFOR in recent years. This is because of the relatively low level of ambient dissent in the Commonwealth, and CIDFOR's relegation to the status as an "Emergency Secondary Defense apparatus". AS a result CIDFOR has recently seen little budget growth and no help with recruitment since the opening in spite of the higher ambient threat level, and the increased territories that CIDFOR is required to cover.
Training Regimen
Training Regimens for the Citizen's Defense Force vary heavily from branch to branch. As CIDFOR is a large and varied organization it is difficult to effectively training regimes. There has been limited success in this field however, at least among "core" CIDFOR Branches. Largely, between the main 4 branches of CIDFOR there are two types of training for professionals and reservists respectively. In professional elements of CIDFOR extra time is taken to train recruits to the same standards as CODFOR and to keep up to this level of training. This is partially helped as Active CIDFOR members often see more action than CODFOR members in the discharge of their duties. Reservists however, being considered at best part time soldiery are given limited training, though with many many "refresher" courses throughout their service for a week twice a year, and at least a day every month.
Service Branches
The Citizen's Defense Force is broken down into several smaller branches of service dependent largely on role within the overall apparatus of CIDFOR. The most recognizable is of course the Gendarmerie, which serves both as a street presence in support of the Police organizations of the Commonwealth, and as an anti-riot force. The largest, numerically speaking are the Emergency Defense Divisions, which comprise the last line of conventional defense for the Commonwealth. Aside from these two branches are the Coastal Defense Force, the Civil Air Patrol, and the Territorial Defense Forces for the Veiled Isle and Isla Verde respectively.
Gendarmerie
The Gendarmerie is the most public of the CIDFOR branches, given that their duties take them to the streets of the Commonwealth. The Gendarmerie is also the most controversial of CIDFOR branches in terms of duties. The Gendarmerie often fills "gap" duties that many believe would be better served by various elements of the State Security Ministry's police forces. The primary duty of the Gendarmerie is in an anti-riot capacity which is a role many believe would be better served by STIG, however whereas STIG is called in as a "strike force" to deal directly with threats, the Gendarmerie serves in a less active role, and does actually serve as "beat" police in states of national emergency. Similarly the Gendarmerie often guard important places a role that many believe would be better served by the SPPU. However, that organization lacks the manpower to properly fulfill such duties, and as a result the role falls to the Gendarmerie, though many officers of the SPPU come from a background in the Gendarmerie. As a result of these gaps, the Gendarmerie continues to have a role and continues to exist in spite of the inefficiency.
The Gendarmerie is a "professional" branch of CIDFOR, and is comprised of roughly 350,000 members with a roughly 130,000 of those being reservists in the event of a major crisis. Gendarmes are often in training for periods of six months before starting their first tour of duty, and typically serve for a period of ten years before leaving, though several career gendarmes serve for periods longer than that. The Gendarmerie can often be found in the government districts of capital cities on patrol or on guard. Sometimes in periods of high tension Gendarmes may been seen outside of these areas attempting to keep the peace through their presence without having to resort to violent methods. In the event that a riot or similar event does occur the Gendarmerie appear in force to keep things under control, or if necessary crack down on whatever event is occurring. It is for this duty that has earned the ire of many citizens of the Commonwealth.
As a militarized force the Gendarmerie do have another function. In the event of invasion, they are to assist the Commonwealth Defense Force in their actions as necessary, and they are to effectively to enforce martial law with the assistance of the civilian Police until they are called into the service of the Commonwealth Defense Force. If all else fails, each Gendarme is expected to start forming cells of resistance in an occupied area to aid in taking back the Commonwealth from an invader, or to engage in acts of sabotage alone if forming a resistance proves impossible. Additionally, the Gendarmerie are called up in the event of a natural disaster to provide support with the recovery efforts.
Coastal Defense Force
The Coastal Defense Force is among the most active branches of CIDFOR. Quite simply it is responsible for direct coastal patrol. Whereas the the Commonwealth Navy is responsible for sea lanes guardianship and defense from invasion, the Coastal Defense Force is to handle more mundane tasks, engaging in anti-drug and anti-piracy patrols solely within Commonwealth waters. Similarly, the Coastal Defense Force is tasked with interdiction of potential terrorist threats on the coast where it can. As a result the Coastal Defense Force. As an additional duty, it is the mission of Coastal Defense to perform rescue missions in the event of a coastal shipwreck.
Coastal Defense is a "professional" branch of CIDFOR, and is composed of roughly 100,000 members broken in twain for roughly 60,000 active and 40,000 reserve personnel. Coastal Defense recruits train for a period of eight months in a more intense fashion than those in the Gendarmerie. In addition to normal training it is a requirement that all CD members are capable of swimming competently, and are otherwise capable of handling themselves on ships and in water for extended periods of time. Most active members of Coastal Defense are constantly on patrol or on call, while reservists are brought up in times of tension, or in preparation for a large operation. While it is theoretically possible that Coastal Defense is capable of defending the nation during an invasion, it is woefully under equipped to take on any substantial opposing force, and would almost certainly require aid from the Navy to do so.
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Gendarme Aerial Branch. As a result it is responsible for all low risk activities pertaining to the Security and Protection of the Commonwealth's internal sky lanes as well as providing support for Search and Rescue and Fire Fighting capabilities in the vast wilderness areas. Officially, Civil Air Patrol is a more or less a noncombatant force, however it does operate a goodly number of militarized craft, especially in off world territories to engage in contra drug running and slaving activities.
Civil Air Patrol is a "professional" branch. Currently the Civil Air Patrol has about 56,000 members all of whom are on "active" duty. Mostly this consists of training exercises and search and rescue missions, as well as air support for Fire Fighting, though Verde Air Patrol has engaged in a few COIN raids, drug running interceptions, and runway destruction operations. In the event of invasion with some ordinance supplies from CODFOR the Civil Air Patrol is capable of providing assistance with CAS and limited Anti-Air Duties. However, given that Air Patrol solely operates light craft it cannot be considered a reasonable force for direct engagement with a hostile Air Force.
Emergency Defense Divisions
The Emergency Defense Divisions, or Emergency Defense are the least active of CIDFOR. Quite simply they are there. Their duty, the final organized defense of the Commonwealth is obviously intended as nothing more than a last resort mechanism. As the Commonwealth has not needed to use Emergency Defense they remain inactive, working only during training sessions. That being said, readiness is a fairly high priority for Emergency Defense Planners, and Emergency Defense Divisions are expected to be fully activated within three weeks of an invasion. Emergency Defense is in this sense a completely military force, as it has no policing duties.
Emergency Defense is to be considered a "Reservist" organization and as a result training reflects this. Recruits are trained for a single block of three months to learn basic survival skills, basic soldiery skills, and how to properly conduct a guerrilla warfare campaign. They are then subject to refresher courses and drills throughout the year, with their absence compensated for by the state. Currently, about 1,300,000 citizens are enrolled in Emergency Defense all of whom (barring State Security bureaucrats) are called up only for training or in the case of emergency.
Currently Emergency Defense solely consists of infantry units, with limited air transport capacity and no heavy assets to speak of. Such units are considered simply far too expensive for use with "last ditch" emergency troops despite the possible utility of such units, and it is highly expected that CODFOR would be able to provide support in this capacity or that such units are to be waging guerrilla campaigns rather than engaging the enemy directly.
Reserve Equipment Force
The Commonwealth Reserve Equipment Force is responsible for maintaining older retried and laid up military equipment. This force is not a traditional "force" in the sense that it has a combat arm that is responsible for direct action in policing or in combat. Instead it guards and operates storage facilities for surplus or obsolescent CODFOR, CIDFOR, and government equipment, and as a storage repository for spare parts that can be used in operating Commonwealther equipment. Additionally, the REF is in control of weapons testing for the Commonwealth Defense Force and Citizen's Defense Force. Currently the Reserve Equipment Force has roughly 150,000 personnel assigned to it, with a handful of civilian technicians called in on an as needed basis to perform maintenance of more advanced systems. All members of the Reserve Equipment Force are full timers.
The Reserve Equipment Force is a "Reservist" Organization in terms of training. However, they are in fact full timers, and the shorter training period is mostly due to the fact that most REF personnel are either technicians and engineers who already have the necessary skills to perform their duties, or Veterans of the Commonwealth Defense Force who likewise would have the necessary training to perform their duties. All prospective personnel are given a brief course in training either as a refresher or to bring them up to speed on critical skills, and are subject to further refresher courses throughout their service.
Strategic Air Defense Force
The Strategic Air Defense Force is responsible for manning the Commonwealth's ground based ballistic missile defense network. This force is generally held in reserve as its role is not frequently needed. They are however expected to remain on call throughout their service in the case of a sudden national emergency. It would be important to note that the SADF is responsible only for manning the ground based civil ABM Network, and not Early Warning, or Airborne ABM elements. All of the Strategic Air Defense Force is held in reserve and is comprised of roughly 75,000 persons.
The Strategic Air Defense Force is considered a "Professional" organization, and is trained to an extremely high standard for CIDFOR personnel. Their key importance in the Air Defense Network is the rationale for this, and as a result discipline is kept extremely high. SADF entrants must go through a full CODFOR style training regime, and then are utilized under the same system as the CODFOR reserves. The SADF must meet a mandated minimal expected interception rate (EXIR), and failure to meet these standards is punished quite heavily.
