New Hampshire Minuteman Militia anyone?

[Russell Kanning]

Would be nice if this could be a sanctioned entity, since it IS completely legal and encouraged by the constitution.

If not, we can say we did try to reach out to the powers that be.

Ill be with you guys on this when I get to NH this summer.

Let me know whos "in charge" so I can submit a common tasks proposal. I guess we start with individual tactical then move up to squad tactical. Thats probably the upper limit of capability for a militia.

Your going to be in NH by summer. Great 

[jcpliberty]

Would be nice if this could be a sanctioned entity, since it IS completely legal and encouraged by the constitution.

If not, we can say we did try to reach out to the powers that be.

Ill be with you guys on this when I get to NH this summer.

Let me know whos "in charge" so I can submit a common tasks proposal. I guess we start with individual tactical then move up to squad tactical. Thats probably the upper limit of capability for a militia.

With your experience, I don't think we should start without you!

Jim P.

[Grunt]

Id be happier if we could find out, either yes or no, if this could be sanctioned by the governor. Or at the very least have him not be verbally or violently opposed. We should also express our desire to create such a militia to the people in our communities. Let them be aware, maybe join the effort, and to voice thier opinions.

I dont think its a hot idea to just congregate in some training field somewhere without announcing ourselves. We gotta respect our fellow citizens. Id like to avoid any animosity between the militia and the populace, ala' police departments and other township tyrants (tax assessors, zoning regulators, housing inspectors, etc).

It would be great if we could make it a point to reach out to the people, and likewise let them reach us. The militia should focus highly on community service issues such as wild animal handling. Deer, black bear, the occasional mountain lion? I, for one, would not call the police for such things as invariably some animal protection busybody shows up with the environmental land-grabbers not far behind.

Maybe a militia laison for each county and a simply duty roster. Each member goes on standby for a few days a month. Ok, Im rambling now. Ill sit down with a beer sometime this week and ponder the logistical feasability of this. Happy new year everone!

[Russell Kanning]

If you guys contact the GONH guys, they will give you all the specifics about a legal militia in NH.

[Grunt]

Touching base with other militias would probably be a good idea as well.

[jcpliberty]

Touching base with other militias would probably be a good idea as well.

Indeed. I will do some looking up of militias in the area and other states.

Jim P.

[Dave Ridley]

One thing to keep in mind here is that initially - and maybe always - the number of volunteers will likely be pretty small.  I don't think the other State Guards in other states have very many members.  However the fact that this keeps coming up as an issue and the fact that so many folks are interested in it...perhaps this means we could get something started that would really grow.

But initially it would be important to keep expectations low....we're not going to be able to accomplish big things at first, maybe not for a long time.

[Dave Ridley]

OK what is the most common and recurring disaster-type-problem NH residents face?  And/or what kind of help would the first responders most like to have in dealing with disasters?  Help that could be provided by relatively unskilled volunteers lacking much equipment...

Maybe we should ask both....and then initially focus the organization on meeting that need.  Also we could form an organization that does that job but which is not initially a militia...over time we could work to gain the gubernatorial nod from Mr. Lynch or whoever but meanwhile we'd at least get used to working together on snow removal or something.

[Dave Ridley]

Ok so I'm asking myself...what is the ideal humanitarian service a militia (or pre-militia) could provide in NH.....

Animal control is one we've started to discuss...

Here is how I look at it.  The ideal activity or service would:

- Be needed with some frequency
- Be in demand, i.e. the Red Cross isn't already doing it
- Involve us working together in the same location so we get good at working as a team
- Not require much in the way of skill or equipment.
- Generate popularity for the organization which does it

If animal control meets these criteria better than other options, I'd favor focusing on that.  But is there something more ideal we could focus on?

[Russell Kanning]

I really like this idea.

Animal control would be way down on my list but maybe it is big for other people. I was thinking more along the lines of what volunteer fireman or peramedics would do.

[Grunt]

* Lost children searches

* Escaped prisoners searches

* Response to location specific floods, fires, snow, etc

* And for the TRULY saintly (batty?), transportation of invalids, elderly, and veterans to thier appointed destinations during extreme weather. You can count on the state or county run operations to get hammered mercilessly under such situations, we should be there to take up the slack.

* And poo-poo me if you wish, but the impending deployment of UN troops on American soil is something we need to address as well

[Michael Fisher]

Here's some natural disaster research from one of my prior ventures:

http://www.ctgreatbay.com/files/SeasonalRisk.xls

• New Hampshire is susceptible to high wind disasters, with the season peaking in June and July.


• New Hampshire is highly susceptible to severe winter storms, with the season peaking in December to February.


• New Hampshire is vulnerable to hurricanes, especially during August and September.

You do not need "government approval" to volunteer and help out during emergencies AND to help prepare the state for emergencies.

All it would take to help the state prepare for any of these disasters would be for someone, as an example, to call around to the various police and fire departments and let them know about NOAA Weather Radio.

You could also see if the state has any plan to train officers on responding to these emergencies and let the towns know about any classes or training materials that they may not know about.

The possibilities are really endless, but we should not assume that the government can protect us and do nothing to prepare for such disasters, just like the tsunami victims...

In Florida, one single woman helped bring police departments, mental institutions, and other state departments together to make sure the police are trained to handle people with mental problems.  You would think they would have thought of that before, but they hadn't.

Unfortunately, that lady decided to push for new laws to force the government to work together, when in fact she had proven that new laws were not needed - just volunteers.

[Russell Kanning]

...even better ideas 

[jcpliberty]

I *LOVE* all of these ideas and make a motion that we call ourselves the New Hampshire Citizen Response Team. We respond when needed in the unfortunate event of an emergency or disaster - or help with animal control (hehehe). Perhaps we run blood drives around the state... whatever we get "called up" for that isn't getting enough much needed help.

Then, when we are seen as this very *positive*  organization of individuals very dedicated to the well-being of our fellow NH citizens, perhaps then we can get a Gubernatorial and Legislative nod to form a State Guard/Militia.

JP

[Russell Kanning]

I like the idea also. It definitely helps people know that we only want to be helpful to our fellow citizens.
Down the road the militia part could be a branch of the original. Our relief workers will just be fully armed.