Mississippi State Guard

The Mississippi State Guard(MSSG) is the constitutionally authorized state defense force of the State of Mississippi. Operating under the authority of the Mississippi Military Department it is on an equal constitutional basis with the Mississippi Army National Guard, (MSARNG) and the Mississippi Air National Guard (MSANG) by the Mississippi Code of 1972. The Commanding General of the MSSG is appointed by the Adjutant General and Governor of the State of Mississippi, and reports directly to them. All commissioned officer appointments and or promotions must be approved by the Adjutant General and the Governor of Mississippi.

The MSSG is an all-volunteer organization tasked with supplementing the forces of the MSARNG and/or MSANG upon the order of the Governor and/or Adjutant General of the State of Mississippi. While its primary mission is to assist in coping with man-made or natural disaster, the MSSG trains to be ready to meet any assignment. As a state defense force, it is not subject to any federal authority with regard to assignment and/or control. But as many state militias were activated throughout the Southern states during WW II and became the Dixie Division, it is possible to serve under Title 10.Members of the Mississippi State Guard were called Federal Service during and many were part of the US Army Dixie Division. The MSSG was initially established as the Home Guard by executive order in 1941, during World War II, after the Mississippi National Guard units were called to federal active duty.

In 1986, when the United States Army adopted the "Total Force Concept" in which the National Guard of all states are trained as, and considered an integral part of, the active duty forces of the United States military (though remaining under state control unless activated to federal service), the MSSG was re-activated and reorganized as a cadre force to augment the state's National Guard forces as necessary in the event of their federal deployment.

The Mississippi State Guard is open to all citizens of Mississippi, male and female, age 17 to 62. All applicants are subject to rigid background checks.

Mississippi State Guard individual ribbons

 * MSSGDSR.JPG MSSG Distinguished Service Ribbon
 * MSSGMSR.JPG MSSG Meritorious Service Ribbon
 * MSSGCR2.JPG MSSG Commendation Ribbon
 * MSSGAR.JPG MSSG Achievement Ribbon
 * MSSGAM.JPG MSSG Award of Merit
 * MSSGLSR.JPG MSSG Longevity Service Ribbon
 * MSSGODS-ODSSR.JPG MSSG Operation Desert Shield/Storm Service Ribbon
 * MSSGRR.JPG MSSG Recruitment Ribbon
 * MSSGTR1.JPG MSSG Training Ribbon
 * MSSGAMR.JPG MSSG Association Membership Ribbon

Mississippi State Guard unit ribbons

 * MSSGOUC.JPG MSSG Outstanding Unit Citation