The Alabama State Defense Force (ASDF) is the state guard (official militia) for the State of Alabama  allowed by the Constitution of Alabama, The Code of Alabama and  Executive Order . It has an authorized strength of 1,000 members and is organized on the United States Army structural pattern. The ASDF is under the control of the Governor of Alabama, who serves as the state's Commander in Chief, and comes under the authority of The Adjutant General (TAG) of Alabama.

The ASDF is led by its own Commander. The ASDF Commander and the General Staff are posted at Fort Taylor Hardin in Montgomery, Alabama. The ASDF Commander holds the grade of Major General.

The official and primary mission of the ASDF, as defined by the Code of Alabama, is to establish a cadre (of not more than 1,000 persons) that will be subject to the call of The Adjutant General of Alabama after partial or full mobilization of the Alabama National Guard (ALNG). More specifically, the State Defense Force will be prepared to provide:

• Communications with the ALNG Joint Operation Center (JOC).
• Custodial duties and security of facilities and property.
• Family assistance.
• Recruiting to strength levels authorized by The Adjutant General.
• Responses to tasking from TAG through the ALNG EOC.
• Surveys of key facilities.
• Assist Homeland Defense and The Citizens Corp. as needed and directed by the  Governor of the State, the TAG and the ASDF Commandeer

A secondary mission of the ASDF is to provide manpower and relief assistance to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (EMA) during natural disasters and other civil emergencies within the State of Alabama. The ASDF cannot be deployed beyond the State of Alabama for missions while on state active duty.

http://sdf.alabama.gov/