Do state governments have the authority to raise an army under the US Constitution?

Answer 1

No. Article 1, section 8 clause 11 says the Congress has the power: "To raise and support armies..." Since this power is one of the federal government's enumerated powers, the states no longer have it. Section 8, clause 16 gives Congress the power to provide for the organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress. In addition, Article I, Section10, Clause 3 states: "No state shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another state, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually, invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay." Most if not all states have Army and Air National Guard units. These are not state armies. Federal statutes in Title 10 Section 101(c)( of the United States Code define Army and Air National Guard as that part of a state's organized militia that : A. is a land force; B. is trained and has its officers appointed under the sixteenth clause of section 8 of Article I of the US Constitution; C. is organized, armed and equipped wholly or partly at Federal expense; and, D. is federally recognized. Thus even state National Guard units are not simply "armies" raised by the states, because they require Congressional oversight, funding and recognition. Some states have what they may call "military forces", separate and apart from any National Guard units they may have. However these also are not armies. They are more like militia units that don't qualify as national Guard units under 10 USC 101. Those types of units are usually used purely for intrastate purposes as an adjunct or addition to any state police force. Thus state governments do not have the right to raise armies under the Constitution itself.

Answer 2

It's called the National Guard, they are controlled by the individual state and is organized under Title 32 of the United States Code. While the Army National Guard is organized, trained and equipped as a component of the U.S. Army, when it is not in federal service it is under the command of individual state and territorial governors, and the Mayor of the District of Columbia. However, the National Guard can be federalized by presidential order and against the governor's wishes.

As an addition to this, the United States has the power to reinstate a military draft to raise an army. Also, the USA maintains an active military reserve system. Former soldiers or people in these reserves can remain in them to an age of 40 or more.

Answer 3

States already have an army - each state has it's own 'National Guard,' which is under the direct command of the state governer.

Answer 4

The US raised an army during World War 1 by installing the draft. The US also opened recruiting offices in major cities.

Answer 5

Yeah

Answer 6

Of course;