Rhode Island Naval Militia
The Rhode Island Naval Militia is the inactive naval militia of Rhode Island. Along with the Rhode Island National Guard and the Rhode Island State Guard, it is one of the military forces available to the Governor of Rhode Island. History The Rhode Island Naval Militia traces its roots to the American Revolutionary War, when the Rhode Island State Navy was initiated in June 1775 with the commissioning of two sloops, the Washington and the Katy (later renamed Providence), for the purpose of repelling from Rhode Island waters. When the Continental Navy was formed in late 1775 the Alfred and Providence became part of it. In the 1890s, during the first decade of the invention of the modern naval militia, the Rhode Island Naval Militia was organized as a torpedo unit and frequently trained at the Navy's torpedo school on Coaster's Island near Newport. The Rhode Island Naval Militia first saw combat during the Spanish–American War when one hundred forty two members of Rhode Island Naval Battalion were federalized and served alongside the United States Navy. served briefly under the Rhode Island Naval Militia before her decommissioning in November 1895. After being decommissioned on 8 October 1898, was loaned to the Rhode Island Naval Militia on 12 December 1898; however, Kanawha was returned to the Navy on 12 August 1899 and transferred to the War Department. In 1910, the naval militia was assigned . By 1916, the naval militia maintained an aeronautic section. In early 1916 recently retired Lieutenant (junior grade) Richard E. Byrd, USN was appointed as Inspector and Instructor of the RINM. He is credited with making great strides in improving the efficiency of the RINM and was elected by its members as its commander in December 1916. In April 1917, following the US declaration of war against Germany, Byrd was recalled to active duty. Byrd went on to lead the first flight over the North Pole in 1926 and to lead five expeditions to Antarctica. The RINM was called into active service during World War I but was not reformed after the war since the US Naval Reserve had taken the place of state naval militias. In the early 1970s, due to historical interest caused by the Bicentennial of the American Revolution, the RI Naval Militia was reformed as one of the state's historic military commands with the replica sloop Providence as its flagship. Interest in the historic Naval Militia was short lived and it disbanded. Personnel Naval militias are recognized under federal law and are equipped by the federal government, and therefore, membership requirements are partially set according to federal standards. Under 10 U.S. Code § 7854, in order to be eligible for access to "vessels, material, armament, equipment, and other facilities of the Navy and the Marine Corps available to the Navy Reserve and the Marine Corps Reserve", at least 95% of members of the naval militia must also be members of the United States Navy Reserve or the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Legal