Chapter 5920 | Ohio Military Reserve

Section 5920.01 | Organization and maintenance of Ohio military reserve.

• Effective: September 29, 2005
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 66 - 126th General Assembly

(A) The governor shall organize and maintain within this state on a cadre or reserve basis military forces capable of being expanded and trained to defend this state whenever the Ohio national guard, or a part thereof, is employed so as to leave this state without adequate defense. In case of an emergency proclaimed by the president, or the Congress of the United States, or the governor, or caused by enemy action or imminent danger thereof, the governor, as commander in chief, shall expand such forces as the exigency of the occasion requires. Such forces shall be organized and maintained under regulations which shall not be inconsistent with such regulations as the secretary of defense prescribes for discipline and training and shall be composed of officers commissioned and assigned, and such able-bodied citizens of the state as are accepted therein. Such forces shall be equipped with suitable uniforms not in violation of federal laws or contrary to the regulations of the secretary of defense. Such forces shall be known as the Ohio military reserve. During the period of organization on a cadre or reserve basis the commander in chief may fix lesser rates of pay for armory drill purposes or for service in encampments and maneuvers. In the event that the regulations of the department of defense are modified so as to recognize the Ohio military reserve as a part of the Ohio national guard not subject to induction into federal service, the laws pertaining to the Ohio national guard shall apply to the Ohio military reserve and it shall be known as a component of the Ohio national guard.

(B) The commander of the Ohio military reserve shall report all expenditures and the use of all funds by the Ohio military reserve to the general assembly. The commander annually shall deliver the report, in writing, within three months of the end of the state fiscal year.

Section 5920.02 | Rules and regulations.

• Effective: September 23, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 204 - 116th General Assembly

The governor may precribe rules not inconsistent with the provisions of law governing the enlistment, organization, administration, equipment, and maintenance of the Ohio military reserve. A copy of such rules shall be kept available to the public in the office of the adjutant general.

Section 5920.03 | Requisition for arms and equipment authorized - state armories.

• Effective: September 23, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 204 - 116th General Assembly

The governor may requisition from the department of defense, for the use of the Ohio military reserve, arms and equipment that may be in possession and can be furnished by the department, and make available to the corps the facilities of state armories and their equipment and such other state premises and property that are available.

Section 5920.04 | Exemption from military service.

• Effective: September 23, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 204 - 116th General Assembly

Sections 5920.01 to 5920.11 of the Revised Code do not authorize the Ohio military reserve, or any part thereof, to be called or ordered as such into the military service of the United States. The military reserve may become a component of the Ohio national guard and subject to the regulations of the secretary of defense of the United States. The governor may consent to the employment of not more than one half of the military reserve to assist in areas adjacent to the borders of the state. No person shall, by reason of his enlistment or commission in the military reserve, be exempt from military service under any law of the United States.

Section 5920.05 | Civil organizations not to be enlisted.

• Effective: September 23, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 204 - 116th General Assembly

No civil organization, society, club, post, order, fraternity, association, brotherhood, body, union, league, or other combination of persons, or civil group, shall be enlisted in the Ohio military reserve as an organization.

Section 5920.06 | Qualification for commission or enlistment.

• Effective: September 23, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 204 - 116th General Assembly

No person shall be commissioned or enlisted in the Ohio military reserve who is not a citizen of the United States or who has been expelled or dishonorably discharged from any military or naval organization of this state, of another state, or of the United States.

Section 5920.07 | Oath of commissioned officers.

• Effective: September 23, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 204 - 116th General Assembly

Commissioned officers of the Ohio military reserve shall take and subscribe to the following oath of office:

"I, ________________________________, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of Ohio, against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will obey the orders of the governor of the state of Ohio, that I make this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office of ____________________________ in the Ohio military reserve, upon which I am about to enter; and, I do solemnly swear that I do not advocate, nor am I a member of any political party or organization that advocates the overthrow of the government of the United States or of this state by force or violence and that during such time that I am a member of the Ohio military reserve, I will not advocate nor become a member of any political party or organization that advocates the overthrow of the government of the United States or of this state by force or violence, so help me God."

Every officer, before being commissioned shall take the subscribe to such oath within ten days after his appointment, and unless he does so he is deemed to have declined his office and the appointment shall be vacated.

Section 5920.08 | Enlistment contract - oath of enlistment.

• Effective: May 9, 2000
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 495 - 123rd General Assembly

All persons enlisted in the Ohio military reserve shall sign an enlistment contract and take and subscribe to an oath of enlistment as follows:

"I do hereby acknowledge to have voluntarily enlisted this ________ day of ________________________, _________, as a member of the Ohio military reserve for a period of three years, under the conditions prescribed by law, unless sooner discharged by proper authority. And I do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America and to the state of Ohio; that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever; and that I will obey the orders of the governor of the state of Ohio and of the officers appointed over me according to law and the rules and regulations in accordance therewith."

Section 5920.09 | Powers of commissioned officers.

• Effective: September 23, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 204 - 116th General Assembly

All commissioned officers of the Ohio military reserve may administer oaths and affirmations in the discharge of any of the duties pertaining to their offices and in connection with the appointment of officers and the enlistment of members of the military reserve.

Section 5920.10 | Application of Ohio code of military justice.

• Effective: September 18, 1997
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 130 - 122nd General Assembly

Whenever the Ohio military reserve or any part thereof is ordered out for active service by the governor, the Ohio code of military justice shall be in full force in respect to such forces.

Section 5920.11 | Resignation - discharge - commission of officers vacated.

• Effective: September 23, 1985
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 204 - 116th General Assembly

The governor may accept the resignation of any officer or grant a discharge to any enlisted man of the Ohio military reserve at any time. Commissions of officers of the military reserve shall be vacated by resignation or absence without leave for three months, upon recommendation of an efficiency board, pursuant to sentence of a court-martial, or if such officer has been convicted of an infamous crime.