C.R.S. § 28-4-101 Short title
28-4-101. Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as the "State Defense Force Act".
State Defense Force
C.R.S. tit. 28, art. 4
in effectC.R.S. § 28-4-102 Definitions
28-4-102. Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) and (2) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2002, p. 589, § 18, effective May 24, 2002.)
(3) "Saboteur" means a person who intentionally destroys, damages, moves, or interferes with any property with reasonable grounds to believe that the act will interfere with the preparation of the United States or any state for defense or for war or with the prosecution of war by the United States.
(4) "State defense force" means the organized military force of the state of Colorado other than the Army National Guard or Air National Guard and existing as a division of the department of military and veterans affairs pursuant to section 24-1-127 (3)(d), C.R.S.
(5) "State defense force active duty" means that duty performed by individuals pursuant to this article.
(6) "Terrorist" means a person who has engaged in, or is suspected of engaging in, acts of terrorism, as that term is defined in 18 U.S.C. sec. 3077 (1), as amended.
C.R.S. § 28-4-103 Supplemental military force
28-4-103. Supplemental military force. The governor of the state of Colorado may establish, enlist, maintain, and train and regulate an organized military force within and for the state of Colorado constituting a part of the military establishment for the defense of the United States and the state of Colorado, in addition to and supplemental to the existing organizations of the National Guard, to the full extent authorized by the laws of the United States and the constitution of the state of Colorado.
C.R.S. § 28-4-103.5 Persons subject to military duty - state defense force
28-4-103.5. Persons subject to military duty - state defense force. (1) Every able-bodied male citizen of Colorado and those who have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States residing therein between the ages of eighteen and sixty-four years, except persons exempt by law, are subject to military duty in the state defense force. However, the following persons or classes of persons are exempted from military service:
(a) Persons exempt by any statute of this state;
(b) The members of any regularly organized fire or police department of any city, county, city and county, or town if such members are on full-time duty with the fire or police departments or if such members are found by the governor to be necessary for the health, welfare, or protection of the community;
(c) Those permanently disqualified for military service because of physical disability and having in their possession a certificate of some licensed physician or advanced practice registered nurse or surgeon that describes the nature thereof;
(d) Justices, judges, and clerks of courts of record, clerks of municipal courts, county clerk and recorders, sheriffs, and ministers of the gospel;
(e) Practicing physicians, officers and assistants of hospitals, prisons, and jails whose services are declared by the governor to be necessary for the general health, welfare, or protection of the community;
(f) Persons determined to be mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction and persons convicted of a felony and not pardoned;
(g) All persons who because of religious beliefs claim exemption from military service, if the conscientious holding of such belief by such persons is established under such regulations as the governor prescribes. Such persons shall be exempted from military service in a combat capacity, but no person so exempted shall be exempt from military service in any capacity which the governor declares to be noncombatant.
C.R.S. § 28-4-104 State defense force - composition
28-4-104. State defense force - composition. The governor is authorized to organize and maintain within this state such military forces as the governor deems necessary to defend this state. Such forces are known as the state defense force and are composed of such citizens of the state who volunteer or who are ordered by the governor and qualify for service therein. Such forces are additional to and distinct from the National Guard. The Colorado state defense force is maintained in numbers to be determined by the governor. If organized by the governor, the Colorado state defense force is a type 2 entity, as defined in section 24-1-105. No officer or enlisted person of this force may be a member of the National Guard or other armed force of the United States. Such part of this force as ordered by the governor is uniformed. Any part or all of this force may be called to state defense force active duty at the pleasure of the governor. All costs and expenses of the state defense force are paid from the general fund by separate appropriation to the department of military and veterans affairs.
C.R.S. § 28-4-105 Organization - rules and regulations
28-4-105. Organization - rules and regulations. The governor is authorized to prescribe the strength, branch of service, and rules and regulations not inconsistent with the provisions of this article governing the enlistment age of members of the force and governing the organization, physical requirements, administration, equipment, maintenance, training, and discipline of such force. Such rules and regulations, insofar as he or she deems practicable and desirable, shall conform to the existing law governing and pertaining to the National Guard and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and shall prohibit the acceptance of gifts, donations, gratuities, or anything of value by any member of such force from any individual, firm, association, or corporation by reason of his or her membership; except that it is permissible for common carriers, such as airlines, railroads and bus lines, to carry members of such force without charge or at a reduced rate. The Colorado state defense force shall be commanded by the senior officer holding a state commission in the Colorado state defense force. He or she shall be designated by the adjutant general as the commanding officer of the Colorado state defense force. All the rights, powers, privileges, benefits, and emoluments created or existing by virtue of state laws, customs, or regulations heretofore had or enjoyed by the members of the Colorado National Guard shall be conferred upon and vested in the members of the Colorado state defense force. All the duties and responsibilities imposed upon and demanded of the members of the Colorado National Guard by the state laws, customs, or regulations are imposed upon and may be demanded of the members of the Colorado state defense force.
C.R.S. § 28-4-106 Pay - members - employees of state
28-4-106. Pay - members - employees of state. All officers and enlisted persons of the Colorado state defense force when on state defense force active duty by order of the governor shall receive the same pay and allowances as are paid to officers and enlisted persons of like rank or grade in the Army of the United States. Officers and enlisted persons may also voluntarily perform state defense force active duty in an unpaid volunteer status. Regardless of pay status, the officers and enlisted persons of the Colorado state defense force shall be construed to be employees of the state of Colorado, and, in the event that any such officer or enlisted person incurs injuries or becomes sick, diseased, or deceased while on active duty under orders of the governor of the state of Colorado, he or she shall be entitled to all of the benefits of the "Workers' Compensation Act of Colorado", articles 40 to 47 of title 8, C.R.S., accruing to employees of the state of Colorado.
C.R.S. § 28-4-107 Equipment - buildings
28-4-107. Equipment - buildings. For the use of such forces, the governor is authorized to requisition from the secretary of defense such arms and equipment as may be in possession of and can be spared by the defense department, to make available to such forces the facilities of state armories and their equipment and such other state premises and property as may be required, to lease office rooms and barracks and employ such clerical, medical, and other forces as necessary to carry out the provisions of this article, and to set the pay of such clerical, medical, and other forces.
C.R.S. § 28-4-108 Service outside state
28-4-108. Service outside state. (1) Such forces shall not be required to serve outside the boundaries of the state except that:
(a) Upon the request of the governor of another state, the governor of this state, in his or her discretion, may order any portion or all of such forces to assist the military or police forces of such other state who are actually engaged in defending such other state. These forces may be recalled by the governor at his or her discretion.
(b) Any organization, unit, or detachment of such forces, upon order of the officer in immediate command thereof, may continue in fresh pursuit of insurrectionists, saboteurs, terrorists, enemies, or enemy forces beyond the borders of this state into another state until such are apprehended or captured by such organization, unit, or detachment or until the military or police forces of the other state or forces of the United States have had an opportunity to take up the pursuit or to apprehend or capture such persons, if such other state has given authority by law for such pursuit by the forces of this state. Any such person who is apprehended or captured in such other state by an organization, unit, or detachment of the forces of this state, without unnecessary delay, shall be surrendered to the military or police forces of the state in which he or she is taken or to the United States, but such surrender shall not constitute a waiver by this state of its right to extradite or prosecute such person for any crime committed in this state.
C.R.S. § 28-4-109 Forces of other states - privilege
28-4-109. Forces of other states - privilege. Any military forces or organizations, units, or detachments thereof of another state who are in fresh pursuit of insurrectionists, saboteurs, terrorists, enemies, or enemy forces may continue such pursuit into this state until the military or police forces of this state or the forces of the United States have had a reasonable opportunity to take up the pursuit or to apprehend or capture such persons within this state while in fresh pursuit. Any such person who is captured or arrested by the military forces of such other state while in this state, without unnecessary delay, shall be surrendered to the military or police forces of this state to be dealt with according to law. This section shall not be construed so as to make unlawful any arrest in this state which would otherwise be lawful, and nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to repeal any of the provisions of sections 16-3-104 and 16-3-106, C.R.S.
C.R.S. § 28-4-110 Federal service
28-4-110. Federal service. Nothing in this article shall be construed as authorizing such forces, or any part thereof, to be called, ordered, or in any manner drafted as such into the military service of the United States, but no person shall by reason of his or her enlistment or commission in any such forces be exempted from military service under any law of the United States.
C.R.S. § 28-4-111 Civil groups not enlisted as units
28-4-111. Civil groups not enlisted as units. 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 such forces as an organization or unit.
C.R.S. § 28-4-112 Citizenship a qualification
28-4-112. Citizenship a qualification. No person shall be commissioned or enlisted in such forces who is not a citizen of the United States.
C.R.S. § 28-4-113 Oath of officers
28-4-113. Oath of officers. The oath to be taken by officers commissioned in such force shall be substantially in the form prescribed for officers of the National Guard, substituting the words "Colorado state defense force" where necessary.
C.R.S. § 28-4-114 Enlistment period - oath
28-4-114. Enlistment period - oath. The period of enlistment shall be as specified in department of military and veterans affairs policies and procedures. The oath to be taken upon enlistment in such forces shall be substantially in the form prescribed for enlisted men and women of the National Guard, substituting the words "Colorado state defense force" where necessary.
C.R.S. § 28-4-115 Articles of war
28-4-115. Articles of war.
(1) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2002, p. 593, § 26, effective May 24, 2002.)
(2) No officer or enlisted person of such force shall be arrested on any warrant while going to, remaining at, or returning from a place where he or she is ordered to attend military duty; except that nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent that person's arrest by order of a military officer or for a crime committed while not in actual performance of that person's state defense force active duty. Every officer and enlisted person of such force, during his or her service therein, shall be exempt from service upon any posse comitatus and from jury duty.
(3) When any member of the state defense force is on state defense force active duty, whether in paid or volunteer status, the individual is subject to the provisions of the "Colorado Code of Military Justice", as set forth in article 3.1 of this title.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-28.docxFetched: 10/6/2026