Frequently Asked Questions

Who are you?
I'm the primary point-of-contact for the Unorganized Militia of Champaign County. I am law-abiding, pro-government, and pro-law enforcement.

You guys are a bunch of gun-toting good ol' boys in flannel shirts, aren't you?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but most militia members do not fit your tidy stereotype. Members span the entire socio-economic spectrum and include emergency medical technicians, lawyers, managers, law enforcement officers, clergymen, laborers, chefs, and electrical engineers.

You guys are a bunch of racists/white supremacists, aren't you?
No. I believe judging a person by their skin color or ethnicity is immoral. Because of this, the Unorganized Militia of Champaign County will not be used as a vehicle for promoting hatred or intolerance toward anyone, including other races.

But I thought militias were racist?
Unfortunately some are. These are usually "underground," and the Unorganized Militia of Champaign County will not have anything to do with them as long as I'm involved in it. Another unfortunate fact is that the mainstream media has chosen to characterize ALL militia members as being underground & racist. Kind of makes you wonder which side the mainstream media is on...

But what about that Timothy McVeigh guy? Wasn't he a member of a militia?
Not that I'm aware of. He attended a militia meeting in Michigan, but was asked to leave. I believe he also shopped at Wal-Mart. Does that mean all Wal-Mart patrons are deranged evil-doers? Assuming he was involved in the OC incident, Timothy McVeigh was an evil and despicable person. The fires of hell work overtime for creatures like him.

But I thought you militia guys were anti-government?
Who in their right mind wants anarchy? A civilized country must have a government, and we support it 100% as defined in the Constitution. So patriots only, please - no revolutionaries need apply.

Now come on, admit it: You guys are into unlawful activities, aren't you?
No. Our activities are not only lawful, but (in my opinion) entirely moral, ethical, and above-board. I don't tolerate anyone TALKING about unlawful activities, let alone doing them.

How much do I get paid for being in the militia?
You do not get paid. The militia is a "duty and honor," and thus voluntary. As it should be.

Are there membership dues?
Some militia units require dues, while others do not. I do not require dues. However, I do have some militia-incurred expenses such as printer paper, laser printer cartridges, and long distance phone calls. These expenses come out of my pocket. But donations are always appreciated. ;)

Do you have any other activities outside the militia?
Of course! While I consider it vitally important, militia activities only take a small amount of time during a typical month. I have a family. And during the day I'm an electrical engineer... I design and test circuits and systems for a wide variety of customers. I'm also an adjunct math professor for a local university.

(I'm an undercover agent and I'm going to infiltrate your group)
Why bother going to all the trouble of being undercover? We welcome law enforcement & intelligence personnel to attend our meetings and join us in training.

(I'm a reporter and I'm going to infiltrate your group)
Same as above... why bother going to all the trouble of being undercover? We welcome the press to attend our meetings and join us in training.

How can I become a member of the Unorganized Militia of Ohio?
Are you a citizen of the State of Ohio? Are you between the ages of 17 and 68? Are you not a member of the military reserve or National Guard? Are you not handicapped? If you answered "yes" to all of these questions, congratulations - you're already a member!

http://onlinedocs.andersonpublishing.com/revisedcode/
Ohio Revised Code Ann. § 5923.01 (Anderson 1977 & Supp. 1990)
Composition and organization of state militia; definitions; troop limitation.

(A) The Ohio organized militia consist of all citizens of the state who are not permanently handicapped, as handicapped is defined in section 4112.01 of the Revised Code, who are more than seventeen years, and not more than sixty-seven years, of age unless exempted as provided in section 5923.02 of the Revised Code, and who are members of one of the following:

(B) The Ohio national guard, including both the Ohio air national guard and the Ohio army national guard, the Ohio naval militia, and the Ohio military reserve are known collectively as the Ohio organized militia.

(D) The unorganized militia consists of those citizens of the state as described in division (A) of this section who are not members of the Ohio organized militia.

No, I mean... how can I become an active member of the Unorganized Militia of Ohio?
That's more like it. Just send me an email (champaign_militia@yahoo.com) and I'll arrange a meeting.

So what kind of information are you going to request from me? Is there an application? Background check? Do I have to submit a DNA sample?
I value everyone's privacy. And your background and personal information are none of my business. Hence there is no application form, no background check, and no training rosters.

Do I need a gun?
No. Guns are just tools, and most of our training does not even involve guns or shooting. So if you don't have a gun, don't worry about it. In the big scheme of things, guns are not as important as you might think.

I'm in the process of acquiring my first gun. What kind of gun should I get?
Well, any gun is better than no gun at all. But for combat purposes, rifles are best. A bolt action rifle or main battle rifle (MBR) will suffice quite well.

Above all, never forget: It's the man, not the gun, that's important. When it comes right down to it, your courage is 1000 times more important than your tools. Courage is what's most important, not an accurized AR-15 w/ match barrel and jewel trigger.

I'm kind of nervous about being around people with guns.
First of all, I am a NRA-certified rifle instructor, so I am intimately familiar with the safety aspects of firearms. Secondly, I am anally-retentive when it comes to gun safety, and I have zero tolerance for unsafe gun handling. The Four Safety Rules are incessantly drilled to all of our members, and unsafe gun handling is never tolerated. Anyone caught violating a gun safety rule is immediately notified, and repeat offenders will lose their privilege to touch a firearm on our property. Thanks to the vigilance of our members, we have never had a notable mishap.