deactivated in 2016 by Governor Charlie Baker; no explanation for this decision was offered by the Governor's administration. Duties The purpose of the Massachusetts State Defense Force is to execute the state duties of the Massachusetts National Guard when the Guard is either partially or completely deployed. Since the MSDF cannot be deployed outside the state of Massachusetts, the Governor of Massachusetts always has military units in the state able to respond to an emergency. The primary responsibilities of the MSDF are to provide operational support to disaster relief, to provide professional support to the Massachusetts National Guard, and to aid in providing a medical response during and after a disaster. State Guardsmen may also aid in color guards and military funerals. On the recommendations of a steering committee involved in the reformation of the Massachusetts State Defense Force in 2011, the MSDF was slated to expand into a number of different roles, including: Support or augment professional staff functions of the National Guard including legal, chaplain, public affairs, information technology, medical, dental, mental health, and other professional functions; Support operational capabilities of National Guard operations including DOMS, Joint Adaptive Battle Staff, and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high yield explosive (CBRNE) enhanced response force packages (CERFP). Membership Recruiting in the Massachusetts State Guard is focused at the following residents of Massachusetts (and non-residents on a case-by-case basis): Honorably discharged members of the uniformed services of the United States, including active duty, reserve, and National Guard; Ordained clergymen of any religious denomination; Health service professionals (Chiropractors, Dentists, Optometrists, Physicians, Podiatrists, Psychologists, and Veterinarians as well as Audiologists, Biomedical Laboratory Technologists, Clinical Mental Health Professionals, Dieticians, Health Service Administrators, Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, Physician Assistants, Public Health Specialists, Occupational Therapists, Registered Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, and Social Workers); Licensed attorneys permitted to practice law in Massachusetts. To become an officer in the Massachusetts State Defense Force, a Guardsman must have earned a bachelor's degree. Like the National Guard, members served on a reserve basis as part-time members and may only be called into service at the discretion of the Governor of Massachusetts, with the exception of drills one weekend per month. Therefore, prospective members are only required to commit to one weekend of training per month unless called up. Units Members of the MSDF were assigned to either the MSDF's staff brigade or one of the three MSDF battalions: 1st Battalion