[Chad C. Mulligan]

Should have begun this history capsule 100+ years earlier. Militias were the ONLY viable military force in the colonies up to the time of the French and Indian War. Thus the long held tradition of eschewing standing armies.

[Chainmail]

The only permissable force - the Brits didn't allow anything else. Unfortunately, we developed the "cult of the militia" and in actual direct combat they were very close to useless, embarrassingly so.

Despite the wishes of the Framers, a well trained and equipped professional army is all that stands between us and our many enemies.