§ 13-504

(a) An officer or warrant officer commissioned or appointed in the Maryland Defense Force shall take the oath prescribed in § 13–509 of this subtitle.

(b) An individual who enlists in the Maryland Defense Force shall take an oath substantially in the form required for enlisted personnel of the National Guard, substituting “Maryland Defense Force” where necessary in the oath.

(c) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the enlistment period in the Maryland Defense Force is determined by the commanding officer based on the specialty of the recruit and the needs of the militia and may be renewed.

(2) In the case that a state of war exists between the United States and any other nation, or that there is a federal or State declaration of emergency presently in force in the State, all enlistments shall continue until 3 months after said state of war or emergency ends, unless the enlisted individual is discharged sooner by proper authority.

(d) The Governor may accept the resignation of an officer or grant a discharge to an enlisted individual at any time.