- state military forces, in part equipped, trained, and quartered by the U.S. government, and paid by the U.S. government, that become an active component of the army when called into federal service by the president in civil emergencies.
- the armed force, first commanded by Lafayette, that was established in France in 1789 and existed intermittently until 1871
- (in the US) a state military force that can be called into federal service by the president
