Bill Skolaut silently signals to another militia member during a night course Saturday, March 13, 2010 in the woods of Odessa, Missouri. Skolaut and other militia members practiced navigational skills and communicating in the dark during their training.
The Missouri Militia is a group of men exercising their constitutional rights to assemble and bear arms. Although many militia groups currently forming in the United States are radical, politically-motivated groups displeased with the government, the Missouri Militia’s main goal is to help the citizens of the state.
The militia’s objective is to assist State Highway Patrol and the National Guard in cases of natural disaster. The group training includes how to perform CPR, tie knots, give an impromptu tracheotomy and quickly apply a gas mask. The group also donates blood often and collects food for food pantries. In the past, the militia has helped in search parties in cases of missing children and laid sandbags and distributed water during floods.
The Missouri Militia is an often misunderstood group and many assume they are gun-toting right wing activities. Although many of the members are conservative libertarians, they express no political agenda during meetings, except in matters involving protection of the constitution and do not require members to take part in any type of political dogma.