Michigan Militia

Michigan Militia

The Michigan Militia is a paramilitary Michigan-based organization founded in 1994. The group was formed in response to perceived encroachments by the federal government on the rights of citizens. At its peak in the mid-1990s, the Michigan Militia Corps claimed to have 10,000 members.

About Michigan Militia in brief

Summary Michigan MilitiaThe Michigan Militia is a paramilitary Michigan-based organization founded in 1994 by Norman Olson, a veteran of the US Air Force. The group was formed in response to perceived encroachments by the federal government on the rights of citizens. At its peak in the mid-1990s, the Michigan Militia Corps claimed to have 10,000 members, although its membership now is several hundreds. The Militia’s main areas of focus are paramilitary training and emergency response. They are also involved in search and rescue, community preparedness and disaster relief.

In some brigades, participating in paramilitary training is not a requirement for membership. The early meetings of the Michigan militia were attended by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols before they carried out the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, which drew media attention to the organization. The Michigan Militia helped a barbershop reopen as the owner was defying the governor’s orders of closure for non-essential businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.