Editing Harvest Colonial Militia

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Military infobox
|name=Harvest Colonial Militia 
|image=[[File:Colonial militia.jpg|225px]]
|allegiance= [[United Nations Space Command]]
|branch= [[UNSC Army]]
|type= Paramilitary
|role= Ground operations
|size= Company
|battles= [[First Battle of Harvest]]
|commanders=*[[Staff Sergeant|SSgt]] [[Avery Junior Johnson|Avery Johnson]]
*[[Staff Sergeant|SSgt]] [[Nolan Byrne]]
*[[Captain (ground forces)|Captain]] [[Ponder]]
}}
{{Quote|You're militia. But you're also one of the few people in the entire [[UNSC]] who knows how to fight these [[Covenant|sons-of-bitches]].|[[Staff Sergeant]] [[Avery Johnson]]<ref name="ch385">'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 385''</ref>}}

The '''Harvest Colonial Militia''' was a branch of the [[Colonial Militia]], first created to handle internal security operations on the colony [[Harvest]] in the wake of the [[Insurrection]], but would later be distinguished as the first [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] force to encounter the [[Covenant]]. The militia garrison was located just outside of the small town of [[Gladsheim]], along [[Gladsheim Highway|a highway]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 77''</ref>

==History==
===Background===
The [[Harvest]] militia was established in [[2524]]. It took the [[Parliament of Harvest]] years of negotiations to organize the militia, requiring the unanimous approval of all twenty-four Parliament members.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 165''</ref> The official purpose of the militia was to train Harvest's colonists to deal with natural disasters and internal security, but it was unofficially designed to create a paramilitary force to combat [[Insurrectionist]]s on the planet.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 66''</ref> Following a failed anti-insurgent operation on [[Tribute]], [[Staff Sergeant]]s [[Avery Johnson]] and [[Nolan Byrne]] were assigned to Harvest to train the militia, along with [[Captain (Marine Corps)|Captain]] [[Ponder]] and [[Petty Officer First Class]] [[Healy]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 123''</ref>

[[Colonial Militia Training]] began on [[2524|December 23, 2524]]. At first, the training consisted of two weeks of physical training and daily ten kilometre marches.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 105''</ref> After several attacks on human [[freighter]]s, Johnson and Byrne using a "derelict" freighter to bait the attackers into a trap. After [[Skirmish on Minor Transgression|a skirmish]] aboard the freighter, it became known that the attackers were actually [[Kig-Yar|unknown aliens]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 128-134''</ref> Ponder told the militia recruits that their training was being accelerated due to the alleged arrival of a [[Colonial Administration Authority]] delegate, whom would need protection from a possible rebel attack. In reality, Ponder needed the militia to be ready for a possible alien attack.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 172''</ref> On [[2525|February 9, 2525]], the militia had a live-fire exercise, in which the recruits won 34-1, later the militia "graduated" from CMT, and were shown the footage of the battle between their [[Avery Junior Johnson|squad]] [[Nolan Byrne|leaders]] against the [[Minor Transgression|alien missionary vessel]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 223''</ref>

===Battle of Harvest===
{{Main|First Battle of Harvest}}
On [[2525|February 11, 2525]], the militia was assembled at the [[Harvest Botanical Gardens]], outside of [[Utgard]]. They were to provide security for Harvest's diplomats during the first meeting between the [[Covenant]] [[Jiralhanae|representatives]] and the humans. However the meeting ended badly when an [[Yull|Unggoy]] became overeager and killed one of the militia members, [[Osmo]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 257''</ref> On February 22, 2525, the militia provided security for the thousands of Harvest's refugees at Utgard's Maglev terminal. Staff Sergeants [[Avery Junior Johnson|Johnson]] and [[Nolan Byrne|Byrne]] led several militia members into the small town of [[Gladsheim]] to escort its residents to Utgard. However, most of the town's residents were killed by attacking [[Yanme'e]] and [[Jiralhanae]], with only one civilian survivor. In the process, they helped destroy a Covenant {{Pattern|Dextro Xur|Spirit}} dropship.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 289-297''</ref> Following the mass evacuation of Harvest's citizens to the [[Utgard Mall]], several militia members were assigned to police the citizens to prevent rioting.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 319''</ref>

As the battle on Harvest progressed, the militia split to perform two operations. The first, led by Johnson, was a volunteer operation to secure the space-borne [[Tiara]] platform to ensure civilians evacuating in cargo freighters would safely leave the planet. The militia engaged Yanme'e, [[Unggoy]], and [[Jiralhanae]] led by [[Tartarus]]. The Unggoy began were killed with ease, but the other two alien species provided some difficulty.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 368''</ref> The operation was successful at the cost of seven militiamen's lives. During the same time period on the ground, Byrne and 2nd Platoon, along with anyone from 1st Platoon who did not volunteer with Johnson, defended the [[AI]] [[Mack]]'s data center. Three Jiralhanae [[Barukaza Workshop Chopper|Choppers]] attacked, but they were all destroyed and three members were killed, two at the hands of [[Vorenus]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 361''</ref>

After doing as much as they could, the Colonial Militia of Harvest evacuated the planet along with civilians. At least [[Wallace A. Jenkins|two]] [[Forsell|members]] of the militia eventually transferred to the [[UNSC Marine Corps]] and probably many more did.<ref name="ch385"/>

At least one member of the Harvest militia who had served under Johnson survived the war, and saw action during the [[Battle of Requiem]].<ref>'''[[Halo 4]]''', campaign level ''[[Shutdown]]'' (Marine dialogue)</ref>

==Organization==
The Harvest militia was comprised of 72 recruits.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 108''</ref> About half of them were members of Harvest's police force and emergency services, but most of these men were 40–50 years old. The other half of the militia was generally comprised of young men who had worked on Harvest's farms.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 106''</ref>

The militia was divided into two platoons of 36 men each. These platoons were then divided into three squads of 12 men each, named Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 121''</ref>

*Commander -- [[Ponder]]
**[[First Platoon|1st Platoon]] -- [[Avery Junior Johnson|Avery Johnson]]
***Medic - [[Healy]]<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 63''</ref>
***[[One-Alpha Squad]]
***[[One-Bravo Squad]]
***[[One-Charlie Squad]]
**[[second Platoon|2nd Platoon]] -- [[Nolan Byrne]]
***[[Second-Alpha Squad]]
***[[Second-Bravo Squad]]
***[[Second-Charlie Squad]]

==Equipment==
Members of the militia wore mottled, olive-drab fatigues and helmets and were typically armed with [[MA5 series|MA5 assault rifles]] and [[M6 series|M6 magnums]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 286''</ref> The sharpshooters of the Harvest militia, such as [[Wallace A. Jenkins|Jenkins]] and [[Critchley]], were among the first to be issued [[XBR55 Battle Rifle|early]] [[BR55 Battle Rifle]]s.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 126''</ref> [[Shooting glasses]] were worn to provide a [[heads-up display]] for the militiamen.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 205''</ref> The militia was supplied with numerous [[M12 Warthog]]s, armed with the [[M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun]]. It was noted as being the most powerful weapon in the militia's arsenal.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 292''</ref> [[TTR baton]]s and [[stun round]]s were used during the training of the militia.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 215''</ref>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo 4]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Ground Command]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]'' {{Mo}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources|2}}

[[Category:Militias]]
[[Category:Harvest militia units| ]]