S: (n) National Guard, home reserve (United States military reserves recruited by the states and equipped by the federal government; subject to call by either)
S: (n) Air National Guard, ANG (a civilian reserve component of the United States Air Force that provides prompt mobilization during war and assistance during national emergencies)
S: (n) Army National Guard, ARNG (a civilian reserve component of the United States Army comprised of guardsmen who serve during overseas peacekeeping missions and during local emergencies)
S: (n) Territorial Army (British unit of nonprofessional soldiers organized for the defense of Great Britain)
S: (n) trip wire (a small military force that serves as a first line of defense; if they become engaged in hostilities it will trigger the intervention of stronger military forces)
S: (n) command (a military unit or region under the control of a single officer)
S: (n) enemy (an opposing military force) "the enemy attacked at dawn"
S: (n) task force (a temporary military unit formed to accomplish a particular objective)
S: (n) Republican Guard (formerly Iraq's elite military unit whose primary role was to protect the government in Baghdad)
S: (n) Haganah (the clandestine military wing of the Jewish leadership during the British rule over the mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948; became the basis for the Israeli defense force)
S: (n) precaution, safeguard, guard (a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.) "he put an ice pack on the injury as a precaution"; "an insurance policy is a good safeguard"; "we let our guard down"
S: (v) defend, guard, hold (protect against a challenge or attack) "Hold that position behind the trees!"; "Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks"
S: (v) protect (shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage) "Weatherbeater protects your roof from the rain"
S: (v) defend (be on the defensive; act against an attack)
S: (v) prevent, keep (stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state) "We must prevent the cancer from spreading"; "His snoring kept me from falling asleep"; "Keep the child from eating the marbles"
S: (v) guard (take precautions in order to avoid some unwanted consequence) "guard against becoming too friendly with the staff"; "guard against infection"