What is Exercise "Vigilant Guard"?
An 11-day, Indiana National Guard-hosted exercise that will test the National Guard as the first military responder in support of the governor and the state emergency management agency. "Vigilant Guard" reinforces that all incidents are local. The exercise will demonstrate the capabilities of the Indiana National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, the Joint Task Force-Indiana, and the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) – the process where Governors reach out to other governors for more assistance. Specific National Guard homeland defense capabilities will include the National Guard Reaction Forces, Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Enhanced Response Package teams.

What is the exercise scenario?
A simulated 10-kiloton nuclear device detonation will drive the deployment of National Guard personnel from Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, the National Guard Bureau, and other states.

Who will participate?
More than 2,000 National Guard personnel from Indiana and surrounding states will participate – all under the command and control of the Governor of Indiana through EMAC. These National Guard forces will operate and train alongside other participants including Indiana county and state agencies, the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region V, and the Department of Energy.

What is the "HURREX"?
A Hurricane Exercise, or "HURREX," is the National Guard's support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) 2007 hurricane preparedness exercise series. The hurricane season begins 1 June 2007 and, as in previous years, the National Guard is always ready, always there. Exercises like these ensure that the National Guard is even more capable and more ready than when 50,000 Citizen-Soldiers and – Airmen saved more than 17,000 lives during Hurricane Katrina.

What is the exercise scenario?
A simulated category 3 hurricane (Hurricane "Yvette") will hit Newport, RI, during this 11-day Command Post Exercise (CPX). A CPX is an opportunity to train command staff, and subordinate and supporting leaders in order to successfully plan, coordinate, and synchronize efforts during an emergency.

Who will participate?
The CPX does not require the deployment of any National Guard members. However, seven New England states and the National Guard Bureau will support this exercise to enhance the emergency response capabilities and coordination of all first responders. The CPX is a joint exercise of local, state and federal agencies, the Department of Defense, FEMA (Regions I and II), and the Department of Homeland Security.

Why does the National Guard exercise with civil authorities?
The "HURREX" presents both civilian first response agencies and the National Guard – the first military responder - an opportunity to participate in a full range of training scenarios that will better prepare all participants to respond to a local, state and/or national crisis. The National Guard exercises along with state and civil authorities to better improve the unity of effort between all first response agencies in the event of a disaster. The unity of effort established by these training exercises better equips civilian and military entities to operate seamlessly in a joint environment.

What is Exercise "Northern Edge?"
A joint training exercise designed to test military and civilian responses and coordination capabilities should multiple terrorist incidents occur throughout the state of Alaska. This exercise will test the integration capabilities between the National Guard’s civil support, aviation, security, and communications teams, along with civilian first responders.

What is the exercise scenario?
Multiple simulated terrorist attacks requiring response and consequence management will occur during the 11-day exercise. Simulated attacks will be launched on: a North Pole industrial complex, a North Slope pumping facility, a mass casualty incident in the City of Fairbanks, and an improvised explosive device discovered in transit from Seward, AK.

Who will participate?
More than 200 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from Alaska, Idaho and Nebraska will work alongside state and federal government and non-governmental response agencies including: the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 10.

Why does the National Guard exercise with civil authorities
Exercise "Northern Edge" presents both civilian first response agencies and the National Guard – the first military responder - an opportunity to participate in a full range of training scenarios that will better prepare all participants to respond to a local, state and/or national crisis. The National Guard exercises along with state and civil authorities to better improve the unity of effort between all first response agencies in the event of a disaster. The unity of effort established by these training exercises better equips civilian and military entities to operate seamlessly in a joint environment.