An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | May 2, 2013

National Guard members continue to train, respond to natural and other disasters

By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va. - Members of the National Guard continue to stand ready and prepare for response to possible natural disasters and other events as the summer months, and the potential for hurricanes and tornadoes, approaches.

The Alabama National Guard recently ran a hurricane preparedness exercise where they worked with local, state and federal officials and practiced hurricane response plans.

"This is an exciting event," said Army Brig. Gen. Allen Harrell, director of the joint staff with the Alabama National Guard. "I am pleased with how good we have gotten. We are synchronized and coordinated in our expected missions. I am convinced that if we can get our (troops) mobilized and to the point of need, that we can effectively accomplish the mission."

Members of the Alabama Guard are scheduled to follow up this training with a weeklong hurricane response exercise to be conducted in May.

This recent training, and the upcoming training in May, has worked to seal the relationship between the Alabama Guard and local and state authorities.

"The (Alabama Emergency Management Agency) and the Alabama National Guard's relationship is seamless," said Jeff Byard, AEMA executive operations officer. "All I have to do is ask and the National Guard responds. The Alabama National Guard is the best in the nation — EMA could not do what they do without them."

In early April, United States Northern Command and U.S. Army North worked with National Guard members and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a hurricane response rehearsal of concept drill that brought together both Guard members and active duty members to help prepare for potential hurricane response plans.

"This event emphasizes the importance of pre-incident planning and collaboration between mission partners and increases awareness across the interagency community of military capabilities available for potential support missions," said Army Col. Wes McClellan, deputy director for domestic operations and force development at the National Guard Bureau. "(The) National Guard Bureau participated in this…in an effort to streamline and improve the reporting processes to keep senior DoD leadership informed of National Guard activities supporting civil authorities and to increase their awareness of National Guard preparedness efforts."

That preparedness paid off in 2012 with Guard members responding to more than 100 natural disasters or emergencies, to include wildfires in western states and Hurricane Sandy.

"In 2012 Air Guard crew members flew close to 600 sorties in support of the National Interagency Fire Center, protecting entire communities from wildfires," said Army Maj. Gen. Gerald Ketcham, director of operations with the NGB. "Army National Guard helicopter crews provided additional support and throughout the year trained with state, local and federal fire officials perfecting the techniques needed to provide that support where and when it's needed."

Meanwhile, at Camp Gruber, Okla., National Guard units and service members from six states converged for a training exercise that focused on responding to a large-scale disaster scenario. The event allowed for training with a more complex setting and for some service members it meant training with agencies they were unfamiliar with.

"Not everyone here is from the same…region," said Sgt. 1st Class Mark Wallace of the Joint Interagency Training and Education Center, "which is a huge plus, coming out of your comfort zone and working with other teams is realistic because if you have a large enough event, you will have to come out and respond elsewhere."

The training gave those involved an opportunity to hone their ability to respond to possible large-scale disasters.

"When we can work with those that we will work with in a disaster, it just makes us all more competent," said John Luther, emergency manager for Washington County, Ark. "We're more familiar with one another's techniques. The beauty of it is there will be lives saved for the effort."

In California, and other western states, Army National Guard aircrews practiced using helicopters as part of wildfire response.

Using buckets slung under the aircraft, aircrews worked with local fire officials to transport and drop water with precision on specified areas, just as they would if responding to an actual wildfire.

About 70 troops were on duty in North Dakota setting up additional traffic control points in Fargo to assist with sandbag levee construction along the Red River.

Guard troops in Missouri have also been responding to flooding as more than five inches of rain fell in parts of the state last week. Guard members have been working with local officials filling sandbags and creating levees to keep back floodwaters.

"Our primary mission is to fill a lot of sandbags," said Capt. Wesley Dickman, commander of the 2175th Military Police Company. "My troops have been working throughout the night to build up the main levee and the side levees protecting some of the buildings. The effort here is really impressive."

And Guard members continue to stand ready to respond should they be needed.

"This is one of the reasons we put the uniform on," said 1st Sgt. Haskel Rooker, first sergeant with the Missouri Army National Guard's 1140th Forward Support Company."It's our way of giving back and protecting our community, and we are ready and prepared to help the community."

 

 

Related Articles
Soldiers stand in formation during a mobilization ceremony for the 634th Brigade Support Battalion Forward Logistics Element Jan. 20, 2025, at the Illinois Army National Guard's Readiness Center in Sullivan. The unit, with just over a dozen Soldiers, will support logistics for U.S. Army Europe and Africa.
Illinois Guard Unit to Support U.S. Army Europe and Africa
By Lt. Col. Bradford Leighton, | Jan. 21, 2025
SULLIVAN, Ill. - The Illinois Army National Guard’s 634th Brigade Support Battalion Forward Logistics Element was activated Jan. 20 for deployment to Africa and Europe.A forward logistics element is a diverse team comprising...

U.S. Army Sgt. Bryce Carter, an infantryman with C Company, 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment, California Army National Guard, sharpens the blade of a hoe to clear brush and other debris as part of remediation efforts along the Mulholland Trail near Tarzana, California, in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire, Jan. 18, 2025. Carter and other members of his unit were assisting CALFIRE in mop-up efforts, which included clearing brush and backfilling firebreaks and other areas to prevent mudslides and reduce the impact of firefighting efforts.
National Guard Members Continue LA Wildfire Response
By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy, | Jan. 21, 2025
LOS ANGELES – U.S. Army Sgt. Ricardo Hernandez watched from a cross street as sporadic traffic passed on the Pacific Coast Highway near Pacific Palisades. The late afternoon sun glinted off his sunglasses as a man on a...

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, Army Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines, SEA to the CNGB, and Army Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, director, Army National Guard, visit National Guardsmen on duty to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration as part of Joint Task Force – District of Columbia (JTF-DC), Washington, D.C., Jan. 19, 2025. JTF-DC is a scalable and tailorable entity that supports presidential inaugurations every four years and is led by the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard. JTF-DC supports civilian authorities, such as the U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Secret Service and D.C. Metropolitan Police by providing support like crowd management, traffic control points, CBRN response, civil disturbance response and sustainment operations.
National Guard Bureau Leaders Meet With Guardsmen Supporting 60th Presidential Inauguration
By Master Sgt. Zach Sheely, | Jan. 20, 2025
WASHINGTON – About 7,800 National Guard troops are on duty here as part of a large interagency presence to ensure the peaceful transition of power during the 60th Presidential Inauguration Monday, continuing a legacy that...