ARLINGTON, Va. – Written statement by General Steven S. Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, as delivered before the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense's Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the National Guard and Reserves, May 22nd, 2025.
Chairman McConnell, Ranking Member Coons, and distinguished members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to be here today, with my Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines to testify on behalf of 433,000 National Guardsmen and their families. National Guard is combat-ready, cost-effective, experienced and dual role - both state and federal - like no other force. As the primary combat reserve of the Army and Air Force, the National Guard delivers unparalleled capacity with strategic depth. We represent 20% of the Joint Force at 4% of the budget. Since 1636, our unique force has SERVED in every one of our nation’s wars.
The National Guard’s mission triad // of homeland, warfight, and partnerships aligns perfectly with the President’s vision of peace through strength, and the Secretary of Defense’s priorities to restore the warrior ethos, rebuild our military, and reestablish deterrence. In today’s complex and dangerous strategic environment, your National Guard has 34,000 Guardsmen globally engaged, serving in every combatant command. We are building elite units with combat power to deter our adversaries - and when called upon - win our nation’s wars. We will prioritize our warfighters, championing duty status reform, full-time support, military technician modernization, and improving medical access to build readiness.
In the Homeland, we operate 15 of 16 Aerospace Alert sites defending our skies. We are perfectly postured to support the Golden Dome initiative, leveraging our expertise in air and missile defense and unique capabilities in strategic missile warning and ground-based interceptors. We currently have 6,000 Guardsmen securing our southern border. Additionally, our counterdrug program disrupted $13 billion in illegal drugs last year. In disaster response, the National Guard responded to six hurricanes and 62,000 wildfires, supporting our communities and saving countless lives. To sustain this ability, investments in foundational readiness accounts such as Flying Hours, Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization, Weapon System Sustainment, and Base Operating Support—are critical to our military.
As a warfighting force, the National Guard provides nearly 40 percent of Army and 30 percent of Air Force operational forces. Our combat readiness was demonstrated on 13 April, when DC National Guard F-16s neutralized enemy drones and missiles in defense of Israel, and supported by our Tennessee National Guard’s KC-135s. To date, this operation earned 11 Distinguished Flying Crosses. To continue to be interoperable, deployable and integrated with our Joint Force, we must recapitalize concurrently with our service along with those platforms of Helicopters, Infantry Squad Vehicles, Fighters, Tankers and Cyber. NGREA is also a pillar of our modernization and critical to the warfight.
Our Partnerships, across every ZIP code and 60% of the nations worldwide— build trust, and capacity, and resilience to strengthen our national security. Federally, we work with Inter-Agency partners countering drug trafficking and defeating cyber threats. And globally, our State Partnership Program// with 115 state-partnered nations // conducted 1,000 engagements in 2024 at 1% of the theater security cooperation budget.
The National Guard is ready, lethal and postured to ensure peace through strength and deliver decisive victory if needed. With your continued support, we will transform at speed - delivering an incredible value to America! Your National Guard is Always Ready, and Always There! Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.