The call for readiness has sounded! The State Guard Association of the U.S. (SGAUS) is thrilled to announce our upcoming national Hurricane Response Exercise, “HURREX JOAN,” scheduled for November 7, 2025, in Tampa, Florida.

The formal Warning Order, which went out today, lays the groundwork for what promises to be a robust and highly valuable exercise designed to validate our hurricane response procedures and significantly enhance our collective preparedness.

SGAUS President Lt.Col. (NY,R) Barry R. Greene emphasizes, this exercise is absolutely critical. “In the face of potential natural disasters, readiness is paramount,” he stated, “HURREX JOAN provides our students with invaluable hands-on experience, allowing them to apply their classroom learning to realistic scenarios. This exercise will undoubtedly enhance their ability to effectively respond when our states, territories, and communities need them most.”

This is a full-scale, functional exercise, meaning all of our dedicated students, across all courses, will be actively participating within their respective training lanes. This is your opportunity to put theory into practice and hone the skills you’ve been developing.

A key component of HURREX JOAN will be the integration of our esteemed retirees and spouses attending this year’s SGAUS Annual Conference. As Academies Chair Col.(NY, R) James Hardy highlights, your involvement is not just welcomed, it’s vital. “We are actively seeking the participation of our dedicated retirees and spouses,” he explained. “Their experience and willingness to contribute are invaluable. Volunteers can serve as exercise raters, providing crucial feedback and evaluation, or even as actors requiring assistance, adding a vital layer of realism to the training.” Participation, whether as an evaluator or actor will significantly enhance the realism and effectiveness of the exercise for our students.

We are also excited to announce a new dimension to this year’s exercise: State Defense Force (SDF) participants will have the unique opportunity to contribute to the communications and cyber portions of HURREX JOAN from their own home stations nationwide. This allows for broader participation and strengthens our distributed response capabilities.

The specific locations within Tampa will be detailed in the upcoming Operations Order (OPORD). For now, mark your calendars for Friday, November 7, 2025.

The detailed Operations Order (OPORD) will be published NLT 20 July 2025, and will provide all the specifics: precise timelines, exact locations, detailed scenarios, and individual taskings.

This is more than just an exercise; it’s a testament to our commitment to being ready when it matters most. Your participation and dedication are what make SGAUS a vital force multiplier for responders nationwide.

Stay tuned for the OPORD and further updates. Let’s make HURREX JOAN a resounding success and solidify our readiness for any challenge that comes our way!

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Please be advised that HURREX JOAN is a full-scale exercise and simulation designed for training purposes only. While every effort will be made to create a realistic and immersive environment, this exercise does not represent actual emergency conditions or real-world events.

All scenarios, incidents, and outcomes within HURREX JOAN are fictional and pre-planned. Participants should understand that safety is paramount, and all activities will be conducted under controlled conditions with trained personnel overseeing operations. Any injuries or emergencies occurring during the exercise will be handled by designated exercise safety staff and medical personnel.

Participation in HURREX JOAN implies understanding and acceptance of these conditions. SGAUS is not liable for any misinterpretation of exercise activities as real-world occurrences. This disclaimer serves to clearly differentiate the simulated environment of HURREX JOAN from actual disaster response operations.