SUBJECT: Opportunity for State Defense Force (SDF) Service Members: Paid Federal Activation through FEMA’s Supplemental Response Team (SRT) Program
1. SITUATION:
On June 25, 2025, Lt. Colonel (NY, R) Barry R. Greene, President of the State Guard Association of the United States (SGAUS), visited FEMA Headquarters. During this visit, Lt. Col. Greene briefed senior officials, including representatives from the Department of Defense, NORAD / NORTHCOM, and the National Guard Bureau, on the cumulative capabilities of State Defense Forces (SDFs) at the national level.
This engagement resulted in a request from FEMA to schedule future annual capabilities briefs and identified an opportunity to utilize the extensive abilities of SDFs, which already operate across state lines through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), to establish an instantly activate-able uniformed response force specializing in disaster response roles.
To achieve this, SGAUS will continue to develop training conduits with verifiable skill-sets through its new badge programs, ensuring SDF personnel are trained and ready to respond. Additionally, SGAUS will serve as a clearinghouse for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), providing an annually updated list of qualified and available personnel provided through a streamlined central registration process to be made available to SDF command groups.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has established the Supplemental Response Team (SRT) Program to augment its incident workforce during disaster operations using State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) All-Hazards Incident Management Teams (AHIMT). This program offers a pathway for eligible SDF service members to participate in federal activation and receive compensation. This initiative aligns with the “Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness” Executive Order (EO), issued on March 18, 2025 by the President of the United States, which emphasizes strengthening the role of state and local governments in national preparedness and response.
2. MISSION:
It will be SGAUS’ unwavering mission to forge exceptional training conduits, empowering our SDF service members to achieve mission qualifications and stand ready. We will provide a vital, streamlined pathway for SDF Commands to register their finest and most dedicated service members, individually and in teams, enabling them to answer the call for critical Homeland Defense missions that hold the profound potential to save human lives.
3. EXECUTION:
A. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS:
SDF service members may be eligible for federal activation through FEMA’s SRT Program. These activations are designed to supplement FEMA’s incident workforce with experienced service members. Service members may be compensated according to their military paygrade through their individual military department, with reimbursement provided by federal funds via the Stafford Act and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding. The EO, “Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness,” further underscores the federal policy that preparedness is most effectively owned and managed at the state and local levels, with federal government supporting interstate support through EMAC and other such agreements.
B. FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ACTIVATION:
To be considered for activation, individuals must meet federal requirements aligned with the National Qualification System (NQS). This includes possessing and demonstrating consistent ability to fulfill a mission employing service members who can work as Incident Command System (ICS) experts at the national level, and seamlessly integrating into the emergency management workforce to address any national emergency. SDF SRTs must remain scalable to meet mission success and be able to deploy within 48 hours of formal notification for up to 14 days, excluding travel, and operate with limited logistical support for up to 72 hours.
C. BENEFITS OF JOINING SRT:
Participation in an SRT allows for opportunities to integrate with federal response, giving the team a greater understanding of what assistance and capabilities FEMA can provide. It creates new opportunities for SDF service members to increase their capacity and capabilities in responding to their communities and promotes opportunities to send trainees on deployments, allowing them to get signatures on National Qualification System (NQS) position task books.
D. APPLICATION PROCESS AND GUIDANCE:
- Consult Chain of Command: Interested SDF service members MUST consult with their chain of command regarding these opportunities.
- Submission of Information: The State Guard Association of the United States (SGAUS) will NOT answer individual questions from service members. SGAUS will ONLY accept personnel information submitted directly by the individual’s SDF Commander or their designated personnel officer.
- No Guarantee of Activation: There is NO guarantee of activation.
- Any Activation under this program is voluntary. No individual may be activated against their will, nor will they be considered if they are not submitted directly by a state or territorial military department.
- SGAUS Information Brief: SGAUS will facilitate an online information brief for SDF Commanders and their designated leaders within the next four (4) weeks. This brief will provide an opportunity to answer questions and open registration for eligible units.
4. SERVICE AND SUPPORT:
Further details regarding the SRT Program will be posted or distributed as SGAUS has it.
5. COMMAND AND SIGNAL:
All communications regarding this opportunity for individual service members MUST go through the SDF chain of command.
6. MESSAGE FROM SGAUS’ PRESIDENT:
Fellow Service Members,
Today marks an extraordinary milestone, an unprecedented recognition by our federal agencies of the profound capabilities that State Defense Forces bring to our nation’s preparedness and response efforts. This is a moment of immense pride for every one of us, a testament to the dedication, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment that defines the State Guard.
This opportunity represents a significant recruiting and retention advantage, offering service members the chance to train for and potentially participate in paid deployments on vital Homeland Defense missions.
This monumental achievement, culminating in the opportunities outlined in this Briefing, is the direct result of two MAJOR, synergistic efforts:
First, the tireless dedication of SGAUS Leadership. For years, the leadership of your State Guard Association has worked relentlessly, often behind the scenes, to champion the unique training, readiness, and mission capabilities of SDFs to federal leadership. Their advocacy has paved the way for this historic opportunity.
SGAUS Leaders Brief Congressional Staff at the U.S. Capitol, 2023. Clockwise from lower Left: COL(TN) J. Thomas Smith, Secretary; LTC(NY,R) Barry Greene, President; LTC(TN) Steven Estes, PME Director; MG(MI) Douglas Hayhurst, SGAUS Foundation President; COL(CA) Timothy Ingram, Former President; LTC(OH) Roger Patrick, Former President; BG(MD) Gregory Juday, President-Elect
Second, and most critically, it is because of YOU, the courageous SDF soldiers. Your unwavering commitment to duty, your timely response in moments of crisis, and in countless cases, your direct involvement in life-saving missions for people in need, have spoken volumes. It is your consistent excellence, your professionalism, and your readiness to serve that have earned us this pivotal recognition.
It is YOUR excellence that got us here. This new chapter with FEMA’s Supplemental Response Team Program is a direct reflection of your proven ability to stand in the gap, to train rigorously, and to serve with distinction. This is not just an opportunity for federal activation and compensation; it is a profound validation of the indispensable role SDFs play in our national security and disaster response architecture.
Let us continue to build upon this foundation of trust and capability. Your future missions will not only uphold this newfound recognition but will continue to define the invaluable contribution of the State Guard to the safety and resilience of our communities.
Thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your unwavering dedication.
