Certification and Training for the Nation’s Military Emergency Responders
SGAUS is dedicated to providing the most comprehensive and safest defense force training and preparatory materials available in the world.
As separate operating units, SGAUS Academies have crafted mission, vision, and values informed by their members and specific to their disciplines. You can find them on their Academy pages below.
SGAUS Academy
Mission-Ready Training & Standardization
Policy Objective
The SGAUS Academy’s objective is to professionalize the State Defense Force (SDF) workforce for documented, real-world state and federal missions. This policy focuses training on missions required by multiple state/territorial Adjutants General and Governors, ensuring members are a certified, verifiable, and interoperable resource.
Core Mission & Standards
SGAUS training differs fundamentally from “club” activities through standardization and verifiable utility related to activation eligibility.
| SGAUS Standard (Mission-Ready) | “Club” Activities (Non-Mission) |
|---|---|
| Training is aligned with national professional standards (e.g., FEMA’s NQS, NASAR, OSHA). | Train toward non-existent SDF missions or niche combat skills. |
| Focuses on critical skills identified by multiple Adjutants General and Governors during disaster response. | Activities are decoupled from the state’s actual emergency needs and have no utility for real-world activations. |
| Adherence to standards provides a direct pathway to paid activation opportunities, such as FEMA’s Supplemental Response Team (SRT). | Result in non-standard, internal decorations or “club” badges. |
Skill Badge Progression: Developing Force Multipliers
The Skill Badge Progression is a tiered system designed with the explicit intent of developing force multipliers for home station training. A force multiplier is an individual whose acquired knowledge and certification allow them to effectively train and lead others, exponentially increasing the capability of their unit or State Defense Force (SDF).
| Tier & Role | Impact on Force Multiplication |
|---|---|
| Team Member (Basic Badge) | Ready to execute missions under supervision. |
| Team Leader / Instructor (Badge with Star) | Becomes a Trainer: Certified to conduct home station training and qualify other Team Members. |
| Advanced Skills / Experience (Badge with Star and Wreath) | Becomes a Program Subject Matter Expert (SME): Influences regional standardization and complex mission planning. |
| Program Manager / Academy Staff | Becomes a Developer/Administrator: Guides curriculum maintenance and coordinates interoperability across multiple states. |
Academy Development Policy: Phase I (Business Case)
All proposals for new SGAUS Academies must first successfully complete Phase I (Step One) of the Curriculum Development Process to ensure alignment with mission demands and established standards.
- Identify a Training Need (1A): Academies must be based on current missions and be linked to the missions of no less than two existing SDFs.
- Assemble an Initial Academy Team (1B): The team is responsible for coordination and integration of training, relying on the recognized community of practice and expertise to provide a nationally recognized standard of proficiency.
- Prepare A Business Case Study (1C): A concise business case must be prepared using the required slide format to demonstrate the need for the academy, the national/international standards, and the required resources.
- Identify Academy Staff (1D): The team must identify staff for the academy’s development and the first two years of its implementation (a potential three-year commitment) to ensure long-term stability.
- Receive SGAUS Approval (1E): The SGAUS Academies Chair reviews the business case to approve proceeding to the next phase of the process.
Standard Alignment & Certifications
Identify the Communities of Excellence training and certifications that are recognized either through the National Qualification System (NQS) or other credentialing organization.
Academy Rollout Schedule
The following academies focus on the most frequently requested and critical skills identified by multiple Adjutants General and Governors:
2025 Academy Openings/Re-Openings
- Hazmat
- Communications
- Search & Rescue
- Medical
- Chaplain/Behavioral
- Engineer
2026 Planned Academies
- SUASO (Drone)
- Operational Security (Force Protection)
- Finance/Payroll Unit Leader
- Water Rescue
- Wild Fire
- Aviation Ground Support
Call to Action for Leaders and Instructors
We encourage instructors and leaders in the aforementioned subject matter areas to reach out. Your expertise is essential in helping SGAUS maintain reliance on the recognized community of practice.
Please reach out to COL Hardy through the contact form to work with our committees to roll out and administer these courses.
Colonel James Hardy, New York Guard, Ret.
Academies Chair, State Guard Association of the United States