The Impact of the Military Emergency Management Specialist (MEMS) Academy on State Defense Forces

Abstract

Our world is changing every day. As a result of this change, State Defense Forces are experiencing a period of dynamic change. As of this writing, (October 2006) several national events with significant impact are occurring. The war on terrorism is in full swing, pandemic flu is an emerging threat, wild fires are burning in many locations in the western United States, and the Gulf States are still trying to recover from the effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita before the next hurricane season starts. This does not take into account state-specific issues like security for major sporting events, Army and Air Guard units mobilized to support Federal missions overseas, and Homeland Security duty on U.S. borders. Strained resources are becoming more the norm than the exception. How can State Defense Forces (SDFs) support these various missions as a viable force multiplier? In response to these challenges, the State Guard Association of the United States (SGAUS) developed a specialized Emergency Management qualification program for State Defense Forces and other authorized individuals titled "Military Emergency Management Specialist (MEMS) Academy." This program prepares SDF personnel to effectively operate and function in a local or state-wide military emergency management mobilization. Individuals with MEMS qualification gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities to effectively manage a comprehensive emergency management plan and achieve operational understanding of basic tenets in emergency management, including mitigation, preparedness, emergency response, and recovery. This article discusses MEMS basic, senior, and master's level training standards; determining training standards for different states and different assignments using Job Task Analysis and the Mission Essential Task Lists; the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) and the National Response Plan (NRP); and other educational opportunities.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA497308

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey A. Slotnick

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Cyber
  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Disasters
  • Emergencies
  • Emergency Response
  • Governments
  • Homeland Security
  • Improvised Explosive Devices
  • Infrastructure
  • Job Analysis
  • National Governments
  • Personnel Management
  • Security
  • Specialists
  • Students
  • Task Performance And Analysis
  • Training
  • United States

Readers

  • Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.
  • Strategic Security Studies