Crisis Communications for the National Guard

National Guard units can be called up for missions ranging from combat to natural disaster response and everything in between, resulting in a broad array of communications challenges when it comes to keeping in touch with active duty units, first responders, state agencies and even each other. As just one example, National Guard units deployed to protect the United States Capitol in January of 2021 had different communications equipment and infrastructures. That creates challenges to effective, efficient communications. This challenge can also be seen when the National Guard carries out its disaster mission to respond to wildfires, flooding, hurricanes or other disasters. Regardless of why the National Guard has been deployed, it needs secure, reliable communications that are interoperable with all other agencies it might be coordinating with, whether that’s the local fire department or FEMA. In this webcast, C4ISRNET and Military Times will look at the communications needs of the National Guard, its existing critical infrastructure and what the Guard needs to ensure that every state’s Guard has the communications resources, equipment and training it needs to communicate effectively in any deployment scenario.