HELENA — Montana is taking a new approach to homeland defense. This week, the Montana National Guard hosted a major conference aimed at strengthening security and preparedness across the state.
LTC Noah Genger, the joint director of military support with the Montana National Guard, shared, “This is to set a baseline for our understanding of what it would take to respond to what the adjutant general refers to as 'Montana’s worst day', so that we can build our planning together.”
That togetherness includes the National Guard Bureau, NORAD, U.S. Northern Command, and the Montana Department of Emergency Services, among others.
The focus marks a shift—from a broad all-hazards response model to a risk-based approach.
“When we kick off a plan, it is really important to have as many points of view as possible because there are so many different areas in which an attack can start, and we just want to be able to rightfully assess our vulnerabilities and capabilities,” Genger noted.
The conference sessions include both classified and unclassified briefings, covering intelligence updates, operational challenges, and collaborative planning.
Although the Treasure State responds to natural disaster risks like wildfire and storms often, the threats are shifting, too.
“Cyber is very high on our list of things we have to defend against and also plan for because a cyber attack could have widespread effects across all infrastrucutre whether that be power, water, or day-to-day services,” Genger said.
Participants worked to identify gaps, build shared understanding, and help shape future homeland defense strategies.
“We are trying to project into the future what the things we have not thought about are and how we best prepare for them, and in that same vein, I think it is important for every citizen to think to themselves how prepared are we?” Genger shared.
