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"Texans Defending Texas"

 

FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLIC RELEASE:

Texas State Guard to Conduct Disaster Training Exercises, Provide Medical Outreach Support

AUSTIN, Texas (June 2, 2015) – Members of the Texas State Guard, in support of local and state agencies, will conduct joint disaster preparedness exercises and medical support functions in various locations across the state, now through the end of August.

The designated training across Texas is designed to strengthen emergency response capabilities by training for an emergency with operations in multiple displaced locations. In addition, the Texas State Guard will again support the Department of State Health Service’s Operation Lone Star on the Texas-Mexico border and the East Texas Medical Outreach Program in Van.  

These exercises, training and community support functions will mimic, as realistically as possible, the scenarios that could occur should a major hurricane and associated weather hazards strike the Texas coast, driving evacuations from coastal communities to North Texas.  

“Normally during this type of event Texas State Guard soldiers, airmen and members of the maritime regiment would support the local emergency operations centers run by local officials, with the opening of shelters, points of distribution to distribute ice, water and food, register and track storm evacuees, conduct emergency communications and conduct urban search and rescue as well as wide-area damage assessments,” said Maj. Gen. Gerald “Jake” Betty, Commander of the Texas State Guard. 

In recent years, the Texas State Guard has been called to state active duty for hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and wildfires. The TXSG is the lead military component for Operation Lone Star in the Rio Grande Valley – the state’s annual humanitarian medical mission – and provides support to the state’s annual Oral Rabies Vaccination Program and the previous East Texas Medical Outreach missions in East Texas. 

The Texas State Guard is the state's volunteer military agency; trained, organized and ready to respond when a disaster strikes and Texans need help. The Texas State Guard is comprised of more than 2,000 volunteers organized into four components – Army, Air, Medical and Maritime – with individual units assigned throughout the state. 

Texas State Guard personnel train one weekend each month and attend a four-day annual training exercise every year.  

For more information about the Texas State Guard visit www.txmf.us.

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The mission of the Texas Military Forces (TXMF) is to provide the Governor and the President with ready and trained forces in support of the citizens of Texas and State and Federal civil/military authorities at home and abroad.

The Texas Military Forces are commanded by the Adjutant General of Texas, the state's senior military official appointed by the governor, and is comprised of the Texas Military Department (formerly the Adjutant General's Department), the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG), the Texas State Guard (TXSG) and the Domestic Operations Command (DOMOPS).

For more information about the Texas Military Forces visit our Website at www.txmf.us.