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Delaware National Guard highlights deployments, cyber and recruiting gains as FY26 requests filed
Summary
The Delaware National Guard briefed the Joint Finance Committee on FY2026 needs and recent activity: hurricane response convoys, election cyber support, state partnership training, recruiting incentives and a small set of state budget door‑openers focused on operations and education assistance.
The Delaware National Guard told the Joint Finance Committee it remains largely federally funded but asked the state for a small set of targeted FY2026 additions to support state operations and recruiting. The Guard also reviewed a year of deployments, domestic responses and training partnerships.
A senior official identified in the hearing as “the General” said the Guard maintained dual missions of federal deployments overseas and state emergency response. He said roughly 30 soldiers and 21 airmen were still mobilized at the time of the hearing and that the Guard responded rapidly to a Category‑3 hurricane threat in Florida, preparing a 25‑mile convoy that was recalled before it reached the staging area. The General recapped 94 days of state active duty between July and December to provide cyber protection and election systems support, performed jointly with state agencies including the Delaware Emergency Management Agency and Department of Elections.
The presentation highlighted the 30th Civil Support Team’s role in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive response, and the unit’s six mission responses and multiple training events in 2024. The Guard’s aviation and fire and emergency services units also reported deployments and training exchanges, and Guard members supported domestic missions such as a controlled burn to extinguish smoldering hay bales affecting air quality.
On recruiting, the Guard described the Joint Enlistment Enhancement Program (“JEEP”), launched in 2023, which pays monetary incentives to service members who provide leads that result in enlistments. Guard presenters said JEEP generated 104 enlistments from referred leads and has become an important retention and recruiting tool. The Guard also cited a cadet program that serves at‑risk high school students and noted several cadets plan to enlist.
The Guard submitted two small state “door‑openers” for consideration: $43,000 to support ongoing operations at a pandemic‑readiness center in New Castle, and $27,000 to cover partial annualized salary costs for an administrative officer added in FY2025. The Guard also requested a 1% increase for education assistance ($59,000) to support tuition reimbursement used as a recruiting and retention tool.
Lawmakers asked about costs associated with high‑profile federal travel and other missions; the Guard said many mission costs are federally funded and agreed to provide clarifying detail when requested. The Guard emphasized authorized strength near 100% for both Army and Air components, and said maintaining end strength is critical to securing federal funding and sustaining operational commitments.
The committee did not take an immediate vote on the Guard’s state requests; presenters said they would provide follow‑up details as requested.
