Montana National Guard outlines readiness, disaster response and youth programs to SAVA committee

Major General J. Peter Ronek, adjunct general of the Montana National Guard and director of the Department of Military Affairs, briefed the Senate State Administration and Veterans Affairs Committee on the agency's staffing, programs and recent activity.

Ronek told senators the National Guard and DMA produced “more than 338,000,000” in total economic impact in 2024 and that “93% was federal funds.” He described the department’s major divisions — disaster and emergency services (DES), the Montana Veterans Affairs Division (MVAD), the Montana Youth Challenge Academy, Starbase, and the Montana National Guard — and highlighted recent disaster, resiliency and workforce efforts.

The overview matters because the DMA combines emergency response, veterans’ outreach and youth-training programs that affect communities statewide and draw substantial federal funds.

Ronek said DES administered recent response and mitigation work after flooding and extreme wind events and managed “over 10 disasters in the past 5 years,” with total damages “exceed[ing] a $150,000,000.” He said the legislature appropriated $4,000,000 per year to DES for disaster mitigation, which the department matched heavily with federal funding and produced “nearly $20,000,000 in resiliency work such as flood prevention, wildfires, fuel reduction, and grid hardening.” He said DES also administers about $14,000,000 annually in preparedness funding for counties and tribes.

On veterans services, Ronek said the MVAD operates nine veteran service offices serving 45 counties and tribal nations, and noted the state has three veterans cemeteries and an approved fourth cemetery site adjacent to the veterans home in Columbia Falls; he said the project was approved by the 2023 Legislature and is awaiting an award from the National Cemetery Administration.

Describing the Montana Youth Challenge Academy, Ronek said the federally authorized program serves about 200 at‑risk youth annually through a three‑phase, 17‑month program that includes a residential campus component in Dillon. He said the academy reported “over 80% long term positive placement rates” and recent classes produced high school and college credits and vocational certifications.

Ronek also discussed Starbase, a 100% federally funded STEM outreach program with classrooms at the 128th Airlift Wing in Great Falls and Fort Harrison and a possible new classroom in Billings. He said Starbase has served roughly 30,000 students with hands‑on STEAM curriculum.

On the Guard’s readiness and modernization, Ronek noted domestic and overseas deployments, cybersecurity collaboration with state partners, and modernization of airlift capacity: he said the 120th Airlift Wing was selected to receive new C‑130J aircraft and that the 123rd Wing will mobilize to AFRICOM before conversion. He credited ARPA and prior legislative appropriations for enabling a limited Army aviation support facility and a readiness/innovation center in Billings under construction or in design.

Ronek closed by inviting committee members to Fort Harrison for a facility and training tour. The committee followed with questions about veterans cemeteries, youth challenge placement data and the Guard’s role supporting civil authorities and border operations.