Kansas National Guard, emergency management brief committee on funding, deployments and legislative priorities

Kansas National Guard and state emergency-management leaders briefed the Kansas House Committee on Veterans and Military on recent deployments, funding sources and a slate of legislative priorities, and lawmakers approved committee minutes by voice vote at the meeting's close.

State National Guard representative summarized funding and mission mix, saying, "We are approximately in the National Guard, 94 percent to 96% federally funded and 4 to 6% state funded." He told the committee the Guard carries both a federal warfighting mission and a state emergency-response mission and cited 2024 as an especially busy year for activations and deployments.

The overview: why it matters

The presentation outlined how funding levels and duty status affect capabilities available for both state disasters and overseas operations. Committee members pressed for specifics about unit basing, local facilities projects and a pending bill on military family reporting; presenters said several items hinge on federal appropriations still unsettled in Washington.

Most important facts

- Funding and force levels: The presenter said the Kansas National Guard is about 94–96% federally funded and 4–6% from the state general fund, with more of the state dollars concentrated on facilities (about 14% of Army facilities funding and roughly 13.5% for Air Guard facilities were described as state‑funded). The Guard is authorized just over 7,200 Soldiers and Airmen and reported 6,776 on the rolls, or about 93.4% of authorization. About 25% of the force is full time.

- Deployments and missions: The Guard reported 2024 as a high‑tempo year, with approximately 18% of the force (about 1,200 personnel) mobilized or deployed for missions including border support in Arizona, rotations to U.S. Central Command and U.S. European Command, public affairs work in Europe countering Russian information operations, aviation support in the National Capital Region, and Air Guard personnel operating across European, Central and Indo‑Pacific commands. The presenter said most deployed units are now back and rebuilding readiness.

- State emergency response and KDEM: The presentation described Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) responsibilities — planning, mitigation, training (including use of the Crisis City training site), and coordinating the State Emergency Operations Center — and noted four 2024 incidents rose to the level of presidential disaster declarations, a sharp increase from prior years when the state typically had one federal declaration annually.

- Homeland Security and fusion center work: The Kansas Office of Homeland Security's fusion center was described as statutorily directed to provide intelligence analysis and threat warnings across sectors including agriculture and information technology; the presenter emphasized the fusion center operates at classified levels but provides unclassified outreach across the state.

- Facilities, equipment and federal engagement: Officials said they secured an additional $5.6 million for completion of the Joint Forces headquarters at Forbes Field after costs rose since the project was bid a decade earlier. The state is pursuing a solar resilience array at Forbes Field and other installations through a military energy resilience program. The presenter noted a 5.2% pay raise for military personnel and cited national appropriations for a $1 billion National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account, $305 million nationwide for counterdrug programs and $53 million for STARBASE nationally — but said the continuing resolution reduced STARBASE funding to a Senate figure of $20 million, and that STARBASE is currently closed while advocates seek funding restoration.

Legislative priorities and programs

The presenter listed priorities being pursued in Topeka and Washington, D.C.: recruiting and retention initiatives, facility maintenance, equipment modernization (including Black Hawk modernization), family supports (child care, health care, education), and benefits parity such as federal tuition assistance for the Air National Guard. He said the state is campaigning to secure KC‑46 tanker basing at Forbes Field; Topeka is one of seven finalists and a site visit to support the bid was scheduled. The Guard is also seeking MQ‑1 Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft for a National Guard division, an item being pursued in the FY‑26 appropriations process.

On family advocacy and HB 2243

Committee members and an audience member urged passage of HB 2243, legislation described in the hearing as intended to strengthen referrals between state child‑protection authorities and military family advocacy programs. The presenter said the bill "didn't go" this session and that the issue may be addressed administratively or reintroduced next year. An audience member recounted an experience showing how mandatory‑reporting and active coordination with Family Advocacy can prompt state services for military families.

Recruiting, schools and cyber personnel

Members asked about recruiting access to schools. The presenter said recruiting commands maintain outreach to school districts and that the Air National Guard's cybersecurity and intelligence missions create a retention challenge because trained personnel have high‑paying civilian opportunities.

Committee actions

At the end of the meeting the committee approved minutes from recent meetings by voice vote. Representative Blum moved to approve the minutes and Representative Goddard seconded; the chair called the voice vote and "ayes" prevailed.

What remains uncertain

Several items hinge on federal appropriations that were unsettled at the time of the briefing; the presenter said Congress had not completed FY‑25 appropriations and the continuing resolution had put multiple programs at risk. He warned the committee that a potential government shutdown loomed and that the Guard and emergency managers are monitoring the federal funding cycle closely.

Ending note

The presenter stood for questions after the briefing; lawmakers engaged on basing, unit deployments, STARBASE funding and family advocacy. The committee signaled no scheduled meeting next week and approved the minutes before adjourning.