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Department of Military Affairs details $338 million economic impact, disaster response work and new aviation assets
Summary
Major General Peter Hronek briefed the committee on the Department of Military Affairs and Montana National Guard: 2024 economic impact exceeding $338 million (93% federally funded), disaster mitigation and preparation activities, veterans' benefits distribution, Youth Challenge Academy outcomes, STARBASE outreach, and planned conversion to C-130J aircraft and related readiness facilities.
Major General Peter Hronek, the Adjutant General and Director of the Department of Military Affairs, presented a detailed agency overview that covered the department's disaster-response work, veterans services, youth programs, and National Guard modernization efforts.
Hronek said the total economic impact of the department and Guard was more than $338,000,000 in 2024, of which 93% was federally funded. He described recent disaster activity (state and presidential declarations for flooding and wind events) and noted a $4,000,000 biennial allocation to the disaster/emergency services (DES) division for mitigation work that has been matched with federal funds to produce nearly $20,000,000 in resiliency projects including flood prevention, fuels reduction, and grid hardening.
On veterans services, Hronek said Montana veterans received over $434,000,000 in federal benefits in 2024 and the Veterans Affairs division operates nine veteran service offices providing outreach across counties and tribal nations. He highlighted the Youth Challenge Academy's outcomes (a volunteer program for at-risk youth with high post-program placement rates and more than 4,194 total graduates) and STARBASE STEM outreach that serves thousands of students.
Hronek said the Montana Guard's 120th unit was selected to receive C-130J aircraft (eight aircraft starting in March next year) and described related facility investments and an aviation support facility in Billings funded with ARPA and legislative appropriations. He invited the committee to visit Fort Harrison for tours and training demonstrations.
Hronek closed by noting the Guard will present several agency bills to the committee in the coming days.
