The New York Guard (State Defense Force) has for decades been assigned the mission of providing emergency radio communications to New York’s Division of Military & Naval Affairs (DMNA) during emergency situations. Their Military Emergency Radio Network or MERN mission is composed of numerous radio units stationed throughout the state. They utilize custom radio equipment to communicate with one another via specific radio frequencies in times when the cellular network or internet is unavailable. They act as the communications platform for the National Guard during these statewide emergencies.
During this years Annual Training, a few MERN units gathered at the National Guard training facility, Camp Smith to perform exercises and tests.
Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, NY August 16, 202288th Area Command Chief Signals NCO, SFC Richard Martino delivered a class on the Military Emergency Radio Network (MERN) to Basic Communication qualified Soldiers today. With two mobile MERN units being deployed at CSTS, Soldiers improved their proficiency in setting up and operating these vitally important assets. Martino shed some light on the need for such specialized equipment and the personnel who are trained to serve as operators, “Most of our missions are civil support operations or, CSOs so we need to have the ability to assist in times of natural disasters or worse. It is imperative that we have interoperability between different CSOs and branches of the NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs in the event of an emergency.”According to SSG Stanley Cohen, Chief Signals NCO for the 56th Area Command, basic communication skills are essential to the completion of the New York Guard’s mission, “Communications is a part of the Guard’s Mission Essential Task List, we are responsible for the operation of the MERN Network and commo skills are extremely perishable if they are not utilized on a regular basis”Given the frequency and the professional nature of this training the New York Guard will be ready to assist and protect the people of the State of New York when duty calls.New York National Guard photos and text by New York Guard WO1 Ed Shevlin
While the New York Guard MERN Mission has been the backbone of the Emergency Radio Communication mission for decades, a new National Guard unit has recently been formed to provide a similar solution but with modernized equipment. The Mobile Emergency Response Center (MERC) unit is composed of multiple vehicles that provides the latest in radio communication capabilities. The New York Guard has been assisting and augmenting this National Guard unit since its inception.
New York Guard troops who were attending the Advanced Leaders Course were given a briefing by Sergeant Jeffrey Houck of the New York Army National Guard of the equipments capabilities:
Advanced Leaders Course being trained on the Military Emergency Radio Center by New York National Guard Sergeant Jeffrey Houck, the Emergency Communications NCOIC for DMNA on August 17th, 2022, at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortland Manor, NY. “Non-Commissioned Officer’s lead the way”. Photos by Sergeant Michael Bilski New York Guard
Source: New York Guard