In Part III of our Commanders Briefing interview with Lt. Colonel Barry Greene, President of SGAUS, we dive into critical discussions on how State Defense Forces can grow and evolve. We begin by exploring the importance of leveraging social media to highlight training, missions, and public service efforts—tools that could dramatically boost recruitment and public awareness. We also discuss the StateDefenseForce.com Hazardous Deployment Patch Program, a new recognition initiative designed to honor troops who serve in high-risk, high-impact missions within their states. Modeled after the U.S. Army’s combat patch, this shoulder-worn emblem celebrates courage, dedication, and operational excellence. Lt. Colonel Greene shares his thoughts on expanding this initiative nationwide, potentially establishing a new standard for honoring State Defense Force members.
The episode’s core focuses on the modernization of SGAUS training programs. We begin with the MEMS Academy, the flagship emergency management credential that now includes U.S. Army soldiers among its graduates. From there, we explore updates to the PME Engineer Course, a brand-new Recruiting Course with an associated badge, a revamped Medic Course, enhancements to the Commo and Legal tracks, and the addition of programs for Public Affairs Officers and Cyber Defense. We also highlight the soon-to-launch Search & Rescue Course featuring a uniform tab, and a Drone Course focused on aerial mission support & reconnaissance. The final training initiative discussed is the Senior Leadership Course, aimed at shaping the future leaders of the SDF community. Lt. Colonel Greene concludes by sharing his short- and long-term goals for SGAUS and previews the 2025 SGAUS Annual Conference in Tampa, Florida, where many of these exciting programs will be discussed and exhibited.
Part 3 of 3 (Must Be Coporal Tier Patreon Member):
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A little bit about Lt. Colonel Barry Greene:
With over 25 years of experience in information security, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Barry R. Greene, MDDF, has successfully brought more than 30 information security products and services to market and consulted with clients such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Air Force, and Sony Electronics.
LTC Greene holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from Excelsior University and is a military graduate of Norwich University. He is a certified instructor for emergency response programs administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Department of Energy.
In 2022, LTC Greene founded SGAUS’ Cyber Defense Academy, through which SDF soldiers are now acquiring cyber training that not only qualifies them for cyber missions but also gets them real jobs in the private sector. In 2024, LTC Greene was appointed president of the State Guard Association of the United States, and in 2025, he will unveil new SGAUS badge and training programs designed to equip soldiers with the latest in-demand SDF skills.
