The State Guard Association of the United States (SGAUS) has entered a landmark partnership with the National Foundation for Integrative Medicine (NFIM), ushering in a new era of innovation in emergency response training and public health security. The newly signed Teaming Agreement between the two organizations was announced on May 22, 2025, and will debut in action during a major training event—SGAUS’ Hurricane Exercise (HURREX) Joan—on November 7, 2025, at the annual SGAUS Conference in Tampa, Florida.
HURREX Joan will simulate a large-scale hurricane disaster and will involve over 100 State Defense Force troops. The exercise will feature the deployment of NFIM’s advanced InForm™ platform—a secure, touchless, mobile health verification tool. The technology enables rapid scanning and verification of critical health information such as lab results, immunization records, and pharmaceutical history directly through an individual’s smartphone. It’s a major advancement over the outdated, paper-based tracking systems used during past public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.
This system, originally developed from Department of Defense technologies and validated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, has since been integrated by NFIM for global informatics and electronic medical record operations. During HURREX Joan, a simulated version of InForm™ will be used, ensuring that no real personal health data is exposed.
“This alliance with NFIM is a significant step forward for our national preparedness,” said Lt. Col. (MD) Barry R. Greene, the new President of SGAUS and the architect of this partnership. “Our role is to ensure that State Defense Forces are ready with the best tools to protect our communities. The InForm™ platform streamlines Point of Distribution (POD) operations, helping our troops prioritize aid delivery over manual verification.”
NFIM’s Chairman and Executive Director, Col. (USAF, Retired) Peter Demitry, M.D., MPH, emphasized the long-term vision: “Imagine having instant access to your medical records from your phone in a crisis or everyday medical visit. That’s not just efficient—it’s empowering and can restore confidence and fluidity to our economy and daily life.”
This groundbreaking exercise in Tampa is just the beginning. If successful, the demonstration may lead to broader national adoption of the platform across state and local agencies. The partnership between SGAUS and NFIM represents a forward-thinking, nonprofit collaboration aimed at boosting public health resilience during emergencies.
To learn more about HURREX Joan and the wide array of new training programs planned for the 2025 SGAUS Conference, listeners can tune in to our recent Commanders Briefing interview with SGAUS President Lt. Col. Barry Greene. In the episode, President Greene outlines not only the upcoming disaster simulations but also the abundant new training opportunities SGAUS is introducing to prepare State Defense Force personnel for the challenges of modern emergencies.
Click Here to Listen To The Three Part Commanders Briefing
- Part 1 – Discuss National Guard Bureau Policies
- Part 2 – The Future of State Defense Forces, New Legislation
- Part 3 – New SGAUS Courses and Major Curriculum Revamps
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Source: SGAUS
