Maryland Defense Force Public Affairs
29 March 2015
Chief Warrant Officer (MDDF) Eric Drummer, Military Emergency Management Specialist (MEMS) Academy Director, for the State of Maryland, announced today that nineteen Maryland Defense Force (MDDF) personnel were presented with their Basic, Senior and Master badges, at the graduation ceremony on March 21, 2015, held at Pikesville Military Reservation in Pikesville, Maryland. Thirteen new MEMS qualified personnel earned their Basic Badge, four earned their Senior Badge and two received their Master Badge, the highest award issued by the MEMS Academy.
The MEMS badge is awarded only after completion of a rigorous course of on-line and classroom study combined with several years of practical experience and hands-on participation with local emergency management agencies. The MEMS Academy was created and is administered by the State Guard Association of the United States (SGAUS) to further the educational advancement of state guard personnel from all fifty states and Puerto Rico.
Col. (MDDF) Michael E. Barrett, president of the Maryland State Guard Association, the local SGAUS affiliate, said that “the MDDF commanding general, Brig. Gen. (MDDF) Brian R. Kelm has placed great emphasis over the past four years on having all MDDF personnel take part in this important and vital training program because emergency management is a core mission of the MDDF.” Currently, almost 30% of the entire MDDF force strength is MEMS qualified.
The Maryland Defense Force (MDDF) is the State’s uniformed volunteer military unit providing professional and technical assistance to the Maryland Military Department. Established in 1917, the MDDF consists of nearly 450 personnel who perform legal, engineering, finance, medical, chaplain, field support and ceremonial services for the State of Maryland. For more information: www.mddf.maryland.gov.
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