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Joint Task Force Empire Shield

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Joint Task Force Empire Shield
Active2001-Present
Country United States
Allegiance State of New York
BranchNew York Army National Guard, New York Air National Guard, New York Naval Militia, New York Guard
RoleNew York Military Defense, Civil Support Operations
Size809(2024)
Part ofNew York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs
Garrison/HQFort Hamilton
DecorationsState of New York Executive Chamber Citation by Governor Kathy Hochul, September 12, 2024
Commanders
Task Force CommanderCol. Jeffrey D. Roth

Joint Task Force Empire Shield is an element of the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs partly responsible for the military defense of New York City, primarily the deterrence and prevention of internal security threats.[1] It is composed of personnel from the New York Army National Guard, the New York Air National Guard, the New York Guard, and the New York Naval Militia.

History

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Empire Shield soldiers pictured in chemical protective masks in 2014
Empire Shield soldiers pictured at Grand Central Terminal in 2016

Joint Task Force Empire Shield was activated in response to the September 11 attacks.[2][3]

As of 2009, New York was spending $16 million per biennium to maintain Joint Task Force Empire Shield.[4] By 2011 this had grown to $19.5 million.[5] For 2018 the proposed budget for Empire Shield was $33 million.[6]

Organization

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Empire Shield is composed of three ad hoc companies: Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie.[7] Personnel are drawn from the New York Army National Guard, the New York Air National Guard, the New York Guard, and the New York Naval Militia who are placed on state active duty status. In 2017, the force had an authorized, but not actual, strength of 500 personnel.[8][a][3][9] The three companies rotate between three mission assignments: quick reaction force (QRF), pop-up mission, and training cycle.[7]

The quick reaction force fulfills the National Guard reaction forces mission in New York City, which provides combat units "designed to respond to an incident ahead of federal assets with the capability to be logistically self-sustaining for up to 72 hours".[7][10] Pop-up mission elements, meanwhile, conduct preventative patrols of New York transportation hubs including Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport.[3][7] Joint Task Force Empire Shield also conducts random patrols at the Indian Point Energy Center, a nuclear power plant in Buchanan, New York.[1] In March 2024 the field of operation was extended to the subway to assist the MTA Police and the NYPD to check bags of commuters, due to increasing crime in the subway system.[11][12]

Joint Task Force Empire Shield is headquartered at Fort Hamilton.[13]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ In 2009, actual strength was 280 personnel.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Greenhill, Jim. "Task Force Born on 9/11 Still Guards New York". defense.gov. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  2. ^ Bender, Jeremy (July 31, 2014). "A Rare Look Inside New York City's Only U.S. Military Base". Business Insider. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Tilghman, Andrew (November 17, 2015). "After Paris attacks, Pentagon quietly shifts to new phase of ISIL war". USA Today. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  4. ^ "Military and Naval Affairs, Division of". Division of the Budget. State of New York. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  5. ^ "Division of Military and Naval Affairs" (PDF). Division of the Budget. State of New York. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  6. ^ "2017–18 Assembly Budget Proposal" (PDF). New York Assembly. State of New York. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d "Empire Shield: Soldiers stand watch to prevent another 9/11". Army News. September 9, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  8. ^ https://dmna.ny.gov/blog/resources/jtfes_info.pdf
  9. ^ McCarter, Mickey (September 8, 2011). "US National Guard Combined Command In The Next Big Catastrophe". HSToday. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  10. ^ "National Guard Reaction Forces" (PDF). Fort Benning. U.S. Army. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  11. ^ Cramer, Maria; Meko, Hurubie (2024-03-08). "Do You Have to Let the National Guard Search Your Bag on the Subway?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  12. ^ Felton, Emmanuel; Duncan, Ian (2024-03-07). "Why National Guard troops are being deployed in New York's subways". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  13. ^ "Nosy Neighbor: Where Are the World Trade Center Soldiers Based?". Tribeca Citizen. February 13, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
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