More than 5,000 Soldiers and civilians from active Army, Army Reserve and the Army National Guard participated in Guardian Response 2025, United States Army Forces Command Forces Commands (FORSCOM) most extensive annual Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) exercise April 25 - May 14, 2025.

Conducted at Camp Atterbury and the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Indiana, the exercise enhances readiness by training Soldiers to respond to large-scale Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) incidents in support of civilian authorities.

The 87th Training Division, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, provides overall command and control of Guardian Response 2025. The division's mission is to train and validate Army Reserve units for combat and DSCA operations and ensure that participating organizations meet readiness and interoperability standards.

Brig. Gen. Sonya A. Powell, Commanding General of the 87th Training Division and a veteran chemical officer, brings extensive experience in homeland response. Previously serving as the Deputy Commanding General of the 76th Operational Response Command, the Army Reserve’s center for DSCA, her leadership anchors the success of this high-profile exercise.

The Guardian Response exercise reinforces interagency coordination and validates mission command across multiple echelons. Replicating the complex challenges of a real-world CBRN catastrophe, participating units are tested through high-intensity, scenario-driven operations such as urban search and rescue, mass casualty decontamination, medical triage, and wide-area evacuation.

The Muscatatuck Urban Training Center (MUTC), a 1,000-acre training site operated by the Indiana National Guard, plays a key role in the exercise's realism. MUTC features a fully functional mock city, including a collapsed parking garage, flooded subway tunnels, and a cyber-physical training environment, that provides Soldiers and civilian partners with one of the most advanced disaster response training venues in the nation.

“Muscatatuck pushes our forces beyond classroom learning,” said Deon Sumpter an observer-controller with Army North. “It forces Soldiers to think, react, and lead under real-world conditions that mirror the chaos of a domestic emergency.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Drago, the division’s senior enlisted advisor, ensures discipline, morale, and noncommissioned officer development remain top priorities throughout the operation.

“Guardian Response isn’t just about procedures, it’s about people,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Drago. “This training ensures our Soldiers are confident, capable, and ready to support the nation in times of crisis.”

As the demand for rapid, coordinated disaster response grows, Guardian Response 2025 remains a cornerstone in preparing the joint force to protect and assist the American public when it matters most.