The Military Department functions as a state department for military and non-military operations. The Army National Guard and the Air National Guard make up the state's military forces. They conduct military operations and missions to support civil authority when authorized by the governor, who is commander in chief. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, a component of the Military Department, coordinates civil resources to support civil authority in an emergency.

The adjutant general, besides commanding the state military forces, is state emergency management director, emergency resource management coordinator, emergency preparedness director and state disaster coordinator. 

The governor, as state military force commander in chief, appoints the adjutant general from commissioned officers of the Nebraska National Guard. The adjutant general serves until resignation, reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64 or being relieved. The adjutant general controls Military Department forces and executes the governor’s orders. The adjutant general represents the state at national, regional and area military and nonmilitary defense conferences.

The adjutant general develops all civil and military defense, state emergency preparedness and disaster recovery plans for the state. He coordinates with appropriate regional and national agencies and other states to formulate Army, Air Force, civil defense and emergency plans for the state.

The adjutant general is the state emergency management director. The assistant director conducts the agency’s day-to-day operations. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency has a full-time civilian staff that can respond at any time through an established watch officer system.

If a disaster occurs, local government responds using local resources. When these resources are deemed inadequate and state resources are required to assist with the response, local officials will contact NEMA. NEMA assesses the disaster and makes a recommendation to the governor on whether a state declaration is needed. If the governor declares a state emergency, state resources can be used within certain restrictions to provide assistance.

NEMA also supports other state agencies and local governments with training and education programs, public information, disaster recovery assistance and disaster planning. NEMA writes plans at the state level, including the State Emergency Operations Plan and the Nebraska Radiological Emergency Response Plans for the state’s two nuclear power plants. The agency coordinates state and federal emergency planning and disaster recovery and homeland security activities in support of the state’s homeland security director.

NEMA occupies the state’s Emergency Operations Center at the Joint Force Headquarters on the Nebraska National Guard base in Lincoln. The EOC provides a secure location from where Nebraska government can operate during emergencies.