The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was organized in 1978 to consolidate all federal actions concerning emergency management. This paper looks at the evolution of FEMA and the role the Army plays in domestic emergency management. It traces FEMA's background and its historical development through 1988. It then looks at the 1988-1991 timeframe when two major natural disasters accelerated development of federal planning to respond more quickly to disaster relief requirements by means of coordinated contingency plans. It then discusses ongoing actions to update the Federal Response Plan and the Department of Defense Directive 3025.1, Military Support to Civil Authorities. This includes the Army's responsibilities for emergency management and the Domestic Emergency Planning System. The paper finishes with a discussion of current challenges that confront the Army regarding war fighting force structure, and domestic assistance contingencies. It concludes by proposing specific recommendations to deal with these challenges.