I have heard that the usefulness of being a member of Infragard varies drastically depending on the chapter you are in.  In Iowa, the group is small, but close.  At the time I am writing this, I run the so-called Cyber sector.  This division of Iowa Infragard is focused on sharing information about I.T. Security.  My focus in leading this group is creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing with one another.  While being a part of this group requires holding to a certain level of secrecy, so I cannot share any specific items that we discuss, I can say that the community has grown significantly since I joined and that I am glad to be a part of it.

Joining the Infragard community requires passing an FBI background check… which can take some time.  However, unlike other groups, there is no financial requirement.  The sign-up process is linked to from both of the pages in the preceding paragraph.  Once you’re in, you can join numerous mailing lists, access a secured forum and attend meetings to share and receive information that may or may not yet be publicly available.  You can also bounce ideas off of other professionals.