The study examines the disaster preparedness of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) by how resource allocation and training programmes affect disaster readiness. Importantly, the authors note that little empirical research evaluating the BDF’s disaster preparedness exists as the military becomes immersed more broadly within the global community. The research is based upon the resource-based view of the firm and Emergency Management Theory, employing a quantitative methodology with structured questionnaires to collect data from 278 individuals within the BDF. Relevant descriptive statistics, mediation, regression, and correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between training preparedness, resource allocation, and overall disaster readiness. The study found that the BDF frequently conducts disaster preparedness training and that most of this training is perceived as in line with the operational needs of the BDF. However, funding was only moderately assigned for budgetary support and emergency equipment, creating financial and logistical pressures. Overall, findings revealed that when it comes to disaster readiness, both resource allocation and training preparedness were strong predictors, but training was by far the most significant. Resource allocation partially mediated the relationship between preparedness training and disaster readiness, indicating that adequate operational resources are necessary to enhance training outcomes. According to these findings, an inter-related aspect of disaster preparedness for the BDF must not be neglected: balancing human potential with financial and material resources is essential. Addressing this deficit of literature on military disaster preparedness in Botswana would be helpful given the policy implications of increasing institutional readiness through ongoing investments in disaster response capacity, enhanced interagency coordination, and optimal allocation of resources.