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The Washington National Guard is a military organization that serves both the state of Washington and the federal government. Its main roles are:

1. State Mission (under the Governor’s authority):

    •    Disaster Response: Assisting during natural disasters like wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and storms.

    •    Search and Rescue: Helping locate and assist missing persons or people in distress.

    •    Civil Support: Supporting local law enforcement during emergencies, civil unrest, or major events.

    •    COVID-19 and Public Health: Assisting with vaccine distribution, testing, and logistics during health crises.

2. Federal Mission (under the President’s authority):

    •    Combat Deployments: Serving overseas in support of U.S. military operations.

    •    Training and Readiness: Maintaining combat and operational skills to be ready for federal missions.

    •    Support to National Defense: Providing specialized units like engineers, aviation, cybersecurity, and more.

 

Members are typically “citizen-soldiers” — they serve part-time (usually one weekend a month and two weeks a year) unless activated for state or federal missions.