Washington State Military Department

This article is about the state of Washington. For the Union Army, see Department of Washington. For the U.S. Army, see United States Army Military District of Washington. For the U.S. Navy, see Naval District Washington.

The Washington State Military Department is a branch of the state government of Washington, United States.

The Washington National Guard is trained to fight forest fires.

The Washington State Military Department has several major operational divisions:^[1]

• Washington Emergency Management Division^[2]
• Washington Army National Guard^[3]
• Washington Air National Guard^[3]
• Washington State Guard^[4]
• Washington Youth Academy^[5]
• State & Federal Support Services

These divisions use state and federal resources to perform homeland defense, homeland security, and emergency mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities.^[1]

Brigadier General Gent Walsh has served as adjutant general and director of the Washington Military Department since June 29, 2024.^[6]

Washington State Emergency Operations Center

United States Vice President Mike Pence at Washington State Emergency Operations Center during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic

The Washington State Emergency Operations Center is located at Camp Murray, under the Military Department's Emergency Management Division.^[7] The 28,000 square foot facility, occupied since mid 1998, is built on rollers to withstand earthquakes.^[8][9] The Emergency Operations Center was activated for the 2012 Washington wildfires,^[10] 2015 Washington wildfires,^[9] 2016 Washington wildfires,^[11] 2018 Washington wildfires, and for the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.^[12]

See also

• Washington Naval Militia

References

1. "About Us". mil.wa.gov. Washington State Military Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
2. "National Guard". Washington State Military Department. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
3. "National Guard". mil.wa.gov. Washington State Military Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
4. "State Guard". mil.wa.gov. Washington State Military Department. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
5. "Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy". www.cgyca.org. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
6. Siemandel, Joseph (June 21, 2024). "Governor appoints Brig. Gen. Gent Welsh as the next adjutant general". Washington State Military Department. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
7. "Emergency Management Division". official website. Washington State Military Department. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
8. WASHINGTON MILITARY DEPARTMENT INFORMATION BOOKLET & MEDIA GUIDE, Washington Military Department, p. 10
9. "About the Emergency Operations Center". Washington Military Department Emergency Management Division. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
10. GOV. GREGOIRE EXTENDS STATE OF EMERGENCY, BURN BAN TO INCLUDE ALL COUNTIES IN WA STATE, U.S. Federal News Service, October 9, 2012 – via ProQuest
11. State of Emergency (Wildfires), Targeted News Service, August 23, 2016 – via ProQuest
12. "Vice President Pence, Congresswoman Herrera Beutler Visit Pierce County Readiness Center and Washington State Emergency Operations Center" (Press release). Office of U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler. March 6, 2020.

External links

• Official website