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