National Guard Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Hundreds Of Afghan Co-Workers Waiting To Be Processed A Year Later

By Dori Luzzo Gilmour September 13, 2022

For over a year, a group of Active Duty and National Guard Green Berets formerly known as Team 11 have been helping their Afghan co-workers leave the war torn country. Members of the National Mine Reduction Group and their families are seeking refugee status. Continue Reading Read More

Inslee Deploying 100 National Guard To Help Hospitals, Orders Pause On Non-Emergency Procedures

By Austin Jenkins January 13, 2022

Washington National Guard soldiers walk through the Food Lifeline Covid Response Center on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, along East Marginal Way South in Seattle.

Following the lead of Oregon and other states, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that he will deploy 100 members of the National Guard to assist hospitals struggling to respond to a spike in COVID-19 patients due to the highly-contagious omicron variant. Read More

DOD Took Hours To Approve National Guard Request During Capitol Riot, Commander Says

By NPR News March 3, 2021

Army Maj. Gen. William Walker, Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard is seen during a joint hearing to discuss the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. CREDIT: Pool/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump's Defense Department did not approve D.C.'s National Guard to intervene in the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection for several hours after the initial request was made, the commanding general of the outfit told senators on Wednesday. Read More

Pentagon Chief Rejects President Trump’s Threat To Use Military To Quell Unrest

By NPR News June 3, 2020

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper speaks at a press conference at the Pentagon on March 5.

In a public break with President Trump, Defense Secretary Mark Esper says he does not support invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act and deploying troops to American streets. Continue Reading Pentagon Chief Rejects President Read More

UPDATES: In Northwest And Nationwide, Peaceful Protests Of Police Action Mix With Violent Clashes

By NWPB News May 31, 2020

Protesters gather at the Spokane County Courthouse Sunday, May 31, 2020 as part of nationwide demonstrations in cities against police killings. The Spokane event started in the city's downtown Riverfront Park, with several thousand people marching peacefully in streets across the city's Monroe Street Bridge to the courthouse. CREDIT: Nick Deshais/N3

Spokane joined a list of cities across the Northwest and the nation on Sunday, with thousands of marchers protesting police treatment of black people and other groups, sparked most recently by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Read More

Washington National Guard Likely To Take More Active Support Role, But Not In Order Enforcement

By NWPB News March 31, 2020

Spc. Joshua Junious, second from left, poses with members of his National Guard platoon at the Yakima Training Center. CREDIT: AUSTIN JENKINS/N3

When the governor declared a state of emergency in late February, that allowed for the use of the National Guard. So far the state’s citizen soldiers have played a limited role in supporting the battle against coronavirus. But Inslee’s chief of staff David Postman said Tuesday that may soon change. He says they won’t be playing a law enforcement role or controlling Read More

At Yakima Training Center, Thousands Of National Guard Troops Prepare For 2021 Deployment

By Austin Jenkins June 19, 2019

This month, more than 3,000 Army National Guard soldiers from Washington, Oregon and California have taken up temporary residence at the Yakima Training Center. Continue Reading At Yakima Training Center, Thousands Of Read More