On Thursday, April 2, the Washington National Guard came to the Issaquah Food Bank to help support our community by boxing food at the food and clothing bank. The food bank is currently operating under reduced hours and for the safety of volunteers has reduced help during the Coronavirus state of emergency.

.@WANationalGuard members are sorting, processing, packaging and preparing boxes at the Issaquah food bank. This food bank provides critical support to those living in Issaquah, Duvall, Carnation and all other Eastside communities. pic.twitter.com/3QmZ56CE3f

— WA National Guard (@WANationalGuard) April 2, 2020

As found on their website, “The Washington National Guard is headquartered at Camp Murray, Washington and is defined by its state and federal mission. At the call of the Governor, the Washington National Guard will mobilize and deploy during times of state emergency to augment local jurisdictions and responders in their efforts to protect lives and property. The Washington National Guard is also subject to the call of the President of the United States to serve as part of the total U.S. Military force.

The Washington National Guard is made up of the Washington Army National Guard (WAARNG) and the Washington Air National Guard (WA ANG). The WAARNG is a reserve component of the U.S. Army and the WA ANG is a reserve component of the U.S. Air Force. There are approximately 8,400 citizen-soldiers and airmen serving in the Washington National Guard (6,300 in the WAARNG and 2,100 in the WA ANG).

For more than 150 years, the brave citizen-soldiers and airmen of the Washington National Guard have safeguarded lives and property in the Evergreen State and have served the entire nation in times of need and distress.

On March 2, 1853, President Millard Fillmore signed the Washington Organic Act, which created the Washington Territory. The act would name Isaac I. Stevens the first governor of the Washington Territory as well as the commander-in-chief of the Washington Territorial Militia.

On Jan. 26, 1855, Stevens signed a law creating the Militia of the Territory, requiring that every able-bodied male between the ages of 16 and 60, who expected to be a citizen, enroll in the Militia. These volunteers would be called to guard settlements, protect the Territorial Government and pursue hostile Native Americans.

On Nov. 11, 1889, Washington would become the 42nd state in the Union and the National Guard was given an expanded role in the defense of the nation. President William McKinley issued a call for volunteers on April 23, 1898 for service in the Spanish-American War and Washington’s quota was one infantry regiment.  Every single member of the Guard volunteered for service.” 

To learn more about the Washington National Guard, go to their website or Facebook page.