Good Question: How Does The National Guard Mobilize Locally?
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Over the past decade, the Minnesota National Guard has been placed on active state duty 25 times. In just the past month, local troops have helped in the fight again wild fires in Northern Minnesota and the avian flu in western Minnesota.
Given the broad range of missions at home, how does the National Guard mobilize? And, what do they do? Good Question.
In addition to their federal mission and deployments overseas, Minnesota National Guard soldiers take a second oath to the state of Minnesota. The governor is considered the Commander-in-Chief and, by executive order, is the only one who can call up the Guard.
In the event the capabilities of local law enforcement are exceeded, there's a process where they work through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, specifically Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and ask for additional resources, Minnesota National Guard Col. Kevin Olson said.
Olson said it's generally the county sheriff who decides whether to ask for help.
Their state missions have included helping stranded drivers in blizzards, patrolling dikes in flood-ravaged areas, dumping water from helicopters onto wildfire, assisting in a UND plane crash recovery and helping vulnerable adults in nursing homes during a state workers' strike.
In 2008, Minnesota Guard soldiers were deployed for crowd control after protests at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.
"The National Guard can perform limited law enforcement duties, but what's important to know is that we prefer to leave that to the law enforcement and public safety professionals and back them up if they're needed," said Col. Olson.