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

  • Washington Emergency Management Division[2] - Leads state-level mitigation, in response and recovery. The Washington Emergency Division coordinates with local, federal, and non-profit organizations.
  • Washington Army National Guard[3]- Provides trained units to mobilize anywhere within Washington State. Part of The U.S. Army to perform missions like disaster response, civil support, and assists Homeland Security.
  • Washington Air National Guard[3] - Provides airlift, cyber intelligence, and used in missions both federal and state.
  • Washington State Guard[4]- Professional services that support department operations.
  • Washington Youth Academy[5]- Resilience structure programs.
  • State & Federal Support Services- Provides administrative, financial, logistical support to personal and facilities.

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

Since June 29, 2024, Brigadier General Gent Walsh has been the adjutant general, director of the Washington Military Department and homeland security advisor to the governor.[6][7]

The Washington State Military Department partnerships: Tribal governments, local jurisdictions, federal agencies (FEMA, DoD), non-profit organizations, and international exchange programs through the National Guard State Partnership Program.[8] The funding is composed of state appropriations, federal reimbursements, and grants used by the National Guard, and emergency management programs. The department's newest annual reports provided personnel counts, program spending, and capital investments for readiness centers and emergency infrastructure.[9]

Washington State Emergency Operations Center

The Washington State Emergency Operations Center is a cabinet-level agency. Its task is to organize and support emergency management, and assist with Homeland Security operations. Headquarters located at Camp Murray in Pierce County by Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which includes the Military Department's Emergency Management Division.[10] The 28,000 square foot facility, occupied since mid 1998, is built on rollers to withstand earthquakes.[11][12] The Emergency Operations Center was activated for the 2012 Washington wildfires,[13] 2015 Washington wildfires,[12] 2016 Washington wildfires,[14] 2018 Washington wildfires, and for the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "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. ^ "The Adjutant General". mil.wa.gov. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
  8. ^ "Home | Washington State Military Department". mil.wa.gov. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  9. ^ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). www.repi.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 1, 2025. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  10. ^ "Emergency Management Division". official website. Washington State Military Department. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  11. ^ Washington Military Department Information Booklet & Media Guide, Washington Military Department, p. 10
  12. ^ a b "About the Emergency Operations Center". Washington Military Department Emergency Management Division. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  13. ^ Gov. Gregoire Extends State of Emergency, Burn Ban to Include All Counties in WA State, U.S. Federal News Service, October 9, 2012
  14. ^ State of Emergency (Wildfires), Targeted News Service, August 23, 2016
  15. ^ "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.
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