The Washington 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]
- 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]
Major General Bret Daugherty served as adjutant general and director of the Washington Military Department from 2012 to 2024. He will be succeeded by Brigadier General Gent Walsh on 29 June 2024.[6]
Washington State Emergency Operations Center
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]