Top 10 call-outs of the National Guard in 2009

By Master Sgt. Greg Rudl
National Guard Bureau

Staff Sgt. William Griffin of the 136th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion drives a Humvee on a road flooded by water from the Sheyenne River April 15, 2009, in Fort Ransom, N.D. Griffin and Spc. Jessica Sandberg, of the 132nd Quartermaster Battalion are making a welfare visit to a rural civilian resident at his home, which is surrounded by the flood water. (DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp) (Released)

download hi-res photoARLINGTON, Va., (12/31/09) - In addition to the thousands of Soldiers and Airmen currently activated for ongoing federal missions, the Guard provides significant response to planned events and unexpected contingencies. On average, on any given day, 17 governors call out their Guard to help citizens in need. Though 2009 lacked a major hurricane, wildfire or other natural disaster, it still had its moments. Here are the biggest and most memorable call-outs of 2009.

#10 Mena, Arkansas tornado

The pictures of its destruction reminded many of the 2007 F-5 twister in Greensburg, Kan., and the tornado that devastated Parkersburg, Iowa, in 2008. Soon after a powerful tornado ripped through the community of 5,700 the night of April 10, members of the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team arrived. They conducted search and rescue and set up security check points. As morning broke and the destruction became more visible, more Guardmembers arrived to help.

#9 Runaway balloon

Call it a publicity stunt gone wrong, but when the Colorado National Guard got the call in October that a silver Mylar balloon was adrift with possibly a boy inside, they wasted no time scrambling UH-60 Black Hawk and OH-58 Kiowa helicopters to provide assistance to civilian authorities tracking it. As millions watched on TV, the small balloon crashed gently some 50 miles from where it started – with no one aboard.

#8 The Blizzard of 2009

The recent storm that crippled the Eastern seaboard with record snowfall had governors in affected states and the District of Columbia calling out more than 1,200 Guardmembers. The Citizen-Soldiers and -Airmen responded, performing missions that included aerial reconnaissance, transporting food, water, blankets and other supplies, transporting stranded motorists and health care professionals and sheltering operations.

#7 Snow and rain in Washington

When previous heavy snowfall combined with on-going rainfall caused flooding conditions throughout the state in January, more than 400 Washington National Guard members were called out to help. They cleared snow, staffed traffic control points, used high-water vehicles to evacuate people, moved supplies and conducted door-to-door health and welfare checks, not to mention delivering 30,000+ sandbags to affected areas.

#6 Kentucky ice storms

Though the western part of Kentucky was hardest hit, this massive ice storm stretched from the Ozarks through Appalachia, paralyzing several states in late January and early February, including Arkansas and Missouri. Over 4,000 were called up in Kentucky alone – its largest in history – to clear debris, provide communications support, engineering capability, power generation, security and aviation recovery missions as well as distribute food and water.

#5 Red River flooding

Saving a town from flooding takes team work and a strong back. Guardmembers from Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, Missouri and South Dakota – 2,000-3,000 of them – found that out in March and April when they helped fill and place millions of sandbags. Why? The Red River, swelled from rain and snow, was threatening the towns of Fargo and Moorhead. They also did snow removal, worked at traffic control checkpoints, helped in evacuations and assisted local law enforcement in dike and shelter security.

#4 Tsunami response in American Samoa

This call-out was memorable because of the way Guardmembers got to the scene of the disaster. Hundreds of members of the Hawaii Air National Guard climbed aboard military jets and flew thousands of miles to provide medical care and other aid to residents of American Samoa in September after a tsunami struck the region. Medical teams treated people in the capital and other troops convoyed to remote villages to support search and rescue operations.

#3 Oil refinery fire

More than 300 Puerto Rico National Guard troops responded to a massive fire that burned a refinery near San Juan in October. The Army Guard’s 215th Firefighting Team and the Puerto Rico Air National Guard worked with local firefighters to contain the blaze.

#2 G-20 Summit

Demonstrators took to the streets in Pittsburgh, Pa., Sept. 24-25 but so did more than 2,500 Pennsylvania National Guard members to maintain order, supporting local, state and federal authorities. It was called Operation Steel Kickoff – fitting for a town with six Super Bowl Championships.

#1 Presidential inauguration

Many estimates had the Guard presence for the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration at over 10,000. They came from states near and far, by personal auto to military transport. They patrolled a packed National Mall providing security, crises response, basic first aid and medical evacuation if needed. Guardmembers manned traffic control points, facilitated communications and some even marched in the inaugural parade and played in bands at inaugural balls.