Wisconsin National Guard wraps up winter storm response

By 1st Sgt. Vaughn R. Larson

Wisconsin National Guard

The approximately 100 Wisconsin National Guard members called to state active duty Tuesday to help state and local officials with blizzard-related emergencies have all completed their missions and returned home. Brig. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, activated the Soldiers and Airmen Tuesday (Feb. 1) as part of Gov. Scott Walker's declaration of emergency.

"This is at the core of why there is a National Guard," he said. "We provide enduring value by assisting civil authorities when the situation demands and this blizzard was just such an occasion."

The Guard members were stationed armories in Plymouth, Milwaukee, Oak Creek, Kenosha, Sussex, Elkhorn, Watertown, Platteville and Janesville and dispatched winter response force packages - community and highway assistance teams - Tuesday and Wednesday.

"While I am extremely proud of our Soldiers and Airmen," Dunbar said, "our mission was successful because of our partnership with state and local agencies including Wisconsin Emergency Management, State Patrol, Transportation, Natural Resources and especially first responders."

Each team's mission varied, but most focused on working with law enforcement agencies and rescuing stranded motorists. "[The Guard was] able to get to places where our rescue vehicles and even our snow plows couldn't," said Steve Braun, the emergency management director for Grant County, noting that snow was drifting as high as eight feet in some areas. "The Guard was a great asset."

Brad Altman, executive officer for the Wisconsin State Patrol's southwest region, said the National Guard assets at the Janesville armory were able to negotiate treacherous road conditions to reach stranded bus passengers three miles north of Janesville and move them to safety.

"Considering the circumstances, it was a successful mission," said Altman, who requested Guard assistance through the state Emergency Operations Center.

Kurt Picknell, undersheriff with the Walworth County Sheriff's Department, was the operations commander for the night shift Feb. 1 and said Wisconsin National Guard vehicles were utilized all night and into the morning of Feb. 2. He placed a sheriff's deputy in each military vehicle dispatched to assist stranded motorists.

"Combining assets like that worked extremely well," he said.

Shortly after 9 p.m. Feb. 2, the Wisconsin National Guard completed its winter storm assistance missions and returned to home station where they were released from state active duty.

"This is an event that we will never forget," wrote one Wisconsin resident in an e-mail to the Wisconsin National Guard. "I truly want to thank the National Guard and the [Walworth County] Sheriff's Department ... You all will be so very blessed for all you did!"

This article was sponsored by Military Books.