In response to severe storms and staggering snow conditions, Governor Gregoire issued an emergency proclamation on December 24, 2008 authorizing The Adjutant General to use the Washington National Guard to augment local responders and jurisdictions.

At the height the Washington National Guard’s statewide efforts, about 540 citizen soldiers and airmen were on state active duty battling floods or snow (340 in Western Washington; 200 in Eastern Washington). The dedicated citizen soldiers and airmen that came to the aid of their fellow Washingtonians embodied our motto of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors Through a Tradition of Service.”