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Members from the 141st Air Refueling Wing Security Forces Squadron responded to civil unrest in Spokane, Wash. recently to provide support to local law enforcement authorities in and around the downtown area.
“The initial request for assistance came from the Spokane County Sheriff ’s Department and then was followed up by the Spokane Police Department to provide assistance through early June,” said Master Sgt. Eric Gustafson, 141st SFS logistics supervisor. “We left Fairchild with our personal protective equipment Sunday night to provide the support that was needed in a moment’s notice.”
These Guardsmen were part of more than 30,000 National Guard and Air National Guard members that responded from 31 States and the District of Columbia assisting local law enforcement authorities during demonstrations over the recent death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“This is our mission and you see so much of the federal mission happening and now we are able to fulfill state mission requirements, which afforded us the opportunity to work with leadership within Guard and the local authorities,” said Gustafson. “We were able to come up with a plan and problem solve to make sure that our people were protected as well as the local community with expandable batons and tasers which ensured the safety of our men and women in uniform.”
The 141st ARW provides protection of life and property while preserving and supporting peace and public safety including the safety of individuals who are protesting peacefully. In this instance the 141st SFS provided support to three different agencies including the Spokane County Sherriff ’s Department, Spokane Police Department, and Spokane Valley Police Department.
“I think it is incredible and what is unique about the guard is we are able to serve neighbor and nation by supporting a federal mission and a local state mission,” stated Major Shannon Yellin, 141st SFS commander. “We see the federal mission requirements being met time after time by deploying our troops to many different locations throughout the world and now we are able to meet our state mission and work with community law enforcement agencies to serve and protect our neighbors and friends.”
According to Gustafson, all the personnel that volunteered were excited about being able to help out local law enforcement authorities and that it has been years since the 141st SFS have been called to this particular mission set to be able to provide support to our Washington State mission.
The last time members of security forces were called on by the state was in 1998 in support of local law enforcement in Pullman, Washington during riots at the Washington State University campus.
Members of the wing have also provided aid and support to Washington State after the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 by cleaning up ash in communities all over Eastern Washington.
More recently, members of the wing provided search and rescue and clean up assistance following the State Route 530 landslide in 2014.
| Date Taken: | 06.04.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12.06.2020 16:17 |
| Story ID: | 384320 |
| Location: | SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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