The Missouri National Guard gained a new sense of focus after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, according to its Command Historian.
According to a report Captain Alan Brown recently released, over 11,000 Missouri Guard soldiers and airmen have deployed since 9/11. He says the Guard’s mission began to ramp up almost immediately after those attacks, especially for military police units. For operations like Noble Eagle, the Guard was called on to fill a need where there were not enogh active-duty units.
Captain Brown says over the last decade, most Guard soldiers have been deployed multiple times. His report outlines 65 missions. In the largest, 1,100 soldiers were sent to Kosovo. He’s looking for information on more, however. He asks anyone who can detail additional deployments to contact the Guard.
The Captain notes 2011 has been above average for in-state action, due to natural disasters. There have been 5 State Emergency Duty operations for the Guard in Missouri this year, compared to 20 between 2005 and 2010.
His report can be viewed here.
