MADISON, WI (WTAQ) — The Wisconsin National Guard is still deployed in the state of Wisconsin to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s now the longest domestic deployment of the guard in history, and that history stretches all the way back to 1839.
“Certainly we’ve had overseas deployments, but here at home this is the longest,” said Guard Major Joe Trovato, who adds the guard first began dealing with the virus in mid-March.
“Our first mission was transporting a group of cruise ship passengers who had been exposed to COVID-19 on a cruise ship and were Wisconsin residents,” Trovato recalled.
That was only the beginning of a mission that has seen guard members work at testing centers, isolation centers, and more as the demand for help has kept up for months–and it’s not like they had nothing else to do, either.
“We’ve also, simultaneously, had nearly 3,800 troops that mobilized to support our states four elections that we’ve had since the pandemic, along with deployments for civil unrest,” Trovato said.
Civil unrest in several Wisconsin cities, including Green Bay, sent thousands of Guardsmen into the streets.
There’s still more mission to go, too. Trovato says it’s likely the guard will be utilized during vaccine distribution as well
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