Wisconsin National Guard concludes storm recovery mission

MENASHA, Wis. - The Wisconsin Army National Guard concluded more than two weeks of state activation supporting storm recovery efforts in Winnebago County Aug. 15.

The Soldiers were activated July 30 following a state of emergency declaration by Gov. Tony Evers in response to severe storm damage in and around Menasha and Appleton. High winds, hail and a confirmed EF3 tornado caused widespread infrastructure damage, significant power outages and disruptions to public water systems.

Evers said activating the Wisconsin National Guard ensured every available resource was used to support cleanup, restore essential services and protect communities during recovery efforts.

"I am grateful to our [Citizen-Soldiers] in the Wisconsin National Guard who will help our neighbors in need, and together, we'll recover and recover stronger," he said.

Winnebago County Emergency Management Director Eric Rasmussen submitted the initial request for assistance, recognizing the need to restore essential services in the areas experiencing the most severe impacts.

"The tornado's extensive impacts made traffic control extremely challenging," Rasmussen said. "Having the National Guard here allowed us to keep residents, volunteers, responders and contracted cleanup crews safe without overloading local law enforcement. Their support made traffic management far more effective, helping cleanup operations move faster and our community move forward with recovery."

Soldiers with the 1157th Transportation Company in Oshkosh were the first assigned to assist Winnebago County civil authorities as part of Task Force Sturgeon.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Joshua Baranczyk, the task force officer in charge during the second week of the activation, considered the domestic operations mission an embodiment of the Citizen-Soldier concept.

"Some of the Soldiers on mission lived in the very community we were serving," Baranczyk said. "That brings a special aspect of appreciation for the mission."

By the end of the 16-day activation, 85 Soldiers from multiple Wisconsin National Guard units facilitated street closures for utility repair work, managed vehicle access to severely damaged residential neighborhoods and oversaw natural debris collection sites.

"It's not easy to spool up at the drop of a hat, but through multiple levels of leadership starting at the state level down to the boots-on-ground, it's a team effort and no two missions are ever the same; critical thinking, formulating a plan, and adaptation are built into our training," Baranczyk said. "It's still a challenge, but well within our realm of execution."