They are America's original minutemen - service members who trace their heritage to before the Revolutionary War. Their forebearers stood at Lexington Green outside of Boston in 1775, a civilian militia facing the British Redcoats and paving the way for the free America we now enjoy. They've served - and died - in all of America's wars and conflicts.

Since the start of the Global War on Terror, members of the National Guard and Reserve have been activated at a pace not seen since World War II, said Tom Riggs, deputy director of the Washington National Guard J9 Directorate Joint Service Support Center on Camp Murray. Active component leaders have a new appreciation of the pride and professionalism displayed by these servicemembers, he said, and welcome their active support on the global battlefield. "These guardsmen and reservists sacrifice as much and often even more than their active duty counterparts to keep this nation free," he said.

Not only do guardsmen drop everything on a moment's notice to mobilize for a state or national disaster (more than 50,000 were called to assist in Mississippi and Louisiana during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, for instance), but they are also on the federal roster. "A significant portion of the force deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq continues to come from the Guard," according to information on the National Guard Web site (www.ng.mil).

Guard members called to active duty in support of state and federal emergencies typically are not afforded housing allowances and free health care unless activated for 30 days or more.  Yet, even with less pay and benefits, they serve willingly, putting in one weekend per month and two weeks per year to stay qualified and prepared to deploy.

Before the events of Sept. 11, 2001, the soldiers and airmen of the National Guard were considered primarily a strategic reserve, said Col. Mike Johnson, Joint Service Support Center director. They were thought of more as a backup force, he said, to take care of emergencies and national disasters at home while the active duty force deployed to address threats overseas.

But "Sept. 11 brought new meaning to the concept of homeland defense for the National Guard," according to the Guard Web site, and the function of the force began to shift toward an operational role.  Immediately following the terrorist attacks, guardsmen from around the country mobilized to provide homeland security at airports and airfields, and its soldiers and airmen are now an integral part of America's military. Guard units are included in regular combat deployment rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan, Johnson said, with up to half of all troops serving overseas now coming from Guard units.  Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 10,000 Washington Guardsmen have been mobilized for state, national and federal service.  "If they need a brigade combat team and we have one, we go," Johnson said. "We're not sitting back in the reserve just in case."

Though they serve shoulder to shoulder in Iraq and Afghanistan with active duty units from around the world, Guard units still have an obligation to take care of emergencies at home, Johnson noted. Each state has its own Guard, which falls under the purview of its governor. The Washington Army and Air National Guard, or WAANG, has about 8,400 soldiers and airmen culled from nine regions throughout the state who can be mobilized for state and national emergencies as well as service overseas in the Global War on Terror. "It just depends on where they are needed," Johnson said.

WAANG units include the 205th Regiment, 66th Theater Aviation Command, 96th Troop Command, and 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, which deployed more than 2,000 soldiers to Iraq in 2004. In addition to its part-time force, a percentage of the Guard is on full-time Active Guard and Reserve, or AGR, status, responsible for recruiting, administration, supply and more. "It's never enough," Johnson said. "While (other guardsmen) are living (their) lives 28 days a month, we're keeping the unit going and doing what we need to function, so when (they) show up for one weekend a month or for a mobilization, then we are ready to go."

Standing by for floods, fires, earthquakes, and other emergencies, along with supplying a force going off to war, Johnson said, "really stretches the Guard to where it's never been. It's truly an operational and fully engaged force."

The majority of Washington National Guard members have deployed in support of the Global War on Terror one or more times, said Riggs. With these frequent deployments come many challenges, including financial issues, family support, understanding Veterans Affairs and health care benefits, employment transition issues, psychological health problems, suicide, and more.  For a force that has nearly 70 percent of its members living more than an hour from a federal military installation, new resources must be created to deliver services. The J9 Joint Service Support Center on Camp Murray - along with 12 satellite offices throughout the state - brings together partners from a plethora of agencies who work together to ensure services are brought to the servicemember.

For more information, visit: www.washingtonguard.org or www.ng.mil.