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The Great War depleted the states’ National Guard troops, sending them overseas. Missouri was one of the states that backfilled the domestic duties with unpaid volunteers.
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The establishment of the new department comes after nearly 50 years of the Missouri National Guard being part of the Department of Public Safety.
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Missouri is one of only two states where control of its National Guard does not rest with the governor, but Amendment 5 could change that in November. Plus: Engineers in Kansas are trying a new way to prevent reservoirs from getting filled with mud.
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Missouri and Massachusetts are the only states whose National Guards fall under another state department agency instead of answering directly to the governor.
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While COVID-19 deaths are surging, the National Guard’s response is not. Federal funding for pandemic duty is in question, and a major new challenge is looming on the horizon.