Wisconsin National Guard tested in 2020

Major Gen.

Paul Knapp, adjutant general of the Wisconsin National Guard, says his soldiers have answered many calls to duty in 2020.

ADRIENNE TURNING NOW TO THECOVID CRISIS, WISCONSIN REACHEDANOTHER ALL-TIME HIGH IN DAILYCASES.A JUDGE UPHELD GOVERNOR EVERS’MASK ORDER.BUT A DIFFERENT JUDGE STRUCKDOWN THE ORDER LIMITING MOSTPUBLIC SPACES TO 25% OF THEIROCCUPANCY.BOTH RULINGS ARE BEING APPEALED.THE COVID-19 ALTERNATE CAREFACILITY AT STATE FAIR PARKOPENED LAST WEEK.THE FACILITY HAS SOME 500 BEDSAND IS READY TO RECEIVEPATIENTS.IT WILL HELP WISCONSIN HOSPITALSWHO ARE AT RISK OF BEING OVERRUNWITH COVID PATIENTTHE WISCONSIN NATIONAL GUARD HASBEEN CALLED UPON THIS YEAR IN AVARIETY OF WAYS, TO PERFORMONTHS OF COVID-19 TESTING, TOHELP RESTORE LAW AND ORDER AFTERCIVIL UNREST IN KENOSHA,MADISON, AND WAUWATOSA, AND TOFILL IN ON ELECTION DAYS WHENTHERE WEREN’T ENOUGH POLLWORKERS IN THE PANDEMIC.WE’RE TALKING NOW WITH MAJORGENERAL PAUL KNAPP, THE ADJUTANTGENERAL OF THE WISCONSINNATIONAL GUARD.YOU HAVE A LOT GOING ON.WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING WITH US,GENERAL.MILLER PARK WILL STA OPENINGCOVID TESTING TOMORROW AND WEKNOW THE NATIONAL GUARD ISPHASING O COVID TESTING INMILWAUKEE.WHAT WILL THAT TRANSITION LOOKLIKE?GEN.

KNAPP: THANKS FOR HAVING MEON.I’M EXCITED TO SHARE THEUPDATES.IN TERMS OF TESTING, WE ARESHIFTING OUR RESOURCES AROUNDTHESE THEY -- AROUND THE STATE.WE WILL BE ASSISTING THE ROWBOATCOMMUNITY TO START UP THEIRMILLER PARK SITE ON MONDAY.THEY WILL MOVE RESOURCES AROUNDTHE STATE TO HAVE A REALLYWIDESPREAD COVERAGE OF THEENTIRE STATE.ADRIENNE NOT ONLY ARE YOUWORKING WITH THE COVID-19TESTING SITES BUT YOU HAVE BEENWORKING WITH ELECTIONS.WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO BE DOING?GEN.

KNAPP WE HAVE ASSISTED TELECTION.IT IS ABOUT ELECTION MATERIALS.WHAT WE ARE WAITING FOR IS THEFINAL NUMBE FROM EACH OF THEPOLLING PLACES AND WHAT THEY AREGOING TO NEED TERMS OFSTAFFING ON ELECTION DAY.ONCE WE FIND OUT WHAT THOSESTAFFING NEEDS A, WE WILLDETERMINE WHAT WE NEED TOSUPPORT WITH OUR NATIONAL GUARD.ADRIENNE: IN KENOSHA, YOU HAD UPTO 2000 NATIONAL GUA MEMBERS.I’M CURIOUS.HOW UNUSUAL IS THAT?GEN.

KNAPP: IN TERMS OF STATESHELPING OTHER STATES IS NOT VERYUNUSUAL.WISCONSIN HAS MAN TIMESASSISTED OTHER STATES,ESPECIALLY SEV STATES INRECOVERY AFTER HURRICANES.IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE DO QUITEOFTEN.IN GENERAL IT’S NOT UNUSUAL, BUTWHERE IT IS UNUSUAL, WISCONSINHAS NOT TRADITIONALLY BEEN THERECIPIENT.WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO OTHERSTATES.MICHIGAN AND ARIZONA ISASSISTING WITH CIVIL DISTURBANCEIN KENOSHA.ADRIENNE: THERE IS A THOUGHTTHAT HAVING THE PRESENCE OF THENATIONAL GUARD IS MORE ATTENTIONON THE COMMUNITY RATHER THANLESS.HOW ABOUT THAT?GEN.

KNAPP DOES A QUESTION WEGET ALL THE TIME AND WE ARECONCERNED -- THAT IS A QUESTIONWE GET ALL THE TIME.WE GOT THE EARLIER PROTESTS ANDTHE REQUESTS FOR OUR SYSTEMSAFTER THE GEORGE FLOYD INCIDENTAND ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUNDTHROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THESUMMER AND MOST RECENTLY AWAUWATOS IS THE NATIONAL GUARDPRESENCE HAS TENDED TO DO JUSTTHE OPPOSITE.WE HAVE GOTTEN THE FEELING ITHAS BEEN MORE A CALMINGINFLUENCE BECAUSE OUR PRESENT ISPUBL SAFETY NUMBER ONE ANDLIFE SAFETY AND AT THE END OFTHE DAY THE NATIONAL GUARD, WEARE YOUR NEIGHBORS, WE ARE YOURFRIENDS AND OUR GOAL IS TO KEEPEVERYONE SAFE.ADRIENNE: HAS THIS DONE ANYTHINGFOR YOUR RECRUITING?GEN.

KNAPP WE WERE CONCERNEDWHETHER THIS WOULD HURTRECRUITING AND RETENTI,THERE’S A VERY SIMILAR TIME THATWE SAW AFTER 9/1, WE SEE ANUPTICK IN PEOPLE WHO WANT TOJOIN THE WISCONSIN NATIONALGUARD.THERE’S COVID TESTING, RUNNINGWE CAL CENTER, OPENING WITHISOLATION FACILITIES, ALL OFTHESE DIFFERENT MISSIONS ACROSSTHE COUNTRY DOES ACROSS THESUMMER HAVE BROUG THISSENSIBILITY TO THE NATIONALGUARD AND I THINK THAT SPEAKSWELL TO GENERAL RECRUITS.ADRIENNE: I ALSO ASKED ABOUT THERESPONSE TO THE F-35.IT HAS BEEN A CONTROVERSY INSOME MADISON NEIGHBORHOODS.YOU WILL FIND A DISCUSSION ONTHE UPFRONT SITUATION OFWISN.COM.