GREEN BAY, WI – Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) led the Wisconsin Republican House delegation in sending a letter to Governor Tony Evers with questions and concerns about the use of the Wisconsin National Guard as a as semi-permanent health personnel within the labor shortage. The letter follows Governor Evers’ Feb. 8 request to President Biden to extend full federal funding for the National Guard through the end of September.

In part, lawmakers wrote, “We have no doubt that the Wisconsin National Guard is an incredibly versatile force that can serve some of Wisconsin’s most vulnerable populations well. But your recent letter to President Biden suggests that you are considering using a government-funded National Guard federal government as a solution to a long-term workforce challenge. We have concerns about the sustainability of this approach, especially given the Guard’s nearly two-year deployment in response to the COVID pandemic. -19.

See the letter HERE or read the text below:

Governor Evers,

Since the start of the pandemic, we have been impressed with the flexibility and perseverance of the Wisconsin National Guardsmen. At the start of the pandemic, they provided invaluable service to their fellow Wisconsinans during a time of incredible uncertainty. But now, nearly two years into the pandemic, we fear that Wisconsin guards are being used as a long-term solution to workforce challenges that will survive the current spike in hospitalizations. We ask that you provide us with information on how your administration plans to address these labor shortages through more sustainable means.

In your February 8, 2022 letter to President Biden, you requested an extension of nearly 8 months of full federal funding for the National Guard to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin. You have identified training guards to serve in long-term care facilities as a new mission that will be supported by this funding. We recognize that additional certified practical nurses (CPNs) will free up space in hospital beds by transferring patients to long-term care facilities more quickly. However, this new mission is unlike any of the previous roles the National Guard has taken on during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the Guard mainly helped to support the distribution of personal protective equipment and to carry out community tests.[1] In 2021, the Guard’s primary role in the COVID response was testing and vaccine distribution.[2] These life-saving activities were always intended to meet short-term needs as we weathered the waves of the pandemic.

Now that officials and experts are finally admitting that COVID-19 will be rampant, it’s time for our leaders to think creatively about how to address the emergency issues and get back to normal. Unlike testing or distributing PPE and vaccines, staffing shortages in long-term care facilities have causes other than just the COVID-19 pandemic. We therefore ask you to answer the following questions:

1. How have the federal and state COVID relief funds you distributed to long-term care facilities been used to address staffing shortages? What plans have you made to increase staffing of long-term care facilities without using the Wisconsin National Guard?
2. How has the use of the Wisconsin National Guard impacted the development of solutions to the more systemic workforce challenges facing the long-term care sector?
3. You have requested an extension of full federal funding for the Wisconsin National Guard through September 30, 2022. Do you plan to use the Guard as a CNA through that date? If not, how long do you plan to use the Guard to supplement long-term care facility staff?
4. Which units have you activated and which units do you plan to activate? What is their primary military occupational specialty?
5. What impact has the two-year COVID response mission had on the Wisconsin National Guard’s training and equipment readiness standards?

We have no doubt that the Wisconsin National Guard is an incredibly versatile force that can serve some of Wisconsin’s most vulnerable populations well. But your recent letter to President Biden suggests that you are considering using a federally funded National Guard as a solution to a long-term manpower challenge. We have concerns about the sustainability of this approach, particularly given the nearly two-year deployment of the Guard in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you for your attention to this question and we look forward to your responses.

“[1] Wisconsin National Guard, “Year in Review: 2020 A Year Like No Other in Wisconsin Guard History.” Press release, December 30, 2020. https://ng.wi.gov/news/20271

[2] Wisconsin National Guard, “The Wisconsin National Guard continues to meet the needs of the state in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Press release, December 20, 2021. https://ng.wi.gov/news/21126