Thinner attendance at WA National Guard training as state deals with funding clawback

Thousands of Washington Army National Guard members missed a recent drill weekend due to a funding shortfall resulting from cuts initiated by the Trump administration. Approximately 5,000 soldiers were scheduled to participate, but half received excused absences, leading to significant cost reductions. The National Guard bureau reallocated $3 million in training funds since February, impacting Washington's training budget. State officials, including communications director Karina Shagren, noted that the expected congressional funding to offset these cuts has not yet materialized. “The work that needed to be accomplished, got accomplished,” said Joseph Siemandel, highlighting that essential training continued despite the reduced attendance.

Officials will evaluate how much money was saved and the exact number of absentees in the coming weeks. A typical drill weekend costs around $2. 5 million, with soldiers earning between a couple hundred dollars to $1,000 based on rank and service years. The National Guard maintains that its readiness remains intact despite the financial challenges.