Minnesota National Guard outlines personnel gains, modernization plans and asks for state funding for incentives and hangar design

Saint Paul — Major General Sean Mankey, the Adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard, told the House Veterans and Military Affairs Division on Feb. 12 that the Guard now fields roughly 13,000 soldiers and airmen and is pursuing a mix of state and federal investments to keep units modern and mission-ready.

Mankey said the Guard’s force includes about 10,400 Army soldiers and a little more than 2,200 airmen and described retention and recruiting as top priorities. “My three priorities: people, modernization, and partnerships,” he told the committee.

Why it matters: The Guard has a dual mission — state emergency response and federal deployments — and the division’s decisions on state funding and bonding authority can affect readiness, basing competitiveness and local economies, especially in communities hosting major units such as Duluth and Arden Hills.

Most important facts - The Guard reports roughly 13,000 members statewide, with the Army component around 10,400 and the Air component about 2,200. Mankey said Minnesota is slightly above authorization on both components in personnel strength percentages. - Federal modernization investments of roughly $2.4 billion are being made in Minnesota, primarily for the…