Nevada National Guard Response Force grows to 400 members

CARSON CITY, Nev. (KOLO) - * It is a *statewide effort in response to a federal directive

“The great thing about the National Guard is these are all Nevadans in there, and they all want to help Nevada,” says Col. Kyle Cerfolio of the Nevada National Guard.

The Guard operates under a dual mission—both federal and state. “When the Governor calls us, we’re always ready,” Cerfolio explains.

At the Office of the Adjutant General in Carson City, members of the Nevada National Guard are training to be part of Nevada’s National Guard Response Force.

The numbers:

• 400 members total
• 200 in Northern Nevada
• 200 in Southern Nevada

When called upon by the Governor, task force members must be ready within 24 hours, Cerfolio says.

This week’s training includes what to do in riots and similar situations.

“One of the key things that the service members are learning this week is civil disturbance—crowd de-escalation,” says 1st Lt. Gwyneth Terry of the Nevada National Guard.

During Monday’s training session, troops watched and discussed a video breakdown of the Renee Good shooting in Minneapolis, with emphasis on maintaining an apolitical stance.

“It’s very important, that’s what we do,” Cerfolio emphasizes. “We’re in the military, we’re here to defend and support the Constitution of the United States, and we don’t get involved in politics. We just follow lawful orders.”

The task force isn’t just prepared for civil unrest. They’re also trained to respond to natural disasters like the 2024 Davis Fire.

“We had people on the ground in the neighborhoods themselves, helping direct the flow of traffic and preventing people from getting back into their homes, just for their safety,” Terry recalls.

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