With at least four high-profile attacks on military recruiting facilities in the past decade and active threats in Washington, Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, is working with military leaders to protect exposed recruiting facilities.

“Our military is the primary target for many radical groups and dangerous individuals,” said Wilson. “Recruiting facilities don’t have the same protections as other military installations because they are out in our communities engaging with the public. These are soft targets that need to be secured before a violent attack can strike our state’s military community.”

Wilson was approached by the Adjutant General of the Washington Military Department, Maj. Gen. Bret Daugherty, to add these protections in light of current, credible threats to Washington recruiting facilities. Washington has one of the largest military presences in the country and four other states have seen recent attacks directed at military recruiting facilities resulting in multiple service members killed and injured.

Wilson’s bill provides guarantees of adequate protection for National Guard facilities not based at a secure military installation. This includes locking devices, ballistic barriers, security cameras, armed security and other protections based on an assessment of threats and vulnerabilities.

“Being stationed in the community doesn’t mean military service members stop being soldiers and a target for attacks,” said Wilson. “This bill could help save lives and sends a message that Washington stands by our military.”