Guard to add more than 400 jobs in Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri National Guard is planning to add more than 400 full- and part-time military police and transportation jobs across the state.

A new transportation battalion with 48 soldiers will be split between Fredericktown and Farmington, with another transportation company of 164 soldiers split between Bridgeton and Columbia, the guard said in a statement. A military police company with 169 soldiers will be added in Lebanon.

The units are expected to be in place by the end of fiscal year 2016, Col. David Boyle, the Missouri Army National Guard chief of staff, said in the news release Friday.

"The process doesn't happen overnight," Boyle said. "It takes time to transfer leaders to the units, recruit new soldiers into entry-level positions and get equipment and vehicles in place."

Except for Bridgeton, all the cities have existing armories that will be used by the new units. The guard is working with the city of Bridgeton to use a public building for that unit.

The Air National Guard has added about 50 full- and part-time jobs in the 139th Airlift Wing in St. Joseph, said Col. Tim Jones, the air guard's chief of staff. Temporary funding also was provided for the wing's weapons instructor course and the medical team for its Homeland Response Force. Jones said officials are working with national leaders to make the positions permanent.

"It's an exciting time to be part of the Missouri National Guard as we add to our capability to support the state during emergencies and boost its economic impact," Danner said.