Ohio’s National Guard is made up of 35,000 active and reserve Buckeye State residents who sign on to be available for their state and country when duty calls. If help is needed — whether that be responding to a flood-stricken community or defending our country’s interests halfway around the globe — they stand up.

Ohioans got a startling reminder of just how diverse the Ohio National Guard’s membership is when Secretary of State Frank LaRose was activated last week for deployment. According to a report by The Columbus Dispatch, his deployment location will not be disclosed, for security reasons. That’s understandable.

LaRose served ten years in active duty with the 101st Airborne and U.S. Army Special Forces. He took a break, then joined the Army Reserve in 2021. He has an impressive military service record. Now, he is being called up in the wake of the deaths of three Ohio airmen in a crash in Iraq and as the U.S. is set to deploy approximately 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to Iran.

There’s no telling what LaRose might be asked to do — though the assistant secretary of state would take over the responsibilities of his office if he is unable to carry out the job.

Again, LaRose is one of many, but his visibility helps us remember the enormity of the responsibility National Guard members — from all walks of life — take on when choosing to serve.

They are our friends and neighbors. They could be our child’s teacher or the Ohio Secretary of State. And they are all sworn to serve whether called to “support and assist local authorities or other states” by our governor, or be activated by the president “during a national emergency” or “to support active-duty forces performing Department of Defense missions,” according to the Ohio National Guard’s website.

LaRose’s activation gives a reason to thank ALL members of the Ohio National Guard for their service — whatever it may be.