The Wisconsin National Guard concluded more than two weeks of storm recovery assistance in Winnebago County on Aug. 15 after helping communities recover from severe weather and an EF3 tornado that struck the Fox Valley in late J uly.Gov. Tony Evers activated the Guard on July 30 following widespread damage in and around Menasha and Appleton that caused major infrastructure damage, power outages and disruptions to public water systems.About 85 soldiers from multiple Wisconsin National Guard units assisted local authorities during the 16-day mission by managing traffic control, overseeing access to heavily damaged neighborhoods and helping coordinate debris collection sites.Soldiers from the 1157th Transportation Company in Oshkosh were among the first units deployed.Winnebago County Emergency Management Director Eric Rasmussen said the Guards support helped improve safety for residents, volunteers and cleanup crews while speeding recovery efforts. National Guard leaders said some soldiers deployed on the mission lived in the affected communities themselves. ...read more read less