By Amanda Wegner | Photography by Hillary Schave
Staff Sergeant Jaclyn Sommers is incredibly proud to help lead the “best-kept secret” in the Wisconsin National Guard.
Sommers is one of the survey team chiefs of the survey section for the 54th Civil Support Team (CST), a specialized unit of full-time Army National Guard and Air National Guard members trained to respond to chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear emergencies. (Typically, National Guard members are civilian soldiers who serve part-time and are called into duty in times of need.) This team assists local law enforcement, public safety agencies and emergency management 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“We deal with more of the unknown stuff,” explains Sommers. That could include nefarious activity, such as a clandestine lab producing illicit drugs, or something more benign, like “Grandpa collecting weird, unknown things that need identification.”
The CST provides law enforcement agencies with technical support or can mobilize to the incident with equipment and personnel.
Each state, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, has a CST. These teams also conduct pre-sweeps of large, significant and high- security events, such as inaugurations, dignitary meetings and the Super Bowl.
Sommers joined the CST in 2021 but has been militarily connected since December 2014, when she joined the National Guard. In 2018, she transitioned to the Air National Guard to work in public affairs as a photo and broadcast journalist.
“What initially drew me to service wasn’t the most noble reason — I needed the benefits and was looking for a challenge,” says Sommers. “But once I got in, I was surprised how much I liked it. I met a lot of different people and learned a lot about myself. It made me more confident, and I enjoyed that.”
Formerly a full-time police officer, she was seeking a career change when her brother-in-law told her about the CST. “I had never heard of this team or the mission, but once I learned about it, I thought it sounded amazing,” she says. While she didn’t feel qualified, her brother-in-law pushed her to apply.
Joining the CST, says Sommers, is her proudest achievement, as it allows her to help others advance and succeed.
“I appreciate being in this position, where I get to be on hiring boards and see the next generation come through,” says Sommers. “Being entrusted with other soldiers’ careers and getting that trust reciprocated — that’s incredibly rewarding.”
