It seems there is no limit to what the men and women in West Virginia’s National Guard can tackle. Many of them are already helping fill gaps for the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation by working in our state’s prisons and jails. Now 50 are being sent on another mission — in Texas.

Gov. Jim Justice approved the 50 soldiers and airmen to be deployed on a 30-day mission to support Operation Lone Star, as part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact. The move is in response to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s plea to fellow governors for help at the border after the end of the Title 42 expulsion program.

There will be training first, of course. But in August the 50 West Virginia National Guard members will be on their way.

“We are fortunate enough to have many folks who are in the National Guard, and we have it completely covered,” Justice said. “We do not want to take away from the commitment to corrections and we won’t. We had 50 people who stepped up and volunteered and said they were ready to go. I couldn’t be more proud of them. We’re not going to drop the ball on corrections.”

Our National Guard is capable of stepping up here at home whether the enemy be a flood or other natural disaster, a pandemic or dangerous staffing shortages. We know they are capable of completing any task in another state or another country, for that matter.

While officials will have to monitor whether we are reaching a point that the National Guard is stretched too thin, Justice is right to be proud of them and the help they can offer, no matter who needs it.