About 2,400 Virginia National Guard members in DC leading up to inauguration
WASHINGTON (WWBT) - About 2,400 personnel from the Virginia National Guard are on the ground in Washington D.C. to assist local law enforcement leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20.
“Mobilizing a large force of National Guard Soldiers and Airmen on short notice is always a challenge because our personnel have loved ones, jobs and schools they have to leave to come on duty,” said Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia. “Our leaders activated their alert rosters, the Soldiers and Airmen quickly answered the call to duty, and we had a huge effort from our staff to get them in-processed and up to Washington, D.C. We had everyone in place by Sunday evening and ready to go as requested. It was a tremendous team effort, and we couldn’t do it without the support of our families and employers. I am incredibly proud of how quickly and safely our personnel responded, and they have effectively integrated into supporting the civilian law enforcement security plan.”
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam authorized the VNG support after the mayor of Washington, D.C., the Department of Defense and National Guard Bureau officials asked several states to identify units that could assist with law enforcement in D.C.
Secretary of the Army Ryan D. McCarthy has authorized up to 21,000 National Guard personnel to support President-elect Joe Biden’s Inauguration.
“Right now, we have approximately 7,000 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen on the ground in support of the lead federal agency, and we are building to 21,000 for the upcoming inauguration,” Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said during an inauguration security briefing. “They are under the command and control of Maj. Gen. William Walker, the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, and are providing security, communications, logistics and coordination with all supported agencies.”
The state’s national guard will also have personnel on standby in Richmond over the weekend.
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