National Guard provides unprecedented Inauguration support

During the nation's 56th presidential Inauguration Tuesday, some 9,300 members of the National Guard worked to provide transport, traffic control and medical and logistical support, as well as performed in the parade.

It was the Guard's largest contribution of manpower to an inauguration in its 372-year history.

"The scope is incredible," said Gen. Craig McKinley, chief of the National Guard Bureau, in an interview Monday.

McKinley visited Guardmembers on duty around the nation's capital on the eve of the Inauguration.

"My takeaways today are the professionalism, the breadth and depth of our organization, the fact we have multiple states involved," McKinley said.

Guardsmen from Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia joined those from the District of Columbia to form Joint Task Force-District of Columbia to support the Inauguration.

More than 2,000 National Guardsmen and women from Maryland and Virginia worked in support of their states' lead law enforcement and transportation agencies to assist with traffic flow into and out of the District of Columbia.

Members of the 257th Army National Guard Band were among 250 troops on duty from the District of Columbia. The band provided ceremonial and inaugural ball support.

More than 200 Soldiers from the Virginia National Guard, A Battery, 111th Field Artillery, based in Richmond, and the Air National Guard's 203rd Red Horse, from Virginia
Beach, joined forces in a combined Chemical, Biological, radiological/Nuclear and Explosive Enhanced Responsive Task Force unit, whose temporary home was Fort
Belvoir's Wells Field House.

"We are glad to be part of this event and making sure that everyone will be safe. We are prepared and ready to respond if called upon, said CERF commander Lt. Col. Todd Hubbard.

Additional Guard support included:

•In addition to providing 400 Soldiers and Airmen, the West Virginia National Guard provided specialized homeland defense and security units, fixed wing and rotary aircraft and mobile satellite communications equipment in support of federal and local agencies to help manage the large crowds at the event.
•The Iowa National Guard provided 1,000 Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division.
•More than 200 members of the New York National Guard helped with communications and traffic control.
•Tennessee's contribution included Airmen from the 228th Combat Communications Squadron and the 118th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and Soldiers from the 117th Military Police Battalion.
The National Guard Bureau participated in Armed Forces Inaugural Committee efforts while coordinating the support provided by the National Guard with federal and state civil authorities. A joint coordination center at the bureau in Crystal City, Va., was staffed around-the-clock through the Inauguration.
The Guard has a long history of supporting presidential Inaugurations. Local militia units marched with George Washington as he proceeded to his first inauguration April 30, 1789, according to Guard historians.