Thousands of Guardsmen Remain in D.C.

More than 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen are expected to remain in the District of Columbia through the end of March, officials said.

More than 25,000 Guardsmen from all 50 states, three territories and D.C. had descended on Washington to provide support for the inauguration of President Joe Biden following deadly riots at the Capitol earlier this month.

The Guard troops have helped conduct security, communication and logistical missions in support of federal and D.C. authorities. Those missions will continue in the weeks ahead in response to “impeachment security concerns,” according to Politico, citing former President Donald Trump’s upcoming Senate impeachment trial.

Guard troops who served in D.C. have been praised for their professionalism amid a hastily organized mission.

Last week, Biden called Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, to express his appreciation for the Guard’s support on such short notice.

“The president expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the Guard and pledged to keep in contact with General Hokanson,” NGB officials said. Hokanson in turn thanked the president for his support.

Biden also shared the message on a call to the 54 adjutants general, which included Maj. Gen. Michael McGuire, the adjutant general of Arizona and chairman of the NGAUS Board of Directors.

And First Lady Jill Biden delivered baskets of chocolate chip cookies to members of the Guard on Friday, thanking the troops for their support and speaking of her late son Beau, a member of the Delaware Army National Guard who died of cancer in 2015.

“I’m a National Guard mom,” she said, according to the Associated Press. “I truly appreciate all that you do. The National Guard will always hold a special place in the heart of all the Bidens.”

The Guard mission in the capital has not been without controversy.

Soldiers and airmen were briefly displaced from a resting area within the Capitol building to a nearby parking garage following the inauguration, but were returned following outcry from members of Congress.

And nearly 200 Guardsmen have tested positive for COVID-19 since deploying to Washington.