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About 7,800 National Guardsmen were on duty in Washington, D.C., Monday, as part of a large interagency presence to ensure the peaceful transition of power during the 60th Presidential Inauguration.
These Guardsmen were continuing a legacy that began in 1789 when their predecessors escorted George Washington to the first inauguration.
Air Force Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, Army Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines, the SEA to the CNGB, Army Lt. Gen. Jonathan M. Stubbs, the director of the Army Guard and other NGB leaders met with Guardsmen at various locations across the nation’s capital Sunday.
Sporting a special shoulder patch with a Minuteman in the middle and the words, "Always Ready, Always There," stitched across the bottom to make them easily identifiable, the Guardsmen — representing 40 states, territories and the District of Columbia — formed Joint Task Force-District of Columbia, which was led by the commanding general of the District of Columbia's Guard, Army Maj. Gen. John Andonie and JTF commander, Army Brig. Gen. Craig Maceri.
At the request of civil authorities, JTF-DC personnel were staged throughout Washington, supporting the Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police by helping with crowd management, traffic control points, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear response, civil disturbance response and sustainment operations.
The Constitution's 20th Amendment specifies that the term of each elected president of the United States begins at noon on Jan. 20 of the year following their election. Each president must take the oath of office before assuming their duties.
NGB — along with its state and civilian agency partners — spent much of 2024 preparing for the inauguration, which usually occurs outside the Capitol. Officials modified that plan Friday due to the extreme cold, with the ceremony happening inside the Capitol Rotunda instead. There was then a follow-on event at Washington’s Capital One Arena.
Guardsmen began flowing into the National Capital Region last week, where they received assignments to JTF-DC’s subordinate task forces to address diverse operational needs. The subordinate task forces worked closely with federal and local agencies to protect critical infrastructure and maintain seamless coordination. A reserve force was also on standby, offering scalable support to ensure the flexibility to address requests from civil authorities.
Army Lt. Col. Julie Shelley, who was serving as the Task Force Reserve commander for the inauguration, is the 372nd Military Police Battalion commander with the D.C. Army Guard.
"I am fortunate to have great leadership teams from the other states, especially the noncommissioned leaders that are like-minded when it comes to Soldier care and mission focus," Shelley said.
While at one of the several locations used as a staging area for Guardsmen, Nordhaus talked with Pfc. Perry Solinski, a signal operations support specialist with the D.C. Guard’s 74th Troop Command. Solinski worked as a radio telephone operator in the joint task force’s operations center. The inauguration is Solinski’s first time with his unit since he completed the Army’s initial entry training last year.
At 430,000 members strong, the Guard is the primary combat reserve of the Army and the Air Force, focusing on defending the nation, protecting the homeland and building partnerships. Most Guardsmen serve in a part-time capacity, balancing civilian jobs and family responsibilities.
Tech Sgt. Aidan Chance Gipson, a station captain for the 153rd Airlift Wing’s Fire Department in the Wyoming Guard, told Nordhaus and Raines this was his first time in the nation’s capital.
"I think it has been the perfect snapshot of the military: everyone’s skill sets, both professionally and personally, have been used at some point," said Gipson, who is also a civilian firefighter.
— By Master Sgt. Zach Sheely, National Guard Bureau
