News Release - Page 2

DC Safe and Beautiful builds leaders, strengthens readiness and shapes the force
February 3, 2026 — WASHINGTON —For the District of Columbia National Guard, the DC Safe and Beautiful mission has become more than a community support operation. It provides a practical means to strengthen the force while supporting the Nation’s Capital—advancing leader development, reinforcing readiness and helping prepare the organization to address evolving operational demands under priorities emphasized by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard II, commanding general (interim) of the District of Columbia National Guard... MORE

Interagency by Design: Unity of Effort Powers the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission
February 3, 2026 — WASHINGTON — As the evening rush hour began and the glow of sunset filtered into the echoing corridor of a Metro station, Spc. Lily Castro paused near a column, watching commuters stream toward the platforms. The rumble of arriving trains and the rhythm of footsteps filled the station. Down the corridor, a small group of Metropolitan Police officers adjusted their positions, preparing to move into another section of the station as daylight faded... MORE

Spc. Lily Castro, an Alabama National Guard Soldier assigned to Joint Task Force–District of Columbia, pauses in a Metro station in Washington, Jan. 9, 2026. Castro supports the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission, operating alongside local and federal law enforcement partners to promote coordination, public safety and confidence across the National Capital Region.
(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. William Blankenship)

Citizens in Uniform: Diverse Experience Fuels National Guard Mission in the Nation’s Capital
February 3, 2026 — WASHINGTON — The National Guard is often described as a force of citizen-Soldiers and Airmen, a distinction that reflects more than part-time service. Across Washington, D.C., that identity is on full display as Guardsmen from multiple states bring their civilian skills, professional experience and diverse backgrounds together in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission—reinforcing public safety while supporting civil authorities in the Nation’s Capital... MORE

Statement from D.C. National Guard regarding potential government shutdown
February 3, 2026 — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Statement from D.C. National Guard regarding potential government shutdown WASHINGTON — District of Columbia National Guard and Joint Task Force - District of Columbia leadership is aware of the potential lapse in appropriations that can result in the event of a government shutdown when the current Continuing Resolution (CR) expires on January 30, 2026. National Guard members supporting JTF-DC will continue to execute their current mission, and our commitment to the welfare and safety of District residents and visitors is resolute... MORE

Steady in the Storm: Guardsmen Support D.C. Through Winter Weather
February 1, 2026 — WASHINGTON— Snow fell steadily as a military Humvee eased through Washington’s streets, tires crunching over packed ice while traffic lights reflected off slush-covered pavement. Inside the vehicle, Col. Larry Doane, commander of Joint Task Force–District of Columbia, scanned a digital map, tracking patrols spread across the city as a winter storm tightened its grip... MORE

Service members assigned to the National Guard move throughout Washington, D.C. to assist residents during a winter storm, Jan. 25, 2026, in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission. Snow and icy conditions impacted travel across the District, prompting National Guard personnel to provide assistance to people in need while maintaining a visible presence in affected neighborhoods. As part of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission, approximately 2,500 National Guard members support local and federal partners to help maintain public safety and community resilience throughout the nation’s capital. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. William Blankenship)

Brig. Gen. Blanchard Visits Soldiers in Patrolling in DC
February 1, 2026 — WASHINGTON — Tires crunch over frozen pavement as a military vehicle moves steadily through the streets of the nation’s capital. Snow clings to curbs and medians, packed into uneven ridges by plows that worked through the night. At a red light, a pedestrian slips briefly on ice before regaining balance. Nearby Guardsmen subtly adjust their posture and close distance—not to intervene, but to be ready... MORE

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard II, interim commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard, visits Soldiers patrolling metro stations in Washington, D.C., Jan. 29, 2026. Approximately 2,600 National Guard members support the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission by assisting the Metropolitan Police Department to help ensure the safety of residents, commuters and visitors throughout the District. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Paris Hayes)

Georgia Guard Members Support Anacostia Area
February 1, 2026 — WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Washington, D.C., continues recovery efforts following Winter Storm Fern, which brought heavy snow and disruptions across the region, National Guard members assigned to Joint Task Force–District of Columbia continue presence patrols throughout the District. Working alongside the Metropolitan Police Department, Metro Transit Police, and other local and federal partners, Guard members support the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission by reinforcing public safety and maintaining a visible, reassuring presence across the city. The mission, initiated in August 2025 under Executive Order 14333, Declaring a Crime Emergency in the District of Columbia, builds on Executive Order 14252, Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful, issued March 27, 2025... MORE

U.S. Army Capt. Jonathon Davis and U.S. Army Spc. Drew Pathammavong, assigned to the Georgia National Guard, conduct a presence patrol in the Anacostia neighborhood during the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission in Washington, D.C., Jan. 26, 2026. The team assumed responsibility for the area following the transition of Florida National Guard forces supporting the mission. About 2,500 National Guard members support the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission, assisting the Metropolitan Police Department in maintaining public safety for residents, commuters and visitors throughout the District. (U.S. Air National Guard video by Tech. Sgt. Renee Crugnale)

Command Presence on the Streets of Washington
February 1, 2026 — WASHINGTON — Snow-crete hugged the curb and crowded sidewalk edges, remnants of an earlier winter storm hardened into rutted obstacles by time and traffic. What had once been clean, white powder now pressed into uneven slabs that narrowed walkways and cluttered medians, a quiet reminder that conditions on the ground rarely stay pristine for long. ... MORE

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Robert W. Gibson Sr., command chief warrant officer of the District of Columbia National Guard, observes Soldiers during a nighttime presence patrol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 30, 2026, in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission. Senior leaders conducted ground-level engagement to assess operations and ensure effective coordination with local and federal partners. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. William Blankenship)

Amtrak Police, National Guard Support Public Safety Operations at Union Station
January 20, 2026 — A coordinated response between the Amtrak Police Department and National Guard members supporting the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission led to the swift identification of a shoplifting suspect at Union Station on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, 2025. The incident began when Amtrak Police received a report of a shoplifting in progress at a Walgreens located in the station’s food court. Store employees reported that an individual wearing a red hoodie and gray jacket had taken merchandise and fled toward the Metro gates... MORE

Mic'd Up with Lt. Col. Nowlin
January 15, 2026 — U.S. Army Lt. Col. Matthew Nowlin, a Guardsman supporting Joint Task Force–District of Columbia, goes mic’d up while visiting Soldiers and Airmen serving across the District, Jan. 9, 2026. The D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission supports public safety through a visible presence, disciplined coordination, and close partnership with local and federal agencies to help ensure the nation’s capital remains safe and secure for residents, commuters and visitors. (U.S. Air National Guard video by Master Sgt. William Blankenship)... MORE