News Release - Page 4

D.C. National Guard Hosts Inaugural Law Enforcement Recognition Ceremony
February 27, 2026 — The District of Columbia National Guard hosts its first Law Enforcement Recognition Ceremony to honor officers from partner agencies for their service and contributions to public safety in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission, a law enforcement and military collaboration started in Aug. 2025. Composed of District and federal law enforcement, and the National Guard, the mission holds accountable those who pose a threat to public safety...

Telling the Truth in Plain Sight
February 22, 2026 — WASHINGTON —The first time I heard gunfire in Washington, I was standing in a hotel lobby adjusting to the colder air of my first week in the District...

Presence with Purpose: Guard Leaders Stand with Soldiers to Strengthen the Homeland
February 17, 2026 — WASHINGTON —On Feb. 13, 2026, as cold air moved through the District and commuters filled Metro platforms at the height of the evening rush, two Army National Guard leaders climbed into their SUV for another rotation through Washington’s transit corridors — part of a coordinated effort supporting civil authorities and reinforcing public confidence across the nation’s capital...

National Guard Presence Patrols Support Public Safety in Washington
February 16, 2026 — WASHINGTON— Following a presidential directive issued in March 2025 to help make the District of Columbia safe, orderly and beautiful, Joint Task Force–District of Columbia is translating national policy into sustained, coordinated action across the Nation’s Capital...

Quiet Presence, Measured Impact
February 9, 2026 — WASHINGTON - By late summer 2025, National Guard Soldiers and Airmen moved side by side through the nation’s capital in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission. Along transit corridors, major avenues, and public gathering spaces, joint teams conducted sustained operations to support civil authorities while maintaining the discipline, readiness, and professionalism expected of the Joint Force...

Decisions in Motion: Leadership at Street Level in Washington
February 3, 2026 — WASHINGTON — What fell softly days ago in the morning now resists every step. Snow pressed into sidewalks and medians has hardened into uneven barriers, narrowing walkways and subtly reshaping how the city moves. In Washington, winter rarely stops activity—it refines it...

Finding Common Ground in the Nation’s Capital
February 3, 2026 — WASHINGTON — As evening settles over the city, Ohio National Guard Soldiers fan out across Metro platforms, sidewalks and public spaces where thousands of people pass through every night. Some commuters hurry past, others pause to ask a question or offer a quiet thank you. For the Soldiers supporting the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission, those everyday interactions reflect a steady, visible presence focused on safety, reassurance and public trust across the nation’s capital...

Mic’d Up: Walking the Mission with Task Force Ironman
February 3, 2026 — WASHINGTON — The radio crackles softly as footsteps echo through the Metro corridor at Farragut North. It’s early evening, and commuters stream past turnstiles while trains arrive in steady intervals. At the top of the stairs, National Guard Soldiers stand watch—alert, approachable and already familiar with the rhythm of the station...

Built for the Moment: Task Force Thunder on Patrol in the Nation’s Capital
February 3, 2026 — WASHINGTON — The radio crackles to life as the vehicle eases into traffic, weaving through familiar streets under the glow of streetlights and Metro station entrances. From the passenger seat, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robert Riddle scans sidewalks, stairwells and faces moving past the windshield, narrating his thoughts almost as quickly as the city unfolds around him...

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...