News Release

Battle of Bladensburg ceremony sheds new light on D.C. Militiamen
August 24, 2024 — Members of the District of Columbia National Guard in collaboration with Historic Congressional Cemetery participate in a community-wide program and wreath laying ceremony honoring the dozens of D.C. Militia members buried at the cemetery who fought in the Battle of Bladensburg, in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 24, 2024. The ceremony featured remarks from various speakers and recognized the Militiamen who defended the nation’s capital on August 24, 1814... MORE

Members of the District of Columbia National Guard in collaboration with Historic Congressional Cemetery participate in a community-wide program and wreath laying ceremony honoring the dozens of D.C. Militia members buried at the cemetery who fought in the Battle of Bladensburg, in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 24, 2024. The ceremony featured remarks from various speakers and recognized the Militiamen who defended the nation’s capital on August 24, 1814.

National Aviation Week: Military spouses explore relevance and efficiency of Team DCARNG Aviation
August 19, 2024 — Spouses and family members spent the day learning about DCARNG assets which include rotary-wing and fixed-wing operational support airlifts, medical evacuation capabilities, and interagency partnerships. For most of the spouses, this was the first time inside a Black Hawk or Lakota helicopter... MORE

The District of Columbia Army Aviation Command provides spouse orientation flights during family day at Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Va., on August 11, 2024. In addition to a capabilities brief presented by the State Aviation Officer and senior leaders, spouses and family members learned more about DCARNG assets to include rotary-wing and fixed-wing operational support airlifts, medical evacuation capabilities, and interagency partnerships.

The Battle of Bladensburg: D.C. Militia, valor and lessons learned
August 15, 2024 — The Battle of Bladensburg was the first in a series of major engagements between U.S. and British forces during the Chesapeake Campaign of 1814. The result was a decisive victory for Great Britain and an embarrassing defeat for the United States, resulting in the raiding and burning of our nation’s capital. Although the “Bladensburg Races” remains... MORE

The Battle of Bladensburg remains embedded in the DNA of the District of Columbia National Guard. It’s important that we examine and understand our organization’s role during the Battle of Bladensburg because we are defined as much by our victories as by our failures; it is the broad expanse of our historical experiences that make the D.C. National Guard a unique, relevant, and foundational institution of our democracy.

National Night Out Brings D.C. Law Enforcement, National Guard and Community Together
August 8, 2024 — The District of Columbia National Guard Counterdrug Program participated in the Metropolitan Police Department's 41st annual National Night Out celebrations in Southeast Washington, D.C. The community-building campaign occurs the first Tuesday of August each year and is held by law enforcement agencies across the country... MORE

The District of Columbia National Guard Counterdrug Program participated in the Metropolitan Police Department's 41st annual National Night Out celebration in Southeast Washington, D.C., August 6, 2024. The community-building campaign occurs the first Tuesday of August each year and is held by law enforcement agencies across the country.

D.C. National Guard generator mechanic serves as a connector for both mission and people
August 6, 2024 — Generator mechanics are critical to the 104th Maintenance Company’s mission because so because much of the external training and missions conducted by the company runs on generator power. Furthermore, generators must be fully mission capable 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week... MORE

U.S. Army Pfc. James Ray, generator mechanic, and Sgt. Maj. Michael J. Bellamy, Field Maintenance Shop (FMS) 3 supervisor, District of Columbia National Guard, perform an inspection on a generator within the Combined Support Maintenance Shop at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), June 5, 2024. A native of Washington, D.C, Pfc. Ray enlisted in the Army in 2022, motivated by the travel, connections and skills serving in the National Guard provides him.

National Back to School Month: Tuition Assistance 101 and how to apply
August 1, 2024 — The District of Columbia National Guard’s State Tuition Assistance Program (DCTA) offers Guardsmen tuition assistance to any accredited educational degree program anywhere in the United States offering up to $12,500 per fiscal year. The program allows Guardsmen to achieve any degree level, all the way up to a doctoral degree... MORE

The District of Columbia National Guard’s State Tuition Assistance Program (DCTA) offers Guardsmen tuition assistance to any accredited educational degree program anywhere in the United States offering up to $12,500 per fiscal year. To qualify for DCNG TA you must be a current member of the D.C. National Guard and have at least one year of service remaining at the completion of your degree requirement.

D.C. National Guard Counterdrug Program supports MPD’s ‘Beat the Streets/Late Night Hype’ initiative
July 26, 2024 — The District of Columbia National Guard Counterdrug Program partners with the Metropolitan Police Department and DC Department of Parks and Recreation for "Beat the Streets/Late Night Hype" in northwest Washington, D.C. The summer outreach initiative improves community relations and supports the city’s goal toward reducing substance abuse and illicit drug activities across all wards through outreach... MORE

The District of Columbia National Guard Counterdrug Program partners with the Metropolitan Police Department and DC Department of Parks and Recreation for "Beat the Streets/Late Night Hype" in northwest Washington, D.C., July 19, 2024. The summer outreach initiative improves community relations and supports the city’s goal toward reducing substance abuse and illicit drug activities across all wards through outreach.

COMMEX ensures contingent communication centers are in sync
July 21, 2024 — Just as technological advancements remain constant, the District of Columbia National Guard’s G-6 training schedule remains equally constant for both scale and scenarios. Be it the Presidential Inauguration, the State of the Union, a natural disaster or any other high-visibility operation, communication is essential no matter the location... MORE

The District of Columbia National Guard’s G-6 conduct a debrief following a large-scale communications exercise (COMMEX) at the D.C. Armory, April 6, 2024. If skillsets are not tested continually, confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data could be compromised by adversaries.

All-hazards approach: Full-scale weapons of mass destruction exercise tests interoperability when disaster strikes
July 17, 2024 — Weapons of mass destruction exercise bolsters interoperability with emergency response agencies, the Hawaii National Guard, and a half dozen other integrated CST teams and CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Packages (CERFP)... MORE

Members from the 33rd Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Team (WMD-CST) attend a pre-brief during a weapons of mass destruction exercise with civilian agencies, the Hawaii National Guard, and a half dozen other integrated CST teams and CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Packages (CERFP). The exercise poised military and civilian response partners to better integrate capabilities when disaster strikes.

National Guard supports traffic control during NATO 75th Anniversary Summit
July 12, 2024 — Seventy-five years ago, a dozen countries from North America and Europe signed the North Atlantic Treaty to counter the threat to European security posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. On July 9-11, a NATO alliance of 32 nations reconvened in the nation’s capital, commencing their 75th anniversary and discussing collective defense,... MORE

Members of the District of Columbia National Guard and Maryland National Guard block and direct traffic at designated traffic control points in support of the Metropolitan Police Department during the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., July 11, 2024. Interoperability and coordination with federal and local partners support the success of high visibility National Special Security Events (NSSE).