News Release - Tag DCSafe

Never Forgotten: D.C. National Guard Remembers September 11
September 9, 2026 — Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard II, Commanding General (Interim) of the District of Columbia National Guard, delivers a command message from the D.C. Armory marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He honors the nearly 3,000 lives lost in New York, at the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93, and reflects on the extraordinary courage of the first responders, service members and civilians who answered the call that day. ...

In the Trenches: Chaplain Edward Lartey’s Life of Service Earns Distinguished Honor
August 28, 2026 — For more than two decades, Chaplain (Maj.) Edward Lartey has built his ministry around one principle: being present when Soldiers and families face their most difficult moments. From combat in Iraq and civil unrest in Washington to hospital rooms where service members took their final breaths, Lartey has sought to be a “chaplain in the trenches,” providing spiritual, emotional and practical support wherever it is needed. His commitment to service earned him the Military Chaplains Association Distinguished Service Award, an honor recognizing excellence in ministry, resilience and operational support. For Lartey, however, the award is not a culmination, but an affirmation of a lifelong calling: “I’ve been called all my life to serve. Since there’s more serving to do, it goes in with my calling and my mission from God.”...

The Capital’s Defenders: 212 Years After Bladensburg, Honoring the Citizen-Soldiers Who Answered the Call
August 24, 2026 — As America celebrates 250 years of independence, the District of Columbia National Guard and Historic Congressional Cemetery gathered Aug. 23 to look back 212 years—to a moment when ordinary citizens answered an extraordinary call and stood in defense of the young nation’s capital during the Battle of Bladensburg...

National Guardsmen Assist in Locating Missing Child
August 16, 2026 — National Guardsmen patrolling near LeDroit Park were approached by a concerned citizen reporting that their 14-year-old daughter was missing...

Year One: Make DC Safe and Beautiful Mission
August 11, 2026 — For 365 days, Soldiers and Airmen from 30 states, territories, and the District of Columbia have answered the call to serve in the nation’s capital as part of Joint Task Force–District of Columbia. But the story of the Make DC Safe and Beautiful mission is more than a timeline of events or a collection of statistics. It is the story of the people...

Georgia National Guardsmen assist the Metro Transit Police Department, locating and detaining vandalism suspect
July 31, 2026 — U.S. Soldiers with the Georgia National Guard, assigned to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia (JTF-DC) in support of the DC Safe and Beautiful mission, assisted Metro Transit Police officers with locating and detaining a suspect at the Stadium Armory Metro Station in Washington...

West Virginia Guardsmen support first responders after Washington shooting
July 30, 2026 — A routine shift change became an emergency response July 29 when a civilian notified West Virginia National Guard Soldiers that two people had been shot near N Street and Fifth Street NW in the Shaw neighborhood. ...

Training Meets Purpose: Arkansas National Guard Soldiers Respond to Civilian Medical Emergency
July 30, 2026 — A presence patrol through the Columbia Metro took an unexpected turn when Soldiers with the Arkansas National Guard responded to a civilian experiencing a medical emergency...

Service Takes the Microphone: Maj. Karen Fraley-Deegan's Mission in Music
July 29, 2026 — Music can inspire, unite, and tell the story of a nation. For U.S. Air Force Maj. Karen Fraley-Deegan, every performance of The Star-Spangled Banner is another act of service—honoring those who have served, those who continue to serve, and the freedoms they protect. From military ceremonies to center court at a Washington Mystics game, this Capital Guardian proves that leadership isn't just heard through commands—sometimes, it's heard through song...

Army technology chief reviews JTF-DC systems ahead of future events
July 26, 2026 — The Army’s chief technology officer, Alex Miller, visited Joint Task Force-District of Columbia (JTF-DC) on July 26 to assess the systems supporting the Make DC Safe and Beautiful mission and identify improvements ahead of large-scale events, including the Freedom 250 Grand Prix...