WEBVTT

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on may 3rd 18 02 Washington D . C . Was

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incorporated as our Nation's capital

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city . On the same day the District of

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Columbia National Guard was born .

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Originally founded as the DC militia .

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Its central purpose was to defend the

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federal government , the nation's

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capital and its people from foreign and

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domestic threats . Following the

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establishment of the city itself and

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the establishment of the D . C .

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National Guard itself militia in

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october about six months later , it was

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the very first opportunity that the

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National Guard had to assemble for the

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very first time . On october 30th , the

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DC militia held their first formation

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and drill likely near present day walt

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Whitman Park Today the District of

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Columbia National Guard commemorates

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the 220th anniversary of the first

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muster and they honor the dedication

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and sacrifice of their forebears .

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First and foremost is it was 220 years

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ago . That is not insignificant . Most

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of us don't have institutions in the

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United States that date back that far .

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And also just remembering that our

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country was quite young at that time

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and we were still forming these really

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basic organizations . So really as a

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national guardsman even to today those

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drills weekends , those unit assemblies

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are really where we have our

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opportunity as people dedicated to

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serving this country and its community

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as we come together meet one another

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and then share that sense of community

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and pride and service . Those first

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musters are really something that

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everyone should recognize and

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appreciate as significant dates in our

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history , the history of the D . C .

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National Guard and its service members

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survives in the lineage , honors and

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heraldry of its units , like the 372nd

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Military Police battalion Attached to

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its organizational colors are streamers

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that represent every campaign in which

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it served dating all the way back to

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the war of 1812 . Those honors

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demonstrate that the story of the D . C .

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National Guard is indelibly tied to the

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history of the nation , its capital

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city and its communities . Members of

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the District of Columbia National Guard

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are part of the community and what it

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means to me is members of the community

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volunteering to be something to be a

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part of something greater than

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themselves being a part of the DC

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militia , part of the D . C . National

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Guard working regular jobs being

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regular americans but coming together

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for a common cause to protect the

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capital and defend the nation . And

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we've been doing so since 18 02 . The

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first mustard . The service members of

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the D . C . National Guard are bound

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together by that cause and by their

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shared history on this day , the 220th

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anniversary of the first muster , the D .

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C . National Guard commemorates and

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honors not only its service members but

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also the families and communities who

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have supported them since 18 02