1 00:00:00,009 --> 00:00:02,065 We are 4 days away from inauguration 2 00:00:02,065 --> 00:00:04,176 Day . Preparations have been underway 3 00:00:04,176 --> 00:00:06,009 to get DC ready for the crowds . 4 00:00:06,009 --> 00:00:07,953 Marcella Robertson spent spent the 5 00:00:07,953 --> 00:00:10,065 morning at the DC Armory talking with 6 00:00:10,065 --> 00:00:12,231 members of the National Guard assigned 7 00:00:12,231 --> 00:00:14,342 to support local law enforcement . We 8 00:00:14,342 --> 00:00:16,565 have primarily 3 basic missions traffic 9 00:00:16,565 --> 00:00:18,787 management . Crowd management and crowd 10 00:00:18,787 --> 00:00:20,898 control if needed . They're upholding 11 00:00:20,898 --> 00:00:22,953 the legacy of their predecessors . A 12 00:00:22,953 --> 00:00:25,065 lot of the folks that are coming from 13 00:00:25,065 --> 00:00:27,287 long distances , they've actually never 14 00:00:27,287 --> 00:00:29,398 been to DC , but to be part of such a 15 00:00:29,398 --> 00:00:31,620 historic event , they're very excited . 16 00:00:36,099 --> 00:00:37,099 Yeah . 17 00:00:59,180 --> 00:01:03,069 The DC National Guard has been Part of 18 00:01:03,069 --> 00:01:05,180 the militia force for the District of 19 00:01:05,180 --> 00:01:08,809 Columbia for 222 years . Part of our 20 00:01:08,809 --> 00:01:12,279 nation's fabric since the beginning of 21 00:01:12,279 --> 00:01:14,720 our republic . And I think it's 22 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:16,664 important to understand that we've 23 00:01:16,664 --> 00:01:18,720 always been here . We've always been 24 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:20,831 part of this . And in the preamble of 25 00:01:20,831 --> 00:01:24,459 the Constitution , There's 3 words that 26 00:01:24,660 --> 00:01:27,660 stick out when it comes to why our 27 00:01:27,660 --> 00:01:29,500 guardsmen participating in the 28 00:01:29,500 --> 00:01:32,680 inauguration . 3 words . Ensure 29 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,389 domestic tranquility . That's why we're 30 00:01:36,389 --> 00:01:40,019 here . It's to ensure the safe 31 00:01:40,019 --> 00:01:43,230 and secure transition of power and 32 00:01:43,230 --> 00:01:45,949 peaceful transition of power , which 33 00:01:45,949 --> 00:01:48,199 has been a hallmark of our democracy . 34 00:01:48,910 --> 00:01:51,980 We have over 30 states involved in 35 00:01:51,980 --> 00:01:54,660 sending soldiers and airmen to the 36 00:01:54,660 --> 00:01:56,930 district to participate in presidential 37 00:01:56,930 --> 00:01:59,769 inauguration 60 , and that speaks to 38 00:02:00,419 --> 00:02:02,580 the I think the uniqueness of the 39 00:02:02,580 --> 00:02:05,720 National Guard and the willingness of 40 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:08,800 our citizen soldiers to serve . It's 41 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,022 important for people to understand that 42 00:02:11,022 --> 00:02:13,300 it's not just about the National Guard . 43 00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:16,279 There's extensive . Coordination that 44 00:02:16,279 --> 00:02:19,110 has to be done with multiple partners 45 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:21,553 both on the federal side and the 46 00:02:21,553 --> 00:02:23,776 district side . There's a lot of things 47 00:02:23,776 --> 00:02:25,442 that we do that are akin to a 48 00:02:25,442 --> 00:02:28,479 deployment planning aircraft to arrive 49 00:02:28,479 --> 00:02:30,750 at an air base , in this case Base 50 00:02:30,750 --> 00:02:33,960 Andrews , to receive aircraft loads of 51 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,410 airmen and soldiers that we process 52 00:02:37,410 --> 00:02:40,059 through a reception just like we would 53 00:02:40,059 --> 00:02:43,970 when we were on deployment . Move 54 00:02:43,970 --> 00:02:46,130 them onward to places where they're 55 00:02:46,130 --> 00:02:49,240 lodged and sustained . And then they 56 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,351 conduct operations right in this case 57 00:02:51,351 --> 00:02:53,539 security operations . This is what 58 00:02:53,539 --> 00:02:55,872 makes our nation a little bit different , 59 00:02:55,872 --> 00:02:57,872 this peaceful transition of power . 60 00:02:57,872 --> 00:03:00,095 We're here as guardsmen to help support 61 00:03:00,095 --> 00:03:02,261 law enforcement and support activities 62 00:03:02,261 --> 00:03:04,428 and just make sure that we're a little 63 00:03:04,428 --> 00:03:06,428 bit safer and that things are going 64 00:03:06,428 --> 00:03:08,706 well . Our motto is always ready . Now , 65 00:03:08,706 --> 00:03:10,872 I appreciate what you do . Please tell 66 00:03:10,872 --> 00:03:13,095 your families , thank you . Uh , when I 67 00:03:13,095 --> 00:03:15,317 left the house this morning , my wife , 68 00:03:15,317 --> 00:03:17,428 Shannon said , you make sure you tell 69 00:03:17,428 --> 00:03:19,539 those soldiers and airmen that I said 70 00:03:19,539 --> 00:03:19,354 that , uh , we care about them , but we 71 00:03:19,354 --> 00:03:21,410 also care about their families cause 72 00:03:21,410 --> 00:03:22,755 you families make it happen for us .