Indiana National Guard Troops Arrive in D.C. for Safety Mission
WASHINGTON, D.C. — About 300 members of the Indiana National Guard arrived in the nation’s capital on Saturday to help with the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission.
The Indiana National Guard said the soldiers will assist local and federal enforcement partners in community safety patrols and traffic control. The mission is aimed at reducing crime, property damage, and maintaining peace in the city.
Hoosier Guardsmen with the 113th Engineer Battalion, based in Gary, were preparing for the mission since mid-November by going through mission-specific training at Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh. Lt. Col. Derek Sutton, 113th Engineer Battalion Commander, said they’re ready for this “presence-patrol mission.”
“We’ll be around Washington, D.C., patrolling the streets, helping the citizens feel safe in their hometown and tourists in the National Capital Region,” Lt. Col. Sutton said in a video posted by the Indiana National Guard.
Lt. Col. Sutton also spoke during a departure ceremony on Friday at the Johnson County Armory in Franklin.
“We will help create a saver environment for the people who live, work and visit there,” Sutton said. “We will support civil authorities and stand as a visible reminder that the National Guard is the bridge between everyday Americans and their military.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun authorized the deployment of Hoosier soldiers last month at the request of the D.C. National Guard and President Donald Trump.
Most of the other soldiers deployed to D.C. come from units in Bloomington. They will continue their training in D.C. with Joint Task Force – District of Columbia.
“We have soldiers that have come from law enforcement backgrounds and other criminal justice fields, along with all the other jobs that citizen Guardsmen do,” Sutton added.
The Indiana National Guard’s deployment is expected to last up to four months.
