Members of the National Guard stand across the street near the Senate office buildings with the U.S. Capitol in the background. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Approximately 500 Wisconsin National Guard troops will mobilize to federal duty to support civil authorities in the national capital region in advance of the presidential inauguration Jan. 20, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced Wednesday, Jan. 13.
Gov. Tony Evers
"We are once again thankful to the Wisconsin National Guard for always stepping up, not only for their friends and neighbors here in Wisconsin but wherever they are needed," said Gov. Evers in a news release. "I'm confident these members of the Guard will assist in any way they can to help maintain peace and security in our nation's capital in the days ahead."
The troops, which include soldiers from various Wisconsin Army National Guard units, as well as airmen from Wisconsin Air National Guard units, will serve in a support role alongside thousands of other National Guard troops from other states mobilized to support security efforts in Washington D.C.The troops will arrive in Washington in the coming days, the release said.
DC National Guard guardsmen stand outside the U.S. Capitol. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
"When our state or nation calls, the citizen-soldiers and airmen of the Wisconsin National Guard are always ready," said Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin’s adjutant general in the governor's release. "Whether we’re serving overseas in a combat zone, responding to the pandemic, assisting at the polls, preserving public safety in our own communities, or helping secure our nation’s capital, our state and nation can count on our Soldiers and Airmen to be there during times of need."
Additional Wisconsin National Guard troops mobilized to support safety and security efforts at the state capitol building in Madison as well.
The governor's release noted the Wisconsin National Guard is simultaneously playing a major role in the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 600 troops on duty to run COVID-19 testing sites across Wisconsin and assist with vaccine inventory management.
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