Nebraska National Guard Deploying 200 Troops to Washington D.C.

Governor Jim Pillen announced Thursday morning that 200 Nebraska National Guard soldiers will be deployed to Washington D.C. at the end of February. “Making sure our Nation’s Capital is free of violence, free of crime, free of drugs and free of predatory behavior,” Pillen says. “I think it’s really awesome that we will have Nebraskans answering the call.”

Nebraska National Guard Adjutant General Craig Strong says the troops will be there for 90-120 days and he expects the primary mission will be keeping national monuments safe and secure and conducting safety patrols.

“They will have the training, they will have the equipment, this is an armed mission,” Strong says. “They will have a sidearm and body armor.” In August, President Trump called for National Guard soldiers from several states to respond to help keep the peace and reduce crime and they will remain in D.C. until the end of the year.

Strong says Nebraska’s troops will work in groups of four during the country’s 250th anniversary celebration. Pillen says the mission won’t cost Nebraska taxpayers anything, because it’s a federally funded project.