Area Idaho National Guard units head to D.C.

About two dozen soldiers from Lewiston, Moscow, Grangeville and Orofino will join the 300 Idaho National Guard and Air National Guard troops in support of the Washington, D.C., National Guard for Wednesday’s presidential inauguration.

Maj. Robert Taylor, deputy public affairs officer for the Idaho National Guard, said troops gathered in Lewiston on Thursday and were briefed on the mission. Today the soldiers will depart via charter plane to the nation’s capital.

The local soldiers are part of the 116th Cavalry Brigade combat team that includes about 4,000 soldiers from four states, Taylor said.

The Guard troops who will be traveling to D.C. volunteered for the assignment and will not be taking away from National Guard units that are assisting with the COVID-19 vaccination response in local communities, the major said. Guardsmen received notice Wednesday that they would be traveling to the capital.

The local contingent will be part of about 300 soldiers and airmen in Idaho assisting district and federal agencies with the presidential inauguration. The National Guard will serve in support of the U.S. Secret Service, the lead federal agency responsible for coordinating security for the event.

Once there, the Idaho soldiers are expected to remain until after the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris inauguration, probably about two weeks, Taylor said. Since all hotels have been booked in the area, the Washington, D.C., Guard, which serves as the host agency, will make other arrangements for the Idaho soldiers’ accommodations, he added.

According to a news release, the Idaho National Guard had planned for more than a month to send about a dozen personnel to Washington, D.C., in support of the inauguration. The increase in personnel is part of a new request to provide additional Guard support and represents about 6 percent of the Idaho National Guard force.

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