Photo By Staff Sgt. Hector Tinoco | Indiana National Guard soldiers with 113th Engineer Battalion, based in Gary, and assigned to Joint Task Force – District of Columbia, during a departure ceremony in Franklin, Indiana, Dec. 5, 2025. Hoosier Guardsmen on this mission will assist the local and federal law enforcement partners with community safety patrols, traffic control posts and crowd flow support.
INDIANAPOLIS – Approximately 300 Indiana National Guard soldiers arrived in Washington on Saturday to support the “D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission.”
Hoosier Guardsmen will assist local and federal law enforcement partners, and they will conduct community safety patrols and manage traffic control posts to reduce crime, minimize property damage and keep the peace.
Indiana National Guard Lt. Col. Derek Sutton, commander of the D.C. contingent, reiterated that message in his departure ceremony speech in Franklin on Friday.
“In Washington D.C., our mission is simple. We will help create a saver environment for the people who live, work and visit there. We will support civil authorities and stand as a visible reminder that the National Guard is the bridge between everyday Americans and their military,” said Sutton.
Since mid-November, the Hoosier National Guard soldiers trained at Camp Atterbury preparing for their mission which included response, crowd management and de-escalation techniques.
“We are ready, and there is mission-specific training that we need to take on,” said Sutton during the training events.
For the evolving mission, Hoosier Guardsmen will continue training with Joint Task Force – District of Columbia.
“It is about reminding anyone who would do harm that there are trained, disciplined professional soldiers on watch,” said Sutton during his ceremony speech.
The ceremony on Friday at the Johnson County Armory included Indiana National Guard leadership, fellow soldiers and hundreds of family members of the departing soldiers.
“It is clear to us that you are trained and vary capable to conduct this mission,” said Brig. Gen. Cathy Eaken, a 38th Infantry Division commanding general.
