New York National Guard sends 500 troops to Washington to support presidential inauguration

LATHAM, NY (01/16/2025) (readMedia)-- Five hundred New York National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are deploying to Washington D.C. to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration on January 20.

Soldiers and Airmen began leaving for Washington today, January 16, and are expected to return by January 21 and 22.

The New Yorkers are among several thousand National Guard member who routinely support the District of Columbia National Guard during the event.

The bulk of the personnel will be New York Army National military police Soldiers from units across the state.

Base security force Airmen from the New York Air National Guard's 105th Airlift Wing in Newburg will also be part of the force.

They will be tasked with traffic control and crowd management functions and will be deputized as "special police" for the District of Columbia while on duty.

The New York National Guard will also deploy an Air National Guard food service team from the 105th Airlift Wing, communications specialists, and members of the 24th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team.

The members of the Civil Support Team, which is based at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, are trained to identify and respond to chemical, biological and radiological hazards.

An Army National Guard public affairs team will also be part of the deployment.