LAS VEGAS – Amid revelry and about 330,000 partygoers on the famed Las Vegas Strip about 220 Nevada Army National Guard Soldiers supported law enforcement for the 15th consecutive year during the annual New Year's Eve celebration this weekend.
Soldiers patrolled McCarran International Airport and various locations around the city for the mission known as Operation Night Watch.
"We've seen a lot of families. We've seen a lot of different types of people," said Pfc. Damien Hatton, of the 72nd Military Police Company, Nevada Army National Guard. "Probably the coolest thing I saw today was a little boy come up to take a picture with us as his face lit up with a smile."
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department reported about 20 arrests early morning New Year's Day, mainly for minor incidents such as disorderly conduct. No Guard members were involved in making an arrest.
The 1st Squadron, 221st Cavalry, provided the majority of the Soldiers securing The Strip. Soldiers from the 72nd Military Police Company patrolled the airport. Other units including the 92nd Civil Support Team completed less-visible missions including infrastructure security as the huge street party got started.
The security mission began Friday and lasted through Monday as more than 1 million travelers traveled in and out of the airport this week.
The operation was not conducted because of any specific threat.
"We just want to make sure that both The Strip and McCarran International Airport are as safe as possible," said Lt. James Wesikopf of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Airport Bureau. "Each year we coordinate with the National Guard as well as other agencies along with the fire department. We coordinate all our efforts to make sure we are staffing it appropriately, identifying threats to the counter terrorism center and we work together for the celebration."