An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Feb. 12, 2010

D.C. Guard completes 500 blizzard missions

By From a District of Columbia National Guard news release

WASHINGTON, - Soldiers and airmen of the District of Columbia National Guard continue to help in the wake of back-to-back storms that dumped several feet of snow on the nation's capital.

At times, blizzard conditions were so bad that even plows were advised to get off the roads. Meanwhile, Guard members were delivering police, firefighters, paramedics, doctors and nurses to work.

"We have completed more than 500 missions over the course of these two storms," said Army Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, commanding general of the D.C. National Guard. "We've been operating 12 Humvees stationed at all seven Metro Police precincts throughout the city, fire stations and the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. The missions have been nonstop."

The D.C. Guard's mission included 60 transportation personnel, along with additional soldiers and airmen providing indirect support in the form of logistics, communications, administrative, maintenance and operational support. Guard personnel operated around the clock in 12-hour shifts.

With a possible third storm in the forecast, the D.C. Guard was prepared to continue its mission into next week.

"As long as the district requests our support, we will be there to do our job," Schwartz said. "This is what we do. I'm very proud of our men and women who volunteered to come in and help the district despite the severe conditions, the danger of driving and in lieu of even taking care of their own circumstances."

Guard families always are supportive when their spouses and loved ones are called to duty, the general noted, adding that they deserve just as much credit for supporting this mission.

Despite having two of its major units - the 547th Transportation Company and the 113th Wing - deployed in Iraq, and the 113th Security Forces Squadron deployed to Saudi Arabia, the D.C. Guard has been able to do everything district officials asked of it on the home front, Schwartz said.

 

 

Related Articles
Contractors perform construction on the taxiway widening project at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina, June 4, 2025. The infrastructure upgrade will enable safer ground movement for larger transient aircraft and improve support for joint operations and high-tempo mission activities.
South Carolina Air Guard Widens Taxiway
By Master Sgt. Megan Floyd, | June 5, 2025
McENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. – A critical infrastructure upgrade is underway at McEntire Joint National Guard Base as the South Carolina Air National Guard takes a significant step toward expanding its ability to...

U.S. Air National Guard Airmen, low observable aircraft structural journeymen assigned to 187th Maintenance Group, prepare an F-35A Lightning II during Checkered Flag 25-2 on Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, May 5, 2025. Checkered Flag is a biannual joint force aerial exercise featuring over 60 fourth and fifth-generation fighter jets in large-force combat simulations to enhance joint domain combat airpower.
Alabama Air Guard Participates in Checkered Flag 25-2
By Capt. Michael Luangkhot, | June 5, 2025
DANNELLY FIELD, Ala. – The Alabama Air National Guard’s 187th Fighter Wing participated recently in Checkered Flag 25-2 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.The April 29-May 15 exercise was designed to enhance air-to-air combat...

Alaska Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Berg, a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter pilot, assigned to A Company, 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion, conducts flight operations over Southeast Alaska near Juneau, Jan. 24, 2025. The Juneau-based Black Hawk aircrew conducts their federal mission training requirements and, when available, can respond to emergency requests by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center or the State Emergency Operations Center.
Alaska Army National Guard Conducts Medevac Mission
By Dana Rosso, | June 5, 2025
JUNEAUA, Alaska – A UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter assigned to A Company, 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion, transported a patient from Skagway to Juneau June 3, following a medical evacuation request from the Alaska...