WASHINGTON, D.C. — The District of Columbia National Guard and other supporting agencies ramped up security and emergency response readiness in the nation's capital in support of the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) last Thursday and Friday.
The D.C. National Guard's main role in the NSS mission was to reinforce the security and traffic monitoring capabilities of the local agencies in the District, explained Capt. J. Scott Crawford, commander of the DCNG's 273rd Military Police Company and the operations officer for the NSS mission.
Soldiers and Airmen were assigned to designated traffic control points throughout the city. They were equipped with flashlights, vests and whistles to ensure they would be highly visible to motorists and pedestrians during the mission.
There were no problems during the NSS mission and Crawford attributed the success of the operation, in part, to the training conducted and the preparedness developed during training at drill weekends.
Crawford also recognized the significance in partnering with local agencies during drill weekends, and said that contributed to the D.C. National Guard's readiness during the NSS mission.
The NSS mission presented a perfect opportunity for the DCNG to show how it executes its primary goal, which is to support the District.