The Idaho National Guard helps with security during the inauguration, returns home Sunday

The Idaho National Guard helps with security during the inauguration, returns home Sunday

The Idaho National Guard was tasked with protecting the U.S. Capitol during the presidential inauguration in Washington D.C.

THANKS FORJOINING USTONIGHT... I'MSTEPHANIE GARIBAY.THE IDAHO NATIONALGUARD HELPEDSECURE THE U.S.CAPITOL DURING THE46TH PRESIDENTIALINAUGURATION INWASHINGTON D-C...AND THEY'RE BACKHOME.MILITARY REPORTERSTEVE DENT TALKEDWITH ONE CHAPLAINAND FOUND OUTMORE ABOUT THEMISSION AND THEIDAHO NATIONALGUARD'S PART INTHIS HISTORICEVENT.THE IDAHO NATIONALGUARD DREW THEIMPORTANT TASK OFSECURING THENORTH AND WESTFENCE LINE OF THEU.S. CAPITOLBUILDING COVERINGABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE."IT HAS BEEN VERYPEACEFUL WEHAVEN'T SEEN ANYMAJOR ISSUES ATALL I'VE SEEN A FEWPROTESTORS HEREAND THERE BUTTHEY WERE QUITEPLEASANT NOTHINGHARSH."CHAPLAIN MORRISTOLD US FOR MANYMEMBERS OF THEIDAHO NATIONALGUARD THIS MARKEDTHEIR FIRSTEXPERIENCE IN OURNATION'S CAPITAL"I HAD ACONVERSATION WITHONE YOUNG SOLDIERWHO TOLD ME SIR ICAN'T BELIEVE I'MSTANDING HERE INTHE NATION'SCAPITAL WITH LIVEROUNDS."IT'S IMPORTANT TOREMEMBER THEIDAHO NATIONALGUARD CONSISTS OFCITIZEN SOLDIERSTHEY LIVE IN OURCOMMUNITIES.THEY VOTE AND HAVETHEIR OWN IDEALSBUT ONCE THEY PUTON THOSE BOOTS."WE ARE GOINGOVER THERE TOPROTECT PUBLICAND PRIVATEPROPERTY."THEY FLIPPED THESWITCH AND SERVEDWITHPROFESSIONALISM."NOT ONE SOLDIERTHAT I EVER TALKEDTO EVER MENTIONEDANYTHING ABOUTPOLITICS OR THEIRPOLITICALALIGNMENT THEYMADE IT CLEAR THEYARE THERE TODEFEND THECONSTITUTION OFTHE UNITED STATESWHICH THEY SWOREAN ALLEGIANCE TO."CHAPLAIN MORRISTOLD US IT WASSURREAL TO SEE AMILITARY OPERATIONOF THIS MAGNITUDEON AMERICAN SOILAND HE HEARD THESAME STORY FROMTHE MEN ANDWOMEN WHOGUARDED SOME OFOUR NATION'S MOSTHISTORIC BUILDINGS."AND HE SAID MANCHAPLIN HOW OFTENDO YOU GET TOGUARD SOMETHINGTHAT AMAZING ITHINK MANY OFTHEM WERE JUSTTAKEN BACK BY THEMAGNITUDE OFPROTECTING OURNATION'S CAPITALTHAT IS A PRETTYPRESTIGIOUSHONORABLE TASKFOR A SOLDIER.THE IDAHO NATIONALGUARD MEMBERSWERE ABLE TO STAYIN A HOTEL AND THEYALSO ENJOYEDMEETING OTHERGUARD MEMBERSFROM AROUND THECOUNTRY WHILEFAITHFULLYREPRESENTINGIDAHO."LET THE RESIDENTSOF IDAHO OURFELLOW IDAHOANSKNOW THAT WEAPPRECIATE THEIRSUPPORT."STEVE DENT IDAHONEWS SIX.GOVERNOR BRADLITTLE GREETED THENATIONAL GUARD ASTHEY GOT OFF THEAIRPLANE TODAY.HE THANKED THEMFOR THEIR SERVICEAND FORREPRESENTINGIDAHO WELL.THERE WERE OVERTWENTY-FIVETHOUSAND NATIONALGUARD MEMBERSFROM ALL OVER THECOUNTRY... AND 300FROM IDAHO AT THECAPITOL TO ENSURETHE PEACEFULTRANSITION OFPOWER... AND"PEACEFUL" ISEXACTLY HOW THEYDESCRIBED THEIRTIME IN D-C."BECAUSE ONE OFOUR FIRSTSERGEANTS,SEARGENTPROCTNOW GOT TOKNOW THESERGEANT IN ARMSFOR THE SENATEAND WAS ABLE TOARRANGE SOMEBEHIND THE SCENESTOUR OF THECAPITOL, WITH SOMEPEOPLE WHO WORKTHEIR FULL TIME ANDWE WERE ABLE TORE-ENLIST 6 IDAHOSOLDIERS ANDPROMOTE ANAIRMEN YESTERDAYIN THE ROTUNDAWHICH WAS PRETTYFANTASTIC."LIEUTENANTCOLONEL ARNETTSAYS HE'S THANKFULTHE INAUGURATIONWAS PEACEFUL...AND THAT EVERYONEWAS SAFE.