Army Spc. Blake Jalbert-Sullivan administers the COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination station in Lebanon, N.H., Jan. 5, 2021. The site is one of 13 vaccination sites across the state managed by the National Guard.
Thursday, January 07, 2021
Colorful Cockpit
Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker pilots conduct a mission during Operation Octave Quartz over Africa, Jan. 1, 2021.
Watch Duty
Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jasmine Booker stands watch in an auxiliary machinery room aboard the USS John S. McCain in the South China Sea, Jan. 5, 2021.
Wing Oath
Navy Capt. Lissette Loughlin administers the oath of reenlistment to Staff Sgt. Logan Holbrook during a ceremony an Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft in Greece, Jan. 4, 2021.
Defense Officials Detail National Guard Response to Capitol Attack
Jan. 7, 2021 | , DOD News
Once the reality of the assault on the U.S. Capitol became apparent, National Guard troops responded appropriately and with alacrity, DOD officials said in a phone briefing today.
"Yesterday was a horrible and shameful day here in the capital, and the nation at large," Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said on the call. "The District of Columbia asked the Army for help, and our National Guard responded."
McCarthy, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman and Kenneth P. Rapuano, the assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense, put the timeline of the National Guard response in perspective during the call.
D.C. officials knew of the planned protests and had requested some assistance to help when the "first amendment demonstrations" were planned for January 5 and 6, McCarthy said. Based on this request, officials called up 340 National Guardsmen to help in the peaceful protests. The guardsmen were assigned mainly to traffic control, Metro crowd control, some logistics support and a 40-member quick reaction force to be based at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
"No other requests were made," the Army secretary said.
In the midst of this tragedy, I was proud of the professionalism
of our Department of Defense personnel. I want to specifically
recognize the service of the District of Columbia National Guard.
Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller
But the peaceful protests turned into a mob rioting through the halls, chambers and offices of the U.S. Capitol. At around 2 p.m., requests came from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser for more assistance. Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller immediately called up 1,100 members of the D.C. National Guard.
At the same time, officials were collecting guardsmen at traffic points and Metro stations and returning them to the D.C. Armory to refit for a crowd control mission, the secretary said. They were tasked to support D.C. Metropolitan Police and Capitol Hill Police.
Guardsmen started flowing into the area of the Capitol soon after and reinforced Metro Police on the perimeter of the Capitol. This allowed the police and FBI personnel to clear the chambers and offices of the U.S. Capitol, McCarthy said. "By 7:15, both chambers and leadership offices were cleared, and members were able to return to business, and we began the planning for the following day," he said.
At 6 p.m., acting Defense Secretary Miller authorized the mobilization of up to 6,200 National Guardsmen from Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. These service members will flow into the city over the next few days and will help secure the peaceful transfer of power to President-elect Joseph Biden on January 20.
"Yesterday's violence at the Capitol was reprehensible and contrary to the tenets of the United States Constitution," Miller said in a written release from the Pentagon. "In the midst of this tragedy, I was proud of the professionalism of our Department of Defense personnel. I want to specifically recognize the service of the District of Columbia National Guard. They performed with honor, integrity and alacrity to protect people and property from unlawful acts."
I strongly condemn these acts of violence against our democracy.
I, and the people I lead in the Department of Defense, continue to
perform our duties in accordance with our oath of office ..."
Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller
The DOD is in support of the Justice Department, which is the lead federal agency in this situation. They relied on estimates of the Metropolitan Police and Capitol Hill Police. Those organizations, which had experience with pro-Trump groups in November and December, believed the request they made for personnel was adequate. "We don't do domestic [intelligence] collection," Pentagon spokesman Hoffman said. "We rely on Capitol Police and federal law enforcement to provide an assessment of the situation. And based on that assessment that they had, they believed they had sufficient personnel and did not make a request."
Estimates of the crowd size were all over the map, Rapuano said.
Today, there are 741 National Guardsmen on the Capitol grounds. Guardsmen are also manning traffic checkpoints. They have also put up a non-scalable fence around the Capitol grounds. More guardsmen will arrive in the days ahead.
"Our Republic may have been disrupted yesterday, but the resolve of our legislators to conduct the people's business did not waver," Miller wrote. "Due to their efforts, supported by local and federal law enforcement and the National Guard, the attempts of those who tried to stop our government from functioning failed. I strongly condemn these acts of violence against our democracy. I, and the people I lead in the Department of Defense, continue to perform our duties in accordance with our oath of office, and will execute the time-honored peaceful transition of power to President-elect Biden on January 20."
Propeller Inspection
Sailors inspect a propeller on an E-2C Hawkeye on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt during operations in the Pacific Ocean, Jan. 5, 2021.
New Hope
Hawaii National Guard members prepare to administer COVID-19 vaccines on a C-17 aircraft during Operation New Hope in Hilo, Hawaii, Jan. 5, 2021.
Live Fire
The guided missile destroyer USS Sterett fires a Mark 45 5-inch gun during a live-fire exercise in the Indian Ocean, Dec. 30, 2020.
Helicopter Hoister
Army National Guardsman Sgt. Thomas Foose helps evacuees into a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during a dynamic hoist lift exercise at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, Jan. 2, 2021.
Vaccine Volunteer
Air Force Capt. Dustin McKenna receives the COVID-19 vaccine at a National Guard base in Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 5, 2021.
Veteran Vaccination
Wire Work
Army Spcs. Timothy Martin, left, and Shane Flores, middle, and Cpl. Dario Martinez prepare for a detonation during training in Boise, Idaho, Nov. 18, 2020.
General Officer Announcements
Jan. 7, 2021
Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller announced today that the president has made the following nominations:
Air Force Col. Terrence A. Adams for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Adams is currently serving as the chief, Strategic Assessments Division, Deputy Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Cyber Effects Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Air Force Col. Curtis R. Bass for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Bass is currently serving as the senior executive officer to the chief of staff of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Cleaning Crew
Sailors assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan conduct maintenance and preservation on the ship's exterior in Portsmouth, Va., Dec. 28, 2020.
Spangdahlem Air Base Distributes First COVID-19 Vaccine
Jan. 7, 2021 |
Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, conducted its first inoculations of first responders and health care workers with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, Jan. 4, 2021.
The arrival of the vaccine paves the way for a phased vaccine distribution plan to protect our military communities overseas against COVID-19.
"This is an important turning point towards normalcy," Air Force Col. David Epperson, 52nd Fighter Wing commander, said. "It does not eliminate the need to continue with public health measures that we have had instituted for COVID-19, such as wearing a mask, social distancing, practicing good hygiene and restricting movement, but it is something that will aid us. We need to use every available tool in order to fight this pandemic."
Vaccinations will be distributed using a phased approach determined by the Defense Department. Each phase of the vaccine distribution process is designed to safely protect Defense Department personnel from COVID-19 as quickly as possible.
"Vaccines are a simple, safe and effective way to protect people from diseases before they get infected," Air Force Lt. Col. Marc Boggy, 52nd Medical Group chief of medical staff, said. "They use our body's natural defenses to build immunity against a specific thing so that we don't have to suffer through the disease to fight it off."
"We recognize that this is not your typical vaccine," Boggy continued. "So we're taking steps in the medical group to make sure that we are providing the necessary information so that all Sabers can feel comfortable with taking the vaccine."
Under the Food and Drug Administration emergency use approval, the vaccine is voluntary but recommended by the military.
"The FDA only authorizes the use of a COVID-19 vaccine after careful and rigorous testing and trials," Army Brig. Gen. Mark Thompson, Regional Health Command Europe commanding general, said. "We are excited to be playing a role in providing a very safe and effective vaccine to our military community. This vaccine is a vital part of our way forward to protect our people, their families and the communities where we live and work."
All DOD personnel will continue to wear appropriate masks, practice physical distancing, wash hands, follow restrictions of movement and adhere to host nation restrictions for the safety of their communities, as a large portion of the population will need to be vaccinated before COVID-19 risks diminish.
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