WEBVTT 00:00.009 --> 00:02.065 We are 4 days away from inauguration 00:02.065 --> 00:04.176 Day . Preparations have been underway 00:04.176 --> 00:06.009 to get DC ready for the crowds . 00:06.009 --> 00:07.953 Marcella Robertson spent spent the 00:07.953 --> 00:10.065 morning at the DC Armory talking with 00:10.065 --> 00:12.231 members of the National Guard assigned 00:12.231 --> 00:14.342 to support local law enforcement . We 00:14.342 --> 00:16.565 have primarily 3 basic missions traffic 00:16.565 --> 00:18.787 management . Crowd management and crowd 00:18.787 --> 00:20.898 control if needed . They're upholding 00:20.898 --> 00:22.953 the legacy of their predecessors . A 00:22.953 --> 00:25.065 lot of the folks that are coming from 00:25.065 --> 00:27.287 long distances , they've actually never 00:27.287 --> 00:29.398 been to DC , but to be part of such a 00:29.398 --> 00:31.620 historic event , they're very excited . 00:36.099 --> 00:37.099 Yeah . 00:59.180 --> 01:03.069 The DC National Guard has been Part of 01:03.069 --> 01:05.180 the militia force for the District of 01:05.180 --> 01:08.809 Columbia for 222 years . Part of our 01:08.809 --> 01:12.279 nation's fabric since the beginning of 01:12.279 --> 01:14.720 our republic . And I think it's 01:14.720 --> 01:16.664 important to understand that we've 01:16.664 --> 01:18.720 always been here . We've always been 01:18.720 --> 01:20.831 part of this . And in the preamble of 01:20.831 --> 01:24.459 the Constitution , There's 3 words that 01:24.660 --> 01:27.660 stick out when it comes to why our 01:27.660 --> 01:29.500 guardsmen participating in the 01:29.500 --> 01:32.680 inauguration . 3 words . Ensure 01:32.680 --> 01:36.389 domestic tranquility . That's why we're 01:36.389 --> 01:40.019 here . It's to ensure the safe 01:40.019 --> 01:43.230 and secure transition of power and 01:43.230 --> 01:45.949 peaceful transition of power , which 01:45.949 --> 01:48.199 has been a hallmark of our democracy . 01:48.910 --> 01:51.980 We have over 30 states involved in 01:51.980 --> 01:54.660 sending soldiers and airmen to the 01:54.660 --> 01:56.930 district to participate in presidential 01:56.930 --> 01:59.769 inauguration 60 , and that speaks to 02:00.419 --> 02:02.580 the I think the uniqueness of the 02:02.580 --> 02:05.720 National Guard and the willingness of 02:05.720 --> 02:08.800 our citizen soldiers to serve . It's 02:08.800 --> 02:11.022 important for people to understand that 02:11.022 --> 02:13.300 it's not just about the National Guard . 02:13.300 --> 02:16.279 There's extensive . Coordination that 02:16.279 --> 02:19.110 has to be done with multiple partners 02:19.720 --> 02:21.553 both on the federal side and the 02:21.553 --> 02:23.776 district side . There's a lot of things 02:23.776 --> 02:25.442 that we do that are akin to a 02:25.442 --> 02:28.479 deployment planning aircraft to arrive 02:28.479 --> 02:30.750 at an air base , in this case Base 02:30.750 --> 02:33.960 Andrews , to receive aircraft loads of 02:33.960 --> 02:37.410 airmen and soldiers that we process 02:37.410 --> 02:40.059 through a reception just like we would 02:40.059 --> 02:43.970 when we were on deployment . Move 02:43.970 --> 02:46.130 them onward to places where they're 02:46.130 --> 02:49.240 lodged and sustained . And then they 02:49.240 --> 02:51.351 conduct operations right in this case 02:51.351 --> 02:53.539 security operations . This is what 02:53.539 --> 02:55.872 makes our nation a little bit different , 02:55.872 --> 02:57.872 this peaceful transition of power . 02:57.872 --> 03:00.095 We're here as guardsmen to help support 03:00.095 --> 03:02.261 law enforcement and support activities 03:02.261 --> 03:04.428 and just make sure that we're a little 03:04.428 --> 03:06.428 bit safer and that things are going 03:06.428 --> 03:08.706 well . Our motto is always ready . Now , 03:08.706 --> 03:10.872 I appreciate what you do . Please tell 03:10.872 --> 03:13.095 your families , thank you . Uh , when I 03:13.095 --> 03:15.317 left the house this morning , my wife , 03:15.317 --> 03:17.428 Shannon said , you make sure you tell 03:17.428 --> 03:19.539 those soldiers and airmen that I said 03:19.539 --> 03:19.354 that , uh , we care about them , but we 03:19.354 --> 03:21.410 also care about their families cause 03:21.410 --> 03:22.755 you families make it happen for us .