WASHINGTON, D.C. (KMTV) — It has been a busy week for the Nebraska National Guard in Washington D.C.
Originally, officials asked for 30 guard members. In the end 300 Nebraska soldiers and airmen left for the Capitol last weekend. Now, many of them will be returning home in the next couple days and they're discussing their experiences protecting the democratic process of the presidential inauguration.
Their duty for the past week has been to protect Washington and Washington leaders, so scenes like what we saw just weeks ago at the Capitol wouldn't happen. Major Ryan McIntosh and Sergeant Jacob Anderbery with the Nebraska National Guard joined us via Zoom Friday from Washington.
"There hasn't been a day where we haven't been needed. Looking to wrap up our mission soon and getting back to Nebraska. But we've definitely been busy and been needed here," Major McIntosh said.
Anderbery has been out in the field all week while McIntosh has been coordinating and planning missions as operations officer of Task Force Husker.
On Thursday there was uproar over some Guardsmen being asked to sleep and rest in a parking garage, pushed out of the warm Capitol building. The Nebraska National Guard said they didn't face those problems.
"We haven't run into some of those issues that have been reported. Nebraska soldiers and airmen are doing well, we're being treated very well. Morale is high and we're proud to be a part of this task force," McIntosh said.
Morale is high because support is high; support from Nebraska Senator Deb Fisher and Senator Ben Sasse who visited the guardsmen. But the support is overflowing from all corners of the country.
"There's literally thousands of thank you cards that we've received from kids high school aged, middle school aged, elementary. Thank you for protecting us, thank you for helping us, thank you for your service," McIntosh said.
The Nebraska National Guard is expected to return from Washington D.C. this weekend or early next week.
