FARGO, ND — Approximately 60 soldiers from the North Dakota Army National Guard are preparing to deploy to Washington, D.C., this April to assist local and federal law enforcement in a specialized public safety mission.
The deployment, expected to last roughly three months, comes in response to a crime emergency declaration in the District of Columbia. Nathan Rivard, Public Affairs Officer for the North Dakota National Guard, discussed the mission’s details during a recent interview on the Valley Christian Counseling and Wellness phone line.
Mission Scope and Personnel
The departing unit consists primarily of soldiers from the 131st Military Police Battalion, headquartered in Bismarck, along with specialized support from the 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.
While the National Guard has a long history of supporting the National Capital Region, Rivard noted that this specific mission is unique. "Because this one specifically is based off of an executive order from last year... this is the first one we've done supporting this specific mission," Rivard explained.
The soldiers will focus on:
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Community Safety Patrols: Maintaining a visible presence to ensure civil order.
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Crowd Management: Assisting during large-scale events or gatherings.
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Law Enforcement Support: Acting as a force multiplier for the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.
A Volunteer Force
A striking aspect of this deployment is that every soldier participating is a volunteer. Despite the inherent risks and the time away from home, Rivard emphasized that the call for help was met with immediate enthusiasm.
"Everyone that is going on this mission volunteered for it," Rivard said. "People go into those jobs because they want to help... I think this is a way a lot of people see as a direct way to do that."
Impact on the Capital
The deployment follows a year of significant statistical improvements in D.C.’s safety landscape, which many attribute to the increased presence of Guard members. Recent data highlights a sharp decline in several categories of major crime:
| Crime Category | Year-over-Year Decrease |
| Violent Crime | 26% |
| Homicides | 32% |
| Carjackings | 37% |
Rivard noted that these numbers provide a sense of validation for the soldiers. Unlike construction workers who can see a physical building at the end of a shift, Guard members often have to rely on these broader trends to measure their success.
"They’ll have that knowing in their ethos of 'this is something I did in my life that was worth doing,'" Rivard said. "When we were there, this is what we accomplished."
The North Dakota contingent will join National Guard units from several other states, forming a unified front to stabilize the capital’s security as the mission continues through the spring.