Capitol security, virus crisis help kept Guard busy

LITTLE ROCK — A total of 570 soldiers and airmen were on special duty backing up state and local police at the Capitol during the height of protests against police brutality and racism earlier this month, the Arkansas National Guard’s adjutant general said.

Those personnel were on the Capitol grounds in downtown Little Rock from May 31 through June 2, but none engaged with protesters, and they didn’t carry rifles, according to the National Guard. Soldiers and airmen across the state had already been in a state of heightened alert since March as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.

“We were providing additional manpower as needed,” Maj. Gen. Kendall Penn said during a phone interview last week. “At any given time, I had probably 100 Guardsmen, both Army and Air [Force], riding with the Arkansas State Police or riding closely behind.

“They were on-site with the police, trying to provide security and a sense of government still being in control there on Capitol grounds.”

More Guardsmen, he said, were elsewhere in downtown Little Rock in case of an escalation. The protests, which took place across the country, were a reaction to the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which was caught on a video. Four police officers have been charged in Floyd’s death.

Those soldiers who were activated and sent to Little Rock were armed with 9mm handguns, standard body armor, helmets, face shields and batons — which Penn called “standard” equipment for such a response force.

Those on rooftops were there to take photographs and none had rifles, said Bob Oldham, a National Guard spokesman.

The National Guard still has 31 soldiers on active duty during the emergency. On Thursday, 20 Guardsmen — from the 77th Combat Aviation Brigade, 87th Troop Command, 142nd Field Artillery Brigade and Medical Command — reported to the Arkansas Department of Health to provide contact tracing support.

Those soldiers will remain on duty until at least July 1, said Lt. Col. Brian Mason, another National Guard spokesman.

In addition to those 20 called to duty last week, 11 Guardsmen are still providing support to other state agencies. Six of them are providing logistics support to distribute personal protective equipment to medical workers and another five are doing maintenance at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock, Mason said.

As for the cemetery assistance, the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs requested help from the governor after an outbreak of covid-19 “impacted their duty to have graves ready,” Penn said.

The soldiers who have been helping there have been there since before Memorial Day, according to the Guard.

Penn also said the fulltime workforce at Camp Robinson will be required to return to work this week following Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s announcement that the state was moving into Phase II of reopening.

The Lavern E. Weber Professional Education Center has also been temporarily closed during the pandemic. It’s not yet open, Penn said.

The center provides full-service administrative training for Guardsmen across the United States, according to the Guard.

“That training has been shut down since the [covid-19] emergency,” Penn said. “It will be that way for some time until [we get] permission to resume training.”