Lamont: 200 more National Guard headed to Washington
An additional 200 Connecticut National Guard personnel will be deployed to Washington ahead of the presidential transition next week, Gov. Ned Lamont’s office said Friday evening.
The additional authorization signed by Lamont on Friday brings Connecticut’s total contribution to more than 300, a news release said. The personnel will “aid and facilitate the peaceful transition of presidential power for the upcoming inauguration,” the release said.
The deployments include “equipment and supplies” as well as personnel, including ambulances, the governor’s office said.
In a statement, Lamont said the deployment was made at the request of the chief of the National Guard Bureau.
“The peaceful transfer of power is a central tenet of American democracy, and
Connecticut stands ready to aid in the protection of our country,” the statement said. “May God bless all of our brave men and women in uniform for everything they do to uphold and defend our Constitution and keep our nation safe.”
Earlier this week, the governor’s office announced more than 100 guard personnel would be sent to Washington to aid in the presidential transition.
The personnel announced earlier in the week included a Military Police unit, military working dog teams and a civil support team for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear surveillance, a spokesman for the Guard said.
In a tweet, Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro said she and Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan had arranged for members of the guard to receive free coffee and donuts while stationed at the capitol.