While Brig. Gen. Chad Bridges, Adjutant General of the Arkansas National Guard, was speaking at Searcy Schools in his hometown of Searcy, where he graduated in 1992, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the deployment of approximately 100 Arkansas Army National Guard Soldiers to Washington, D.C.
The deployment supports the D.C. National Guard’s ongoing civil security operations. The Soldiers, part of the 142nd Field Artillery Brigade, will gather at Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center in Barling in the coming weeks for administrative processing, medical and dental readiness checks, and pre-mobilization training.
After the Thanksgiving holidays, the Soldiers will move to the National Capital Region for a mission projected to last several months.
“Arkansas’ Guardsmen are there when we need them — whether it’s to deploy overseas, help secure the Southern Border, respond to a natural disaster, or keep our nation’s capital safe,” said Governor Sanders. “They will show the same skill and discipline that make them valuable public servants.”
Brig. Gen. Chad Bridges praised the Guard’s professionalism and readiness: “These Guardsmen bring exceptional training, discipline, and professionalism. They will be well-prepared and ready to integrate with the D.C. National Guard and accomplish the mission.”
This federally funded mission includes conducting security presence patrols and law enforcement support in designated areas. The deployment is part of a routine rotational relief of National Guard units currently serving in Washington, D.C.
The Arkansas National Guard remains committed to maintaining trained and ready forces that can deploy worldwide in support of federal missions and U.S. national security objectives, as well as assisting civil authorities during emergencies and disasters within the state.
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