Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced on Friday that all of Alabama’s National Guard troops had returned home from their mission to protect the U.S. Capitol for the inauguration and that she was proud of the way that they represented Alabama.
The 750 soldiers of the Alabama National Guard completed their orders to support the presidential inauguration. The soldiers returned home after the completion of a successful mission.
I remain proud of how the men and women of the @AlabamaNG represent our home state and are always willing to step up and serve whenever and wherever needed. I am pleased to have them back home in Alabama and remain grateful for each of them. #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/WRgtJdTjuo
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) January 30, 2021
“The men and women of the Alabama National Guard exemplify what it means to be patriots of our great country,” Ivey said. “I remain proud of how they represent our home state and are always willing to step up and serve whenever and wherever needed. I am pleased to have them back home in Alabama and remain grateful for each of them.”
Major General Sheryl Gordon sent a letter to Ivey saying she considered the mission a success:
“The Alabama National Guard concluded its mission in support of the Presidential Inauguration on Saturday, January 23, 2021, and our Soldiers returned to Alabama the following day. It is my pleasure to inform you that I consider Alabama’s participation in the security of the Capitol an unmitigated success.
“Upon a personal request from the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, the Alabama National Guard quickly mobilized and deployed over 750 Soldiers to the National Capitol Region as a part of the over 25,000 Soldiers and Airmen representing all 54 States, Territories, and the District of Columbia. Our portion of the mission involved providing security around the Capitol grounds, and our Soldiers performed in a highly professional manner, and thankfully encountered no significant hindrances to their mission. Our Soldiers were in fact part of those identified by the media as having been moved to the parking garage for their on-shift break, but this move had no significant impact on or to the morale of our Soldiers. As we fully expect, our Soldiers reacted with grace and professionalism, and I take great pride in their conduct as they were essentially performing as ambassadors for the State of Alabama.
“In addition to the satisfaction of a successfully performed mission, I am also remarkably proud of the Soldiers and Airmen of the Alabama National Guard who were responsible for getting this security element to the District of Columbia. It is difficult to put into words the herculean effort required to get this element mobilized, equipped, and deployed to DC in a remarkably short period of time, with zero incidents, clearly surpassing that which is normally expected of a Citizen-Soldier formation.”
Even though there was no fighting or attack on the inauguration, the COVID-19 global pandemic impacted Alabama’s troops.
“As with many other States and Territories, our Soldiers were impacted by the COVID-19 virus during this mission, and a small number of Alabama’s Soldiers remain quarantined,” Gordon wrote. “Given the conditions of over 25,000 Soldiers and Airmen in a small area, it is a testament to our leadership on the ground that our Soldiers were not even more greatly impacted. We will continue to provide care and support to those impacted Soldiers until they successfully complete their required protocols.”
There is still a National Guard presence in Washington D.C. protecting the Senate from the possibility of an attack by Trump loyalists during the former president’s impeachment trial.
