In a significant move, over 300 soldiers from the South Carolina Army National Guard embarked on a journey to Washington, D.C., early Thursday morning. This deployment comes just one week after a shooting incident involving two Guardsmen in the nation’s capital.

Governor-initiated, this 90-day mission is aligned with President Trump’s campaign to “Keep D.C. Safe and Beautiful.” Although this deployment has been in the pipeline for several months, recent events have cast a shadow over the soldiers and their families, with many keeping the injured Guardsmen in their thoughts and prayers.

Captain Jonathan Love, who commands Delta Battery, commented on the situation, acknowledging the impact of the shooting on their mindset. “It hasn’t changed our mindset going into the mission,” he stated. “Perhaps we’re just a little more aware of our surroundings, ensuring we don’t become complacent.”

Echoing this sentiment, Sgt. First Class Dashawn Drayton emphasized the need for heightened awareness, stating that the troops plan to be “more vigilant, more intentional” as they carry out their duties in the capital.

Sgt. First Class Dashawn Drayton added that troops intend to be “more vigilant, more intentional” as they deploy to the capital.

Seven buses carried the Guardsmen from their Midlands base early Thursday. It marks the second major deployment of South Carolina Guardsmen to Washington in the past six months. South Carolina is replacing the Georgia Army National Guard, who previously replaced their soldiers. None of the South Carolina soldiers deployed Thursday had participated in the previous mission.

Captain Love said the unit has a long history of responding effectively when called upon. “This is another opportunity for us to prove we can handle the call,” he said.

While in Washington, soldiers will undergo specialized training and acclimate to the local environment before being assigned to three and four-member patrol teams. Their responsibilities will include observing, reporting and supporting local agencies as needed.

Major General Richard Wholey, commander of the 263rd Army Air Missile Defense Command, said he is “extremely prideful” to see the troops represent both South Carolina and the nation.

Soldiers acknowledged that deploying during the holiday season, missing both Christmas and New Year’s is difficult, but said service and duty come first.

State leaders emphasized that enough Guard personnel remain in South Carolina to respond to emergencies at home.