Members of the West Virginia Air National GuardÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s 130th Airlift Wing stand in formation Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, at a dedication ceremony for the recently renovated 73-year-old hangar at the Air Guard installation next to West Virginia International Yeager Airport, in Charleston.
Members of the West Virginia Air National GuardÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s 130th Airlift Wing stand in formation Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, at a dedication ceremony for the recently renovated 73-year-old hangar at the Air Guard installation next to West Virginia International Yeager Airport, in Charleston.
Members of the Charleston-based 130th Airlift Wing and the 111th Engineer Brigade, headquartered in Eleanor, Putnam County, are among about 400 West Virginia National Guard soldiers and airmen taking part in Joint Task Force-District of Columbia, under mobilization orders from President Donald Trump.
Community advocates who oppose Gov. Patrick MorriseyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s deployment of the WVNG to support President TrumpÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s crime crackdown in Washington, D.C., have filed a lawsuit challenging the move.
Now in their second week in the nationÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s capital, the West Virginia National Guard personnel are carrying out roles in logistics, administration and public affairs, and are also taking part in ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œsecurity missions involving static and roving presence patrols,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ according to a WVNG news release.
The West Virginia soldiers and airmen are part of a force of 1,319 National Guard troops from five states mobilized to join 939 District of Columbia National Guard personnel taking part in the joint task force.
West Virginia Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Jim Seward visited a number of the West Virginia troops taking part in the task force earlier this week.
Other WVNG units supplying personnel for the task force include:
201st Field Artillery Battalion, based in Fairmont
771st Troop Command Battalion, Gassaway
1092nd Engineer Battalion, Parkersburg
167th Airlift Wing, Martinsburg
Rick Steelhammer is a features reporter. He can be reached at 304-348-5169 or rsteelhammer@hdmediallc.com. Follow @rsteelhammer on X.
