WASHINGTON, DC – Kevin McCarthy, the GOP leader in Congress today asked why America’s National Guard troops are living on the streets, in parking lots and parking garages in homeless like condition. Now, before you go getting all moto, as a U.S. Marine, we know deployments aren’t comfortable. I have slept on more rocks, concretes, sand piles, and sidewalks in my life than I care to remember. But, let’s face it. This is not an ordinary deployment. This is a deployment of average everyday citizen-soldiers, doctors, nurses, accountants, small business owners, and professionals who volunteer to serve the country at a minute’s notice. Nobody expected their deployment to be like an overseas deployment.
Police officers working in the city during the security detail got to go home to their families at night and comfortable accommodations. These guard troops had no accommodations. Few even had cots.
Today, McCarthy asked why they aren’t being taken care of better.
“Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer—why are American troops who are tasked with keeping security at the Capitol being forced to sleep in a parking lot? They deserve to be treated with respect, and we deserve answers,” McCarthy said.
After a public outcry, the troops were returned back inside the Capitol complex and will now be given hotel rooms and proper accommodations.
“Brig. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, Inauguration Task Force Commander, confirms that troops are out of the garage and back into the Capitol building as authorized by the USCP Watch Commander and the troops will take their breaks near Emancipation Hall going forward,” according to a statement by Air Force Maj. Matthew Murphy, a National Guard Bureau spokesman. “Our troops are going to hotel rooms or other comfortable accommodations at the end of their shifts.”
Last weekend the guardmen received hot meals from World Central Kitchen.
