Amid the bustling atmosphere of the city, members of the South Carolina National Guard were thrust into action during a series of life-threatening incidents this past week.
“It was chaotic — people were running and screaming,” recalled Army Staff Sgt. Zachary Graham, part of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force with the Joint Task Force District of Columbia. The turmoil erupted at a Washington Metro station on August 20, when a man was struck by a train, landing violently on the platform. Swiftly securing the scene, Graham and his fellow soldiers made the critical 911 call and provided first aid. Their rapid response proved lifesaving, as the man was conscious and moving by the time EMTs arrived.
Reflecting on the scene, Army Spc. Nicholas Garrison stated, “Everybody was panicking but able to keep a clear head and make the phone call to 911 to get an ambulance on the way.” Their immediate presence and quick actions were crucial in ensuring the man received timely medical attention.
This incident was not isolated, as members of the task force played key roles in several emergencies over the past week. On August 15, two D.C. Army National Guard military police officers, conducting patrols with Amtrak Police at Union Station, encountered an unconscious man. Army Sgt. Jay Whited described how they quickly resuscitated the individual and called for emergency services. With suspicions of a narcotic overdose, police requested the guard’s assistance in securing the scene while administering naloxone, a medication effective at reversing opiate overdoses.
Army Sgt. Russell Dozier, left, Spc. Nichalos Garrison, center, and Staff Sgt. Zachery Graham, all assigned to the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, South Carolina Army National Guard stand together during a patrol at a Metro station in Washington, Aug. 23, 2025. The team provided immediate assistance to a civilian who was struck by a train as they were patrolling the metro Aug. 20, 2025. © Army Sgt. Jalen Miller, Army National Guard
“We are pretty uniquely positioned here, like all National Guard units, but even more so because it’s D.C. and it’s so small,” Whited explained. “We are uniquely experienced as well, and we integrate with local agencies well because we have done it so many times.”
Beyond the metro incidents, the guard members took swift action in various situations: they intervened during an assault on a U.S. Park Police officer, alerted the D.C. Metropolitan Police to a man brandishing a knife, and assisted the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in locating a missing child.
Army Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard, interim commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, emphasized the importance of their efforts, stating that around 2,000 guard members are currently supporting the task force to bolster local law enforcement. “The members of the District of Columbia National Guard are highly trained and capable of assisting our interagency partners to keep our district safe,” he affirmed.
The quick and coordinated actions of the D.C. National Guard underscore their vital role in maintaining public safety and responding effectively to emergencies in the heart of the nation.
