Guard members man posts for Inauguration Day

More than 7,500 members of the Army National Guard were in Washington, D.C.  to offer protection, support and communication during the inauguration, the Defense Department said in a release.

“Soldiers and airmen provided security, crowd control, traffic management, and logistics and communications capabilities while working with the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department, among other agencies,” the release  said.

Not only did the soldiers guard the streets, but they controlled the underground transportation routes as well, making certain the day went smoothly and without complications, the release said.

Army Sgt. John Garnett, a member of the Tennessee Army National Guard’s 251st Military Police Company said the security preparation was dedicated to keeping everyone as safe as possible, the release said.

"Our job here is to defend and enforce the laws of our nation, and help with the smooth transition of presidential power,” Army Sgt. Kurtis Brown of the South Dakota Army National Guard’s 235th Military Police Company said in the release.