Washington Report

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Saturday outlined four distinct lines of effort for the War Department to take to guarantee peace through strength for the United States and its allies in the coming years.

Most Americans (55%) support using the National Guard to assist local police during major civil disturbances and to address violent crime, according to the Reagan National Defense Survey released Dec. 4.

West Virginia communities and officials are honoring the two members of the state’s National Guard who were shot in Washington, D.C. last week, lauding their dedication to serving their country.

Following the shooting of two West Virginia Guardsmen, the Metropolitan Police Department will begin joint patrols with National Guard troops. The measure is intended to enhance security and visibility in the city.

Congressional leaders last week completed much of their work on settling differences between House and Senate versions of the annual must-pass defense-policy bill.

On Nov. 20, NGAUS held a Retired/Separated Virtual Meeting featuring a presentation on Qualified Charitable Distributions. The meeting was hosted by retired Maj. Gen. April Vogel and retired Brig. Gen. Mike Oster.

The Air Force has selected McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Knoxville, Tennessee, to be the Guard’s third main operating base for the service’s new refueling aircraft.

The NGAUS Insurance Trust provides critical disability income protection for dual-status technicians and Title 5 civilian employees, ensuring financial stability when illness or injury prevents them from working.

Governors frequently call up the National Guard during natural disasters, but presidents have historically avoided federalizing Guard units without a state’s consent — doing so only five times before 2025.

In early September, President Donald Trump signed an executive order reinstating the Department of Defense’s original name, the Department of War. The designation, used from 1789 until 1947, marks a symbolic return to the nation’s early military roots.

The National Guard Educational Foundation recognized another large group of major donors Saturday evening during a special reception at the National Guard Memorial, the NGAUS headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history should soon be over, but the damage to the National Guard will likely continue for a while. That was the message retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, the NGAUS president, delivered during a media roundtable Monday with three other military association leaders at the Air and Space Forces Association in Arlington, Virginia.