Members of the District of Columbia National Guard gather for a commemoration ceremony in honor of the organization’s 222nd birthday at the D.C. Armory, May 3, 2024. On May 3, 1802, President Thomas Jefferson signed two acts of Congress into law, one that incorporated the city of Washington, D.C. and another that authorized the President to establish the District of Columbia Militia, the predecessor of today’s D.C. National Guard. Together, the people of D.C. and servicemembers of the D.C. National Guard have participated in every major conflict from the War of 1812 through present-day operations around the world. The D.C. National Guard has an evolving mission capable of accomplishing wartime requirements of the Army and Air Force while supporting civil authorities to protect our Nation’s capital, saves lives, and to mitigate human suffering and loss of property. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Arthur M. Wright)