WASHINGTON – Officials are doing background checks on National Guard members deployed in Washington, D.C., out of a sense of caution, not because they suspect that any are dangerous, Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller said Monday.
“While we have no intelligence indicating an insider threat, we are leaving no stone unturned in securing the capital” ahead of Wednesday’s inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, Miller said in a written statement. He added that “this type of vetting often takes place by law enforcement for significant security events.”
Miller noted that more than 25,000 Guard members are involved in inaugural security. More than 20,000 had been previously reported for Washington, dwarfing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that he warned commanders to be on the lookout for problems within their ranks. He said so far the vetting hadn’t flagged any issues that they were aware of.
“We’re continually going through the process, and taking second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this operation,” McCarthy said.
While the military routinely reviews service members for extremist connections, the FBI screening is in addition to any previous monitoring.
Concern about extremism in the military has spiked after troops and veterans were suspected of taking part in the riot. An Army Special Forces officer is under investigation for appearing on the Capitol grounds that day. Veterans have also been arrested in connection with the attack incited by President Donald Trump that left five people dead, including a rioter who was a veteran.
“If there’s any indication that any of our soldiers or airmen are expressing things that are extremist views, it’s either handed over to law enforcement or dealt with the chain of command immediately,” said Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau.
The transfer of power to happen without incident, leaders said.
“This is a national priority. We have to be successful as an institution,” said McCarthy. “We want to send the message to everyone in the United States and for the rest of the world that we can do this safely and peacefully.”
The extra vetting follows calls from Congress on Thursday for the Pentagon to investigate white supremacist ideology in its ranks.
“The issue of white supremacy and extremist ideology within the ranks of our military is not new, but the attack on the Capitol makes clear this alarming trend must be immediately addressed,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., wrote. “We urge you to launch a comprehensive investigation into instances of white supremacist and violent fringe extremist activity within the military.”
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Contributing: Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY; Associated Press
2021-01-18 13:42:34