The District of Columbia National Guard has activated the 260th Special Purpose Brigade, creating the Army’s only brigade dedicated to coordinating military support to civil authorities and protecting critical infrastructure in the nation’s capital.
The brigade was formed following Executive Order 14339 and a directive from the Department of War calling for a trained, equipped National Guard unit to support public safety and integrate with federal and local security partners.
Brig. Gen. Craig Maceri said the brigade provides a command structure to manage a wide range of missions while ensuring rapid coordination with federal and local agencies during major events, emergencies, and security operations.
One of its primary partners will be the U.S. Marshals Service, which regularly works alongside the Guard in the capital. The unit carries the lineage of the 260th Military Police Command, a D.C. National Guard brigade that coordinated military police operations until its inactivation in 2011.
The brigade’s new patch incorporates elements from the Flag of Washington, D.C., including three red stars and two red bars from George Washington’s coat of arms, with an upright sword symbolizing its role in protecting all who live, work, and visit the capital.
The brigade reflects the unique structure of the D.C. National Guard, which reports directly to the President of the United States.
Read the Dept. of War Press Release
