Kentucky leaders express outrage over treatment of National Guard in Washington

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky leaders on Friday called the treatment of National Guardsmen at the U.S. Capitol unacceptable and "ridiculous."

Photos surfaced on social media showing guardsmen camped in a cold parking garage Thursday night after nearly 26,000 troops were sent to protect Washington during the inauguration of President Joe Biden. The images sparked outrage from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

"Yesterday evening, we learned that some of the National Guard forces, who've been helping to protect the Capitol complex, were being made to sleep in parking garages in between their shifts," said McConnell, R-Ky. "I don't think a single senator feels that was acceptable."

The National Guard said it originally moved troops out of the Capitol Rotunda and other spaces to garages at the request of Capitol Police. Interim Chief Yogananda Pittman, however, issued a statement Friday saying Capitol Police "did not instruct the National Guard to vacate the Capitol Building facilities."

President Joe Biden expressed his "dismay" Friday morning to Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard, about how the troops had been treated, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. Lawmakers are now calling for an investigation into how the incident happened.

Jeremy Harrell runs the largest veterans organization in Kentucky, Veteran's Club Inc., and called the entire incident "ridiculous." Harrell told WDRB News he believes this will hurt morale as well as recruitment and retention efforts.

"We've just got to remember that these people are willing to sacrifice their life at a drop of a dime," Harrell said. "That's literally what they sign up for, and, even when things are chaotic and things are stressful, we've got to remember that, right? "We've got to honor them in a way a little bit better than, 'Hey, lay down on this parking spot.'"

Multiple governors have since called their troops home. The National Guard Bureau said Thursday that of the nearly 26,000 Guard troops deployed to D.C. for the inaugural, just 10,600 remained on duty.

Lt. Col. Stephen Martin with the Kentucky National Guard said he believes most Kentucky guardsmen slept in hotels when they were off duty. More than 250 Kentucky guardsmen were sent to Washington, and Martin expects most will start traveling back home this weekend.

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