By Pfc. Makayla Panzer, Joint Task Force DC

WASHINGTON – As the sun peaked through the groomed trees lining Dumbarton Street Northwest, casting light upon the brick homes and businesses, pedestrians on foot, in cars and on bikes make their way on the busy, hot, July 20th morning. Rapid footsteps can be heard as Georgia Army National Guardsmen conduct their routine patrols in support of the DC Safe and Beautiful mission.

Two women frantically flag down the five soldiers from Patrol Team Four, Task Force (TF) Rough Rider, assigned to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia (JTF-DC).

Their mother had passed out in the back seat of the car.

1st Lt. Jacob Wagner, a platoon leader assigned to TF Rough Rider, immediately stepped up to assist the unresponsive woman. Sgt. Louis Ferdinando, the team leader, dialed emergency services.

“One of our main jobs is to relieve and assist the local police department and emergency services,” said Wagner. “We want to be at the right place at the right time for emergencies like this, so we’re never stagnant.”

Approximately 5,000 National Guard members from across the nation are supporting the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission. They provide critical and necessary assistance to the Metropolitan Police Department and emergency services, ensuring the safety of both residents and visitors throughout the area.

“If we didn’t walk past there, I don’t know what that family would have done, he added.”

Specialists Brayden Cundiff and Ryan Austin rushed to the corners of the street to ensure the incoming ambulance made it to the correct address while another remained at the scene, radioing back to headquarters.

The unresponsive woman quickly regained consciousness. Wagner assisted her out of the car, getting her to a safe location where she could wait for emergency medical services. As they waited for emergency services, the team continued to monitor her status.

“She was only semi-lucid,” said Ferdinando. “She was in and out, and we had to convince her many times to stay seated.”

“We let the (D.C.) fire department take over as soon as they arrived,” said Wagner. “We continued to secure the area, keeping the scene safe and directing pedestrians away so they could do their job.”

Cundiff added, during this time they interacted with passersby and reassured them of the situation.

All five team members said the positive feedback from the public and ability to provide aid to citizens, keep the team motivated, driven and vigilant.

Cundiff attributed his team’s prompt and efficient response to the exceptional leadership and continuous training. They are constantly strategizing action plans for different scenarios and then putting them into effect in real-world situations.

“I knew how to handle it because my team leader gave us directives; I already had them running through my head,” Cundiff said. “Putting those blueprints to action helped us out a lot.”

Forces serving on the JTF-DC Safe and Beautiful Mission are well equipped to handle unique situations because of their unique backgrounds and training, including things such as combat life saver training.

“These soldiers handled everything exactly how they should have,” said Ferdinando. “Nobody panicked, and everyone quickly did their job.”