Not one of the approximately 100 men and women of the Southeast Idaho Army National Guard’s 116th Cavalry Brigade experienced a negative interaction or injury of any sort during a support deployment to the nation’s capital last week.

During a Wednesday phone interview, Isaac Zimmerly, a captain with the Idaho National Guard’s 116th Cavalry Brigade and a Pocatello resident, spoke about the experience of being deployed to protect peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C., last week and a 24-hour activation process he described as flawless.

"Obviously it's strange to get deployed to the nation’s capital,” Zimmerly said. “I would say it was definitely interesting, but at the end of the day I think every soldier that went understood we were there strictly to maintain the right for Americans just like me and you to peacefully protest. Initially, we were a little apprehensive, but when we arrived and saw the support of our presence, I think the soldiers really appreciated and enjoyed the experience.”

Late on June 4, Zimmerly and other leaders of the 116th Cavalry Brigade received the call from the National Guard Bureau to assist in guarding monuments, buildings and other property throughout the National Capital Region. A former Pocatello Police officer of about five years before he joined the National Guard, Zimmerly said he and other Idaho guardsmen were asked to deploy to Washington, D.C., to support the guardsmen already in place there and to maintain peace for protests that had erupted following the death of George Floyd. 

A 46-year-old black security guard, Floyd died in Minnesota last month when a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes even after Floyd stopped moving and pleading for air. Protests, both at home in America and abroad in numerous other countries, have occurred over the weeks since Floyd’s death, including in front of the White House.

The Idaho National Guard was activated three days after police in D.C. fired tear gas and pepper spray and used horse-mounted officers to clear a crowd of peaceful protesters demonstrating near St. John's Episcopal Church. President Donald Trump then strode across Lafayette Square with a small group of aides in tow to the church, known as the Church of the Presidents, to be photographed by the press while holding a Bible. The photo-op came a day after the church had been set on fire, which destroyed most of the church nursery.

Zimmerly says that within 24 hours of receiving the activation call, over 100 members of the 116th Cavalry Brigade volunteered for the domestic deployment.

“Our state was asked to activate its Army National Guard soldiers to support the D.C. National Guard to help maintain peace so that people can peacefully protest and to serve as a deterrent to anyone looking to destroy property or cause violence,” Zimmerly said. “We made the calls to our all-volunteer soldiers and got over 100 of them to sign up to leave their families almost immediately and help out in any way they could. Just about 24 hours after we were notified we were on a plane heading to the nation’s capital.”

Zimmerly said the 116th boarded Lockheed C-130’s and Boeing C17’s at the Pocatello Regional Airport and landed at Andrews Air Force Base just outside of D.C. The men and women from the 116th equaled about 25 percent of the 400 Idaho National Guard members deployed.

“As long as I have been in the Guard we have not had an activation of this type to support a civil unrest deployment within America,” said Zimmerly, who has been a member of the 116th for a little over one year. “But to be on the ground in 24 hours is a huge accomplishment for our team. I was really impressed by how smoothly things transpired.”

Zimmerly said their mission in D.C. primarily involved standing guard in front of the many national monuments there, particularly around the National Mall area, which is home to the iconic Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

“Our job was to ensure the monuments were preserved and not damaged in any way, shape or form,” Zimmerly said. “Also, our goal was to keep protesters safe, which involved closing down the streets and helping out wherever we could.”

About 75 of the men and women of the 116th who were activated to D.C. had never been to the East Coast, let alone to the nation’s capital, Zimmerly estimated. Despite occurring during a time of domestic unrest, Zimmerly said he and many others were fortunate for the experience, both because of the scenery and the people of D.C.

“I was extremely impressed with the people of D.C., the protesters, the D.C. National Guard and the Park Police,” Zimmerly said.  “We were fortunate enough to see that area of D.C. around the national monuments and the area near the White House. The protests were extremely peaceful and involved people performing one of the most basic American rights, to peacefully assemble. People were friendly and it was a great experience overall. Not one of our soldiers had a negative interaction or injury of any kind. It literally went as flawlessly as it could have gone.”

The 116th Cavalry Brigade arrived back in Pocatello on Wednesday. While Zimmerly said the interactions with the people in D.C. were overwhelmingly positive, he's glad to be back home in Southeast Idaho, where he knows the local community’s support of the National Guard is unmatched.

“The important message is that we are extremely appreciative of the soldiers' families,” Zimmerly said. “These guys volunteered to do a mission that was not entirely clear at the very beginning. We also appreciate the community of Southeast Idaho for how much they support us. We definitely know the community here has our back and we are extremely grateful for that.”