District of Columbia National Guard

District of Columbia National Guard
Armory of the District of Columbia National Guard
Active	As militia: 1776-1903 As reserve: 1903-present
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	District of Columbia
Branch	United States Army  United States Air Force
Role	State militia, reserve force
Part of	National Guard
Garrison/HQ	D.C. Armory
Commanders
Current commander	Major General Errol R. Schwartz
Notable commanders	William H. Abendroth Charles L. Southward Russell C. Davis David F. Wherley, Jr.

The District of Columbia National Guard is the branch of the United States National Guard based in Washington, D.C.. It comprises both Army National Guard and Air National Guard components.

The President of the United States is the Commander in Chief of the National Guard of the District of Columbia at all times. Command is exercised through the Secretary of Defense and the Commanding General, Joint Force Headquarters, District of Columbia National Guard. The Secretary of Defense has delegated his command authority to the Secretary of the Army for the District of Columbia Army National Guard and the Secretary of the Air Force for the District of Columbia Air National Guard. The District of Columbia National Guard is commanded by a Major General with a Brigadier General as his or her adjutant. The Mayor of the District of Columbia, or the United States Marshal for the District of Columbia, or the National Capital Service Director, may request the Commander in Chief to aid them in suppressing insurrection and enforcement of the law.

It descends from the 25th Battalion of the Maryland Militia, headquartered in Georgetown, Maryland, formed 1776 to fight in the American Revolutionary War. After Congress established the Federal District in District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801, local Militia units were reorganized again, to form what would become the District of Columbia National Guard.