Guardsmen made our cities safer. Now, let’s thank them

OPINION:

On November 26, 2025, Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old West Virginia National Guardsman, was ambushed and shot by an Afghan national while on patrol in Washington, D.C. She died the next day. She wasn’t in Afghanistan or Iraq, but in the heart of her nation’s capital, just a few blocks from the White House, watching over Americans because she chose to answer the call to service. Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe of the W.V. Air National Guard suffered grievous wounds in the same attack.

President Donald Trump took historic action in mobilizing Guardsmen like Spc. Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Wolfe under Title 10 and Title 32 authorities to defend the homeland, restore law and order in American cities and help secure the southern border. But no award exists specifically to recognize the patriots who faithfully perform these vital domestic missions. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I secured language in the House’s FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) codifying a National Guard Homeland Defense Service Ribbon.

While some states recognize their Guardsmen for domestic service, many do not, and no state ribbon honors the soldier who volunteers to leave their home and serve across state lines. This important provision will ensure every Guardsman who puts boots on the pavement under Titles 10 and 32 is properly honored. We recognize overseas service. Service at home is no less praiseworthy.

I’m a former street cop and Army Veteran. I’ve walked beats, and I know the feeling of arriving at an unknown situation, unaware of what’s waiting around the corner. I understand what it means to wear the uniform and carry out a mission. Public safety work, whether as a police officer, federal agent or domestically engaged National Guardsman, is never routine. So, when I say these soldiers in our cities are doing dangerous work, I say it as someone who’s done it.

Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe made a miraculous recovery from the gunshot wound sustained in the violent assault that took Spc. Beckstrom’s life. While he struggled to recuperate, his mother, Melody Wolfe, encouraged Americans to support the National Guardsmen in their neighborhoods because “they’re protecting us, and they’re protecting our freedoms.” She’s absolutely right. The daily reality for these servicemen and women is walking through dark, unfamiliar streets in uniforms that make them targets for those who seek to tear down law and order. Many volunteered for these deployments and knew the risks. They served anyway, and their sacrifice has not been in vain. The numbers prove it.

When President Trump announced he would be sending the National Guard to American cities, there was an outpouring of protests, legal challenges and media criticism. But now, in hindsight, the results speak for themselves. In Washington, D.C., over the past year, homicides have dropped by 45%. In Memphis, they are down 37%. And in New Orleans, during an eight-month security mission, murders decreased by 87% in the French Quarter. But these aren’t just statistics. Every reduction means more Americans going home at night to see their loved ones. President Trump made the call, and our National Guardsmen delivered. They saved lives and made many cities safer places to raise a family. They deserve recognition.

The National Guard Homeland Defense Service Ribbon will be a permanent reminder to our servicemen and women that they played an important role in making America safe again. They can wear it on their chests and pass it on to their children and grandchildren. I urge my House and Senate colleagues to keep this provision in the final version of the NDAA so that the thousands of National Guardsmen like Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who left their homes to protect another’s, are duly honored for their sacrifice. They made our cities safer. It’s time we said thank you.

• Rep. Clay Higgins represents Louisiana’s 3rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Before his election to public office, Higgins spent much of his career dedicated to uniformed service. He is an Army veteran and law enforcement officer, maintaining an active commission and Louisiana State POST Certification. Rep. Higgins is widely regarded as one of the most conservative members of Congress and is a core member of the House Freedom Caucus. He serves as a senior member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and as Chairman of the Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee, where he investigates corruption at the highest levels of government. Congressman Higgins is also a member of the House Armed Services Committee, serving on the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and the Subcommittee on Readiness.