FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. –
About 450 Soldiers and Airmen of the Pennsylvania National Guard departed Fort Indiantown Gap Feb. 3 to assist federal law enforcement agencies in Washington, D.C.
Known as Task Force Panther, the contingent is made-up of Soldiers and Airmen from across the Pennsylvania National Guard’s formation, including members of the 171st Air Refueling Wing, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 55th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade and 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
Lt. Col. Frank Junkin, commander of Task Force Panther is confident in his team’s ability to accomplish the mission.
“Task Force Panther’s members are well-trained for this mission,” he said. “We’re all representing the Pennsylvania National Guard and looking forward to assisting authorities.”
A military task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity, in this instance to support authorities in Washington, D.C.
Task Force Panther will be part of a larger force of National Guard members that were requested to continue supporting federal law enforcement agencies in Washington following the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration. The force will initially number about 7,000 members and will likely draw down to about 5,000 by late February.
This mission will replace the prior mission of approximately 2,400 Pennsylvania National Guard service members who were activated to support the inauguration.