We've had National Guard troops on DC's streets for nearly a year, and the recently announced DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force summer surge will bring an additional 5,000 troops into the city. Many of us have questions about what deployment actually looks like, what choices National Guard members have, the consequences they could face for refusing orders, how to engage with them effectively, and what strategies residents can use to push back against the ongoing occupation.

To help answer those questions, members of Free DC's Veterans Constituency Group will be joined by Common Defense, a national organization of progressive veterans and military families that advocates for democracy, civil rights, and responsible national security policy. Together, they'll provide a National Guard 101 presentation covering how the Guard operates, the realities of these deployments, and the legal and practical considerations surrounding them.

We'll also leave plenty of time for discussion. We want to hear about your experiences interacting with National Guard members, so we can learn from one another and continue refining our approach as the summer surge unfolds.