District of Columbia Air National Guard aerospace control alert F-16s recently scrambled for the 5,000th time since Sept. 11, 2001, in defense of the nation’s capital, unit officials announced. “Every day that we come down here to the alert facilities … we arrive with the mindset that today is the day … my actions are going to prevent an attack on our nation’s capital,” said Lt. Col. John Vargas, 113th Wing ACA detachment commander at JB Andrews, Md. Stricter flight restricted zones were instituted over the National Capital Region following the 9/11 terrorist attacks when the unit began 24/7 alert. Since then, the unit has responded to more incidents than NORAD’s other continental alert sites combined. “If you add up all of their alert calls and double that, that doesn’t come close to the amount of activity we have had,” said 113th Operations Ground Commander Col. Mark Valentine. The 5,000th scramble occurred March 21.
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
