The commander of the National Guard task force in Washington said his troops are focused on their assigned mission, which is to provide security, not direct law enforcement, and to be a “reassuring presence.”

Col. Lawrence Doane, the commander of Joint Task Force-D.C., told Task & Purpose that many of his troops patrolling and working in Washington have experienced “some very positive” interactions, but acknowledged that “some are not, and that’s fine.”

Those mixed interactions, both the good and the bad, have shown up on social media over the last month. Photos and videos highlighting the soldiers exchanging pleasantries with locals have been posted along with encounters with protestors who have used the National Guard as a backdrop to address broader national politics.

In mid-Au

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