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106th Medical Group gets hands-on training in Alaska
May 19, 2022
N.Y. Air National Guard Airmen from the 106th Rescue Wing, Westhampton Beach, N.Y., package a “patient,” an advanced medical simulation dummy, for transport at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, May 5, 2022. The combat medics of the 106th Medical Group participated in their first military facility annual training since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A matter of life or death: seeking help for mental health
May 19, 2022
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jilayne Michelsen, a command post controllerassigned to the Ohio National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing, shares the story of her darkest hours, her mental health diagnosis and overcoming the stigma of seeking help. Michelsen hopes her story will help others know they are not alone and will seek help when needed.

Alaska Air National Guard’s 168th Wing refuels Red Flag
May 19, 2022
The Alaska Air National Guard, 168th Wing, generated combat readiness training as the lead tanker task force refueling Red Flag-Alaska 22-1 April 28 to May 13. The wing provided combat interoperability opportunities to approximately 2,200 service members from three nations, maintaining and supporting more than 90 aircraft and over 25 units.

Deployed Guard unit honors Tuskegee Airman on 100th birthday
May 18, 2022
Five of the 135 Soldiers of the 135th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Alabama National Guard, hold their birthday cards for one of the last known surviving Tuskegee Airman, Sgt. Victor Butler, who turns 100 May 21, 2022. Left to right, Sgt. 1st Class Brian Lynd, Lt. Col. Joel Traweek, Sgt. 1st Class Willie Vandiver, Capt. Jeremy Barrett, and Sgt. 1st Class Carnard McCalpine.

Malawi Defense Force JAG visits Kentucky National Guard
May 17, 2022
Brig. Gen. Dan Kuwali of the Malawi Defense Force with Kentucky National Guard Cols. Jason Shepherd and Joyce Gordon April 22, 2022, in Frankfort, Ky. Kuwali was invited by the pair to speak to Kentucky National Guard’s staff judge advocates about the opportunities for the United States to use soft power in Africa to balance China's engagements on the continent.

Maryland Air Guard wraps up Swift Response support
May 17, 2022
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Martin, crew chief assigned to the 175th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, guides an A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the 104th Fighter Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, in Ohrid, North Macedonia, May 7, 2022, to conduct Agile Combat Employment training in support of the Swift Response exercise. The purpose of the exercise is to present combat-credible Army forces in Europe and Africa and enhance readiness by building airborne interoperability with allies and partners.

Ukrainian emigrant serves in Michigan Army National Guard
May 17, 2022
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Sergey Zelenskiy, a senior instructor with the 177th Regiment, Regional Training Institute, Michigan Army National Guard, at Fort Custer Training Center, Augusta, Michigan, May 10, 2022. Zelenskiy, an emigrant from Kyiv, Ukraine, joined the Michigan Army National Guard in 2007.

Minnesota Guard Soldier, NCO are regional Best Warriors
May 17, 2022
Sgt. Josiah Bell of Rochester, Minnesota, an infantryman with the Wisconsin National Guard’s B Company, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment, scales a rope in the obstacle course event during the Region IV Best Warrior Competition at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, May 13, 2022. The annual competition tests the military skills, physical strength and endurance of the top Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from the Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio National Guard.

New Hampshire Airmen demonstrate readiness in 4-day exercise
May 17, 2022
Airmen with the 157th Air Refueling Wing, New Hampshire Air National Guard, perform a litter carry as part of a four-day military readiness exercise at Pease Air National Guard Base, Newington, N.H., May 12-15. The exercise tested the wing's ability to deploy and operate in a contested environment.

Wisconsin Guard, civilian partners practice crisis response
May 16, 2022
The Wisconsin Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Enhanced Response Force Package practiced crisis response with civilian partners May 14, 2022, at the Fox Valley Technical College, Public Safety Training Center, Appleton, Wisconsin. The exercise included setting up a medical field site, searching and rescuing casualties and hoisting them via helicopter for treatment.

NY Army Guard Soldiers rehearse decontamination practices
May 16, 2022
A New York National Guard Soldier with the 222nd Chemical Company, 104th Military Police Battalion, performs a decontamination exercise at Fort Indiantown Gap May 14, 2022.

Alabama National Guard Soldiers hydrate partner nations
May 16, 2022
Alabama Army National Guard Sgts. Tymicheal Avery and Portia Staton test purified water during Operation Tradewinds 2022 at Price Barracks, Belize, May 13, 2022. Avery, Statonand the 1208th Quartermaster Company are supplying potable water for cooking, personal hygiene, and drinking to partner nations.

California Airmen complete readiness training exercise
May 16, 2022
Airmen of the 163d Civil Engineer Squadron, California Air National Guard, tear down tents and store equipment during exercise Grizzly Thunder 22-3 at March Air Reserve Base, California, May 14, 2022. Grizzly Thunder was a continuation of a deployment training exercise from late 2021, dubbed Grizzly Lightning.

Alaska Guard provides flood assistance to Manley Hot Springs
May 13, 2022
Pvt. Frederica Rivers of the Alaska Army National Guard, 207th Engineer Company, loads a Humvee with additional fuel at the Fairbanks National Guard Armory in preparation to travel to Manley Hot Springs, Alaska, May 12, 2022, to support flood recovery operations. The Guardsmen will assist at the request of the State of Alaska Emergency Operations Center.

Nebraska Guard supports Innovative Readiness Training
May 13, 2022
Maj. Erik Zingler, optometry officer in charge for the 155th Medical Group, Lincoln, Neb., performs an optometry vision test May 2, 2019, in Residential Juan Ferrer, Puerto Rico. Zingler is a member of Innovative Readiness Training, a Defense Department program to increase deployment readiness while providing key services such as optometry to American communities with limited access to resources.

Southern Strike 2022 joint exercise concludes
May 13, 2022
A U.S. special operations service member descends from a UH-60 Black Hawk during Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System training at Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Gulfport, Mississippi, April 22, 2022. The training was during Southern Strike 2022, a large-scale, joint and international combat exercise.

A family affair: Mother, children reunite on deployment
May 12, 2022
From left, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Ernesto Lopez Falcon, a force support services journeyman with the 386th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron, Staff Sgt. Joanna Falcon, an operations specialist with the 332th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, and Senior Airman Jennifer Lopez Falcon, a customer support specialist with the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, reunite at the Rock at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, April 4, 2022. All three family members were deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility at the same time from the 116th Air Control Wing, Georgia Air National Guard.

Michigan Guard Conducts Public Affairs Workshop With Latvia, Liberia
May 12, 2022
Staff Sgt. Jacob Cessna attends the Trilateral Public Affairs workshop from his home in Lansing, Michigan, April 6, 2022. More than 25 public affairs specialists from the Michigan National Guard, Latvian National Armed Forces, and the Armed Forces of Liberia teamed up April 12-22 to hold a virtual storytelling workshop under the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.

North Carolina Guard Hosts Africa Military Law Forum Advisory Council
May 12, 2022
Maj. Mike Sterling, North Carolina National Guard State Partnership director, greets Namibian Defence Force Brig. Gen. Helena Ndilimeke Amutenya, left, and Cameroon Armed Forces Col. Marguerite Meffand-Loaw, center, at the African Military Law Forum Advisory Council at NCNG Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, April 26-28, 2022. The conference, created by U.S. Africa Command, brought African military legal advisers from several nations including Botswana, one of the NCNG State Partnership Program peers, and NCNG leaders to share their legal expertise.

Vermont National Guard and Austria Formally Recognize Partnership
May 11, 2022
Leaders from Vermont, the Vermont National Guard, and the Republic of Austria gathered in Montpelier for a signing ceremony officially beginning a partnership between the Vermont National Guard and the Republic of Austria through National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program, Wednesday, May 11, 2022.

The Republic of Austria is the third partner nation with the Vermont National Guard through the State Partnership Program. Vermont also works and trains with North Macedonia and Senegal.