Guard News - The National Guard

US, Malaysia conclude exercise interrupted by pandemic
November 23, 2021 — JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – In March 2020, members of the Washington National Guard were deep into the Bersama Warrior staff exercise with their counterparts in the Malaysian Armed Forces in... MORE

Washington Army National Guard Lt. Cols. Scott Fieldman and Reena Emme work virtually with their counterparts from the Malaysian Armed Forces during Exercise Bersama Warrior '21 from Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, Nov. 14, 2021.

Minnesota National Guard to support health care facilities
November 23, 2021 — ST. PAUL, Minn. – Gov. Tim Walz has activated the Minnesota National Guard to serve as skilled-nursing “rapid response teams” to support health care facilities experiencing severe staffing... MORE

Members of the Minnesota National Guard, activated by Gov. Tim Walz Nov. 18, 2021, to support health care facilities experiencing severe staffing shortages, train as certified nursing assistants and temporary nursing aides.

Sisters serve together at 144th Fighter Wing
November 23, 2021 — FRESNO AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif. – Each November, Month of the Military Family usually recognizes families for supporting a parent or child serving in the Armed Forces. For the Foster sisters at... MORE

From left, U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Lindsay Foster, 144th Maintenance Squadron unit deployment manager, Chief Master Sgt. Diana Foster, 144th Force Support Squadron superintendent, and Master Sgt. Elida Foster, 144th Medical Group dental assistant, at the Fresno Air National Guard Base, Calif., Nov. 5, 2021. The Foster sisters have served at the 144th Fighter Wing since 2008.

West Virginia Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy hits milestone
November 22, 2021 — KINGWOOD, W.Va. – The West Virginia National Guard’s Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy program graduated its 5,000th cadet Nov. 19, as 106 members of Class 2-2021 completed the program at Camp... MORE

Class 2-2021 of the West Virginia National Guard’s Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy completed the program Nov. 19 at Camp Dawson in Kingwood, West Virginia. The 106 cadets are now among more than 5,000 who have graduated from the program since it began in 1993.

Air Force graduates all-domain operational planners for air components
November 22, 2021 — The 505th Command and Control Wing graduated the fifth class of Multi-Domain Warfare Officers, also known by their Air Force Specialty Code-designator “Thirteen Oscar,” during a livestreamed ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Nov. 19... MORE

photo of U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army graduates

Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho Guard work together during pandemic
November 19, 2021 — NEZ PERCE RESERVATION, Idaho – The Idaho National Guard and Nez Perce dental personnel teamed up Nov. 10–13 as part of a broader effort to recover from the summer’s surge of COVID-19 cases plaguing... MORE

Idaho National Guard medical and dental Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen teamed with Nez Perce health care personnel as part of a broader effort to recover from the summer’s surge of COVID-19 cases plaguing northern Idaho.

Minnesota National Guard, Croatia strengthen 25-year ties
November 19, 2021 — CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. – Six leaders of the Croatian Army visited Camp Ripley and the Regional Training Institute – Maintenance Oct. 25-29 as part of its 25-year partnership with the Minnesota National... MORE

Croatian service members visit the Regional Training Site-Maintenance at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, Oct. 24, 2021, to continue a 25-year partnership with the Minnesota National Guard under the State Partnership Program. During the week-long trip, Minnesota National Guard instructors trained the Croatians on equipment and maintenance on the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle and Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

29th ID Soldiers' resilience proves useful in escort mission
November 19, 2021 — CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – With just a bit more information than the fictitious Rangers who boarded a plane with "mission undetermined, destination unknown," a handful of Soldiers from Task Force Freedom... MORE

29th Infantry Division Soldiers who escorted vulnerable Afghans during Operation Allies Refuge pose for a photo shortly after the mission ended. The team drove more than 7,500 miles in 160 trips in support of the mission.

116th Infantry Regiment holds 53rd annual muster
November 19, 2021 — STAUNTON, Va. – Veterans of the 116th Infantry Regiment and Soldiers of the Virginia Army National Guard’s 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team gathered to remember the unit’s history and enjoy... MORE

Retired Brig. Gen. Charles B. Faulconer Jr., honorary colonel of the 116th Infantry Regiment, announces the Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, as the recipient of the 116th Regiment Superior Unit Award during the 116th's 53rd annual regimental muster Nov. 13, 2021, in Staunton, Virginia. Col. Christopher J. Samulski and Command Sgt. Maj. Irving N. Reed Jr., the 116th IBCT command team, presented the award to Capt. Daniel K. Fida and 1st Sgt. Thomas E. Barrett, the Alpha Company command team.

UH-60V Black Hawk a major upgrade over previous variants
November 19, 2021 — FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – On the outside, the new UH-60V Black Hawk helicopters look nearly identical to previous variants of the UH-60.It’s what’s on the inside that sets them apart.The UH-60V –... MORE

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Frank Madeira, left, and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Justin Meyer, both instructor pilots at the Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, pose in front of a UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter on Muir Army Airfield at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., Nov. 10, 2021.

After mission ends, Guardsmen find work at food bank
November 19, 2021 — SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. – Members of the Washington National Guard are now permanent employees at a food bank after offering a helping hand during the COVID-19 pandemic."Seeing the fear that some of them... MORE

Spc. Hunter Clatterbuck, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 898th Brigade Engineer Battalion, drives the Helping Hands food bank delivery truck Nov. 9, 2021, in Sedro-Woolley, Wash. The food bank hired some Washington National Guard members after their mission there came to an end.

Washington Guard, Malaysia renew face-to-face partnership
November 18, 2021 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – When building relationships with a new partner, body language and casual conversations are just as important as the information shared. That’s why there was added excitement about... MORE

Washington Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Johan Deutscher presents a custom football to Maj. Gen. Dato Zulkifli, assistant chief of staff for operations and strategy for the Royal Malaysian Air Force and lead Malaysian delegate, during closing ceremonies of the fourth Airmen-to-Airmen talks at Camp Murray, Washington, Nov. 17, 2021. Washington and Malaysia have been partners through the State Partnership Program since 2017.

Tennessee National Guard unit prepares to deploy
November 18, 2021 — SMYRNA, Tenn. – Members of the 208th Area Support Medical Company have responded to natural disasters, played a major role in the state’s COVID-19 response, and are now preparing for a year-long... MORE

Members of the Tennessee National Guard’s 208th Area Support Medical Company move through a hand grenade qualification course Nov. 3, 2021, at Smyrna’s volunteer training site. The unit is deploying to five countries in December.

Vermont National Guard helping vaccinate young people
November 18, 2021 — COLCHESTER, Vt. – The Vermont National Guard now supports the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic with vaccinations for youth in the 5 to 11 age group and booster clinics for the general adult... MORE

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Nardo, 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, injects James Bordeaux with a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Camp Johnson, Vermont, March 18, 2021.

US, South African Soldiers strengthen partnership
November 18, 2021 — PRETORIA, South Africa – Army Soldiers and civilians from U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa and the New York National Guard met with their South African counterparts Oct. 11-21 in... MORE

Col. Doug Merritt, the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa command inspector general, discusses the IG inspection process and functions with South African National Defense Force counterparts Oct. 15, 2021. Merrit and other SETAF-AF IG staff joined with South African counterparts to discuss roles and responsibilities of the office of the inspector general. Representatives from the New York National Guard, State Partnership Program partner to South Africa, also attended the weeklong set of meetings.

190th Medical Group gets hands-on medical facility training
November 17, 2021 — SAN DIEGO – More than 30 members of the 190th Medical Group traveled to the Naval Medical Center San Diego for their annual medical facility training."Our experience was exceptional in the way of... MORE

190th ARW member trains with Sailor during annual tour in San Diego, California.

A Georgia Guardsman’s journey from Kyrgyzstan to citizenship
November 17, 2021 — ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Senior Airman Asylbek Dzhapashov, a personnel specialist with the Georgia Air National Guard's 116th Mission Support Group, was born and raised in Kyrgyzstan, a small... MORE

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Asylbek Dzhapashov, personnelist with the 116th Air Control Wing, Georgia Air National Guard, at

WING demonstrates rapid deployment to Baltic region
November 16, 2021 — GOTLAND, Sweden – A Wisconsin Army National Guard field artillery unit became the first high-mobility rocket artillery system (HIMARS) to launch in Sweden as part of a special operations training... MORE

A U.S. Air Force loadmaster with the 352d Special Operations Wing guides a U.S. Army Soldier with 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment, while off-loading an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System during a bilateral exercise at a highway landing zone in Gotland, Sweden, Oct. 23, 2021. This bilateral demonstration underscores, for the first time, the ability of Swedish and U.S. Forces to quickly employ long-range precision fires across the theater in a time and place of our choosing, while developing the ability to employ flexible capabilities with partners and allies in the Baltic Sea region.

Michigan National Guard provides emergency medicine mentoring
November 16, 2021 — MONROVIA, Liberia – In October, the U.S. Army National Guard members from Michigan provided emergency medicine mentorship at 14 Military Hospital. This exchange is part of the U.S. Embassy’s... MORE

U.S. Soldier Capt. Matthew Gomberg, assigned to the Michigan National Guard, provides emergency medicine mentorship to members of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) at 14 Military Hospital in Latvia.

28th ECAB one of TRANSCOM's best in 2020
November 16, 2021 — FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – US Transportation Command recently awarded the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade a Deployment Excellence Award for their performance in the fiscal year 2020 during... MORE

U.S. Soldiers with the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade and 40th Combat Aviation Brigade receive trucks and other equipment belonging to the 40th CAB as they arrive in the Middle East.

Alaska Air National Guard Rescues Injured Snowmachiner

Maine Guard Mobilizes to Support Rhode Island Blizzard Response

Massachusetts Guardsman Invents Portable Cyber Training, Development Platform

National Guard, French Army Leaders Mark Shared History, Alliance in Ceremony

National Guardsmen Train in Pennsylvania to Use Small Drones