Guard News - The National Guard

Tennessee National Guard Soldier assists colleagues beyond the battlefield
October 16, 2014 — LOBELVILLE, Tenn. - Staff Sgt. Pamela Pugh, a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and 14-year member of the Tennessee National Guard, was contacted during the late summer of 2014 by two of her... MORE

Army Staff Sgt. Pamela Pugh, a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and 14-year member of the Tennessee National Guard, helped two homeless soldiers in her unit get a new start in their lives. Pugh guided them to resources and various support programs that aid current military personnel, veterans and their families.

Texas Guard member saves roommate's life after gunshot accident
October 15, 2014 — GRAPEVINE, Texas – A Texas Army National Guard soldier saved his roommate’s life after the accidental discharge of a weapon in July. Pfc. Wil Ledford, 19, of Grapevine, used skills and techniques that he had just been taught two months prior while attending the Combat Medic School... MORE

Pfc. Wil Ledford is credited with saving the life of his rooommate after an accident in their apartment. Ledford, of Grapevine, Texas, is a newly trained Combat Medic in the 36th Infantry Division of the Texas Army National Guard.

Army Guard Soldier takes home second place in Department of the Army Best Warrior Competition
October 14, 2014 — FORT LEE, Va. - Twenty eight enlisted Soldiers and noncommissioned officers, or NCOs, from across the Army's 14 commands competed in a mentally and physically challenging competition here to see who... MORE

Army Staff Sgt. Devin Jameson Sr., a combat medic with the Utah Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 640th Regiment (Regional Training Institute), evaluates a casualty during the warrior task and battle drill event at the 2014 Department of the Army Best Warrior Competition, Oct. 7, 2014 at Fort Lee, Va. Jameson represented the Army National Guard as its top noncommissioned officer of the year.

Wisconsin Citizen-Airmen helped keep planes flying during Chicago center closure
October 14, 2014 — VOLK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Wis. - When a fire struck the Chicago Air Traffic Control Center on Sept. 26, Air National Guard air traffic control Airmen from Volk Field Air National Guard Base in Camp Douglas, Wisconsin, were called into action... MORE

Master Sgt. Andrew Jackson, Combat Readiness Training Center RADAR approach control chief controller, and Jeff McCluskey, Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control specialist, work together to control airspace at the ATC center at Volk Field Air National Guard Base, in Camp Douglas, Wisconsin, Oct. 6, 2014. The FAA sent civilian ATC specialists to Volk Field following a fire at the Chicago ATC Center. Two of the FAA ATC specialists were also Volk Field guardsmen.

Georgia National Guard joins Canadians for complex exercise
October 14, 2014 — MACON, Ga. - An infantry platoon with the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard, recently joined forces with the Canadian 48th Highlanders in a complex training exercise... MORE

Georgia Guard members with Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, conduct an amphibious insertion on Lake Erie as part of the Stalwart Guardian training exercise in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in August, 2014.

Five countries, two National Guards, one mission: Operation Atlantic Resolve
October 10, 2014 — WEISBADEN, Germany - National Guard public affairs Soldiers from Illinois and Pennsylvania joined forces to augment U.S. Army Europe support Operation Atlantic Resolve, a series of exercises designed... MORE

Canadian Army Maj. Edward Jun (left), commander, Company M, 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment; Polish army Capt. Marcin Wilga (2nd from left), commander, 2nd Assault Company, 18th Airborne Battalion, 6th Airborne Brigade; and U.S. Army Capt. Matthew McCarthy (right), commander, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, meet after commanding their units in a combined training exercise at Ziemsko Airfield, Poland, July 17. The exercise is part of Operation Atlantic Resolve and is intended to strengthen U.S. Army Europe’s (USAREUR) familiarity and commitment to its’ NATO allies.

Arizona Soldiers take part in European operation with partner nation Kazakhstan
October 10, 2014 — HOHENFELS, Germany - Two Arizona Army National Guard units joined forces to participate in Steppe Eagle 2014, preparing, mentoring and advising the Kazakhstani Peacekeeping Battalion on... MORE

Arizona National Guard, 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment Soldiers, together with Moldovan soldiers, face an aggressive crowd of rioters throwing smoke and rocks during a situational training exercise as part of Steppe Eagle 2014 exercise, Oct. 4, at the Joint Multinational Readiness Training Center in Hohenfels, Germany.

Army Guard’s first cyber protection team activated; receives new shoulder sleeve insignia
October 10, 2014 — ARLINGTON, Va. - The Army National Guard's first cyber protection team received its new shoulder sleeve insignia Oct. 7 during a ceremony conducted by Army Cyber Command, or ARCYBER, at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland... MORE

Army Maj. Gen. Judd H. Lyons, right, acting director of the Army National Guard, joins Army Col. Jayson Spade, left, commander of the 1st Information Operations Command (Land) and Army Lt. Gen. Edward Cardon, commander of Army Cyber Command and Second Army, in placing the Cyber Command shoulder sleeve insignia on the uniform of Army Maj. Hung Diep, commander of the 1636th Cyber Protection Team in a patch ceremony at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, Tuesday Oct. 7, 2014. The 1636th CPT is the first Army National Guard cyber protection team to be activated and is one of 10 cyber protection teams planned throughout the Army Guard.

Active wildland fire season proved challenging for Guard responders
October 9, 2014 — ARLINGTON, Va. - National Guard members from five western states have wrapped up a busy wildland firefighting season, closing out a year that saw more than 4 million gallons of water and retardant... MORE

A 146th Airlift Wing C-130J during MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System) annual training and re-certification held at the146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station. Media and visitors were present nearby to watch this drop near Point Mugu, Calif., April 9, 2014.

Kentucky Air Guard unit establishes cargo hub in Senegal for Ebola response
October 8, 2014 — DAKAR, Senegal - More than 80 Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Contingency Response Group began operating a cargo hub here Oct. 5 that will funnel humanitarian supplies and... MORE

Air Force Lt. Col. Bruce Bancroft of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group talks to unit members about their role in Operation United Assistance during a briefing in the Joint Operations Center at Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 5, 2014. The Kentucky Air Guard members stood up an Intermediate Staging Base at the airport that will funnel humanitarian supplies and equipment into West Africa as part of the international effort to fight Ebola.

Vermont adjutant general boosts state's partnership with Macedonia
October 8, 2014 — COLCHESTER, Vt. - Returning from Macedonia, the Vermont National Guard's State Partnership Program country, Maj. Gen. Steven Cray, the adjutant general, was optimistic about the future of the... MORE

Maj. Gen. Steven Cray and State Command Sgt. Maj. Toby Quick receive a briefing from a soldier in the Army of the Republic of Macedonia. Macedonia's Army Medical Unit has Role 2 medical capabilities and will probably be the focus of the tri-lateral engagement between Macedonia and Senegal, Vermont's two State Partnership Program countries, Sept. 22, 2014.

Commentary: Making the final journey with a friend, mentor and Soldier
October 8, 2014 — MIAMI - The flight attendant's voice cracked somewhat, which added to the impact of the words, "... we have the honor of carrying a fallen Soldier on today's flight-Col. Tomas DeLeon... "It had been a... MORE

Police cars were among emergency vehicles that greeted the flight carrying the body of Col. Tomas DeLeon at Miami International Airport.

Georgia National Guard helps sheriffs eradicate more than $30 million of marijuana plants
October 7, 2014 — MARIETTA, Ga. - The Georgia National Guard concluded six months of support to communities throughout the state as part of the Governor's Task Force/Drug Suppression (GTF).This year, the GTF eradicated... MORE

A Georgia National Guard member flies a LUH-72 while searching for marijuana near Polk County as the Governor’s Task Force/Drug Suppression (GTF) concludes six months of direct support to local communities throughout the state. This year the GTF eradicated over 15,000 plants, worth over $30 million, keeping these drugs and the illicit activity that goes with it off of Georgia’s streets. The GTF’s last mission support was to Polk County where they found eight plants within 10 miles of their launch site.

Longtime partners Illinois National Guard and Poland complete exercise
October 7, 2014 — ORZYSZ, Poland - Soldiers from the Illinois Army National Guard's 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (33rd IBCT) in Urbana, Illinois, and the 244th Digital Liaison Detachment in Chicago, participated... MORE

Col. Mark Jackson, commanding officer of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, shakes hands with Bronislaw Komorowski, the president of Poland, in Orzysz, Poland, Oct. 2, 2014. Jackson presented Komorowski a plaque on behalf of the 33rd IBCT.

New York National Guard honors birthdate of Chester Arthur, a former president and Guard member
October 6, 2014 — The New York National Guard honored Chester A. Arthur, the 21st president of the United States, with a formal wreath laying Sunday on his grave at Albany Rural Cemetery, the 185th anniversary of his birth... MORE

New York Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Anthony German and New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Wicks honored President Chester Arthur in October 2012 in a ceremony similiar to this year's event.

At the Warrior Games, six Guard members display warrior spirit
October 6, 2014 — COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Competing in the 2014 Warrior Games here was a personally encouraging experience for the six National Guardsmen, three Soldiers and three Airmen, as they represented their... MORE

Army athlete Erin Stewart competes in the pistol shooting competition during the 2014 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo. Oct. 3, 2014. The Warrior Games consists of 200 wounded, ill and injured service members athletes from throughout the Department Of Defense, who compete in paralympic style events for their respective military branch.

California National Guard Soldiers complete two weeks of training with Indian counterparts
October 3, 2014 — CHAUBATTIA CANTONMENT, India - Soldiers from the world’s two largest democracies completed a two-week training exercise on Sept. 30 in the foothills of the Himalayas. The exercise, called Yudh Abhyas... MORE

California Army National Guard Commander Maj. Gen. Lawrence Haskins addresses U.S. and Indian army troops during the closing ceremony for Yudh Abhyas 2014 on Sept. 30 at Chaubattia Cantonment, India.

Alaska National Guard missile defenders celebrate 10 years of operations
October 3, 2014 — FORT GREELY, Alaska - Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell, Brig. Gen. Mike Bridges, acting adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, and Soldiers of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion, Alaska Army National... MORE

Alaska National Guard members of Bravo Crew, 49th Missile Defense Battalion operate the ground-based midcourse defense portion of the Ballistic Missile Defense System May 5, 2007, at Fort Greely, Alaska. The system has been manned 24/7 since achieving limited defensive capability in 2004. (Photo by Army Sgt. Jack W. Carlson III, Alaska Army National Guard)

Six National Guard athletes competing in 2014 Warrior Games
October 3, 2014 — COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2014 Warrior Games, bringing together more than 200 wounded or ill U.S. service members and veterans opened here Sept. 30, with a senior Defense Department official... MORE

U.S. Department of Defense athletes compete in archery during the 2014 Warrior Games at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sept. 30, 2014. The Warrior Games consists of athletes from throughout the Department Of Defense, who compete in Paralympic style events for their respective military branch. The goal of the games is to help highlight the limitless potential of warriors through competitive sports.

Ohio Sappers pass their 'METL' test
October 3, 2014 — CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. — For an Army unit to be considered combat-ready, there is not only a myriad of training that must occur, but the unit’s readiness also has to be evaluated.The results of that... MORE

A Soldier with the Ohio Army National Guard’s 811th Engineer Company (Sapper) works to prepare a simulated shape charge during a training exercise, July 24, 2014, at Camp Atterbury, Ind. The 811th spent its two-week annual training period being assessed on its mission readiness by evaluators from First Army, the results of which help determine the 811th’s ability to be utilized by the Army if a mission need should arise.

Montana Guard Rescues Hiker from Old Scraggy Peak

Massachusetts Air Guard Enhances Skills With Critical Infrastructure Upgrade

North Carolina Guard Hosts Operation Tobacco Road Cyber Exercise

Colorado Guard Assists Rio Blanco County With Aerial Wildfire Suppression

New Mexico Guard Soldiers Help Rescue Eight From Flooded Home