Guard News - The National Guard

Arizona Guard reaches out to community, youth
March 12, 2012 — QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. - Young boys' voices are heard in unison yelling the word "challenge" as they drop to do pushups. The boys conduct the exercise with stern, determined faces while the instructor... MORE

Teens get into formation under the supervision of Army Spc. Ian Carefoot, an instructor at the Project Challenge training facility, here Feb. 28, 2011. The course is operated by the Arizona National Guard, civilians, veteran service members, as well as Guard members, who provide coaching and mentorship to teens in need of redirecting their lives' decisions.

Defense Department releases energy conservation roadmap
March 12, 2012 — WASHINGTON - The Defense Department Friday released an implementation plan for cutting energy consumption in military operationsOfficials released a strategy in June outlining the need for energy... MORE

First lady greeted by Missouri Guard members, families during recent stop-off
March 12, 2012 — KANSAS CITY, Mo.- First lady Michelle Obama visited with nine Missouri National Guard members and their Families on March 5 when her plane touched down at the Kansas City International Airport.While... MORE

First Lady Michelle Obama hugs Jennie Schueller, the wife of Army Staff Sgt. Andrew Schueller, of Missouri Army National Guard's the 1-138th Infantry Regiment, during a meet and greet on March 5, 2012 at Kansas City International Airport. The first lady greeted the Guard members and their families while passing through Kansas City.

Ham encourages enlisted Soldiers to earn their commissions as officers
March 12, 2012 — WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Carter Ham, the commander of U.S. Africa Command, is urging enlisted Soldiers who are looking for a new challenge to step up and become an officer through the Army's Green to... MORE

Joint Staff Deputy Director for Regional Operations Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, U.S. Army, briefs Pentagon reporters on recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq on May 31, 2006. DoD photo by R. D. Ward. (Released)

Kuwait: Guard members participate in coveted Army class
March 12, 2012 — CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - Two nights a week, a group of Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians meets in a darkened conference room, almost like a secret society.But it's not a secret. This group... MORE

Jack Gross, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and Instructor, observes a class of student soldiers in a recent Lean Six Sigma Green Belt class as they conduct one of the many exercises here, Feb. 23, 2011.

Illinois Guard members, Consul General of Poland celebrate Pulaski Day
March 9, 2012 — CHICAGO - Members from the Illinois National Guard, The Consul General of the Republic of Poland, Polish civic leadership and former Polish Soldiers celebrated the memory of Brig. Gen. Casimir Pulaski... MORE

Illinois National Guard Chief of the Joint of Staff Army Col. Christopher
Lawson, along with other members of the Illinois National Guard, pose with
Deputy Consul General of the Republic of Poland Robert Rusiecki at the
Casimir Pulaski reception held at the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in
Chicago, Mar. 8, 2012.

North Dakota National Guard musicians win Army honors
March 9, 2012 — FARGO, N.D. - Two Soldiers from the North Dakota National Guard's 188th Army Band were honored as among the Army's best Feb. 27.Army Sgt. DeAnn Fylling was named 2011 Reserve Component Army Band... MORE

Army Sgt. DeAnn Fylling, left, has been named 2011 Reserve Component Army Band Junior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year while Army Spc. Aaron Bedford is runner-up for the 2011 Reserve Component Army Band Soldier of the Year. Both Soldiers are members of the North Dakota National Guard's 188th Army Band.

Pennsylvania Air Guard member named Air Force Athlete of the Year
March 9, 2012 — Harrisburg, Pa. - Pennsylvania Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Emily Shertzer has been chosen by the Air Force as the Athlete of the Year for her sustained success in military athletic... MORE

Active-duty downsizing should benefit Reserve forces
March 8, 2012 — WASHINGTON - A policy board plans to ask Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta to highlight service in the reserve forces as a good option for outgoing active duty members during downsizing.In its first... MORE

Hawaii counterdrug program offers a second chance to at risk youth and families
March 8, 2012 — HONOLULU - As Alexander Pope said, "To err is human." For young people, errors can have a detrimental impact on the rest of their life. However, Pope also said, "To forgive is divine." Here in Hawaii,... MORE

Army Staff Sgt. Celeste Paglinawan and Army Sgt. Bernie Bumanglag, both with the Hawaii National Guard, facilitate the troubled youth of the Kokua Ohana Aloha Program.

Obama: Troops, veterans will benefit from housing settlement
March 8, 2012 — WASHINGTON - Thousands of service members and veterans whose mortgages were wrongfully foreclosed on, or who were improperly denied lower mortgage interest rates in the national housing crisis, can... MORE

Program to expedite security for troops at Reagan Airport announced
March 8, 2012 — WASHINGTON - Some service members traveling out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport soon will be able to speed through security as part of a joint Defense Department and Transportation... MORE

West Virginia National Guard members rescue stranded citizen after tornado
March 8, 2012 — KIAHSVILLE, W.Va. - On the evening of March 2, Janet LynnPorterfield - a resident from here - was doing something most of the state was doing: watching the development of a tornado on TV.But unlike... MORE

Army Spc. Timothy Copley, an infantryman with the West Virginia Army National Guard, picks up an unscathed picture from the ruins of resident, Janet Porterfields home March 5, 2012. Porterfield was trapped in her house for three days as National Guard Soldiers and Department of Highway workers struggled to clear fallen trees and debris out of the road.

Soldiers on path to success at National Guard Patriot Academy
March 6, 2012 — MUSCATATUCK URBAN TRAINING CENTER, Ind. - People face challenges every day and some of them can be more difficult than others, but regardless of what those challenges are or where they originate from,... MORE

Army Pfc. David Huff, Army Pvt. Tylor Dolfi, and Army Pvt. Evan Dancer, stand proudly in front of the National Guard Patriot Academy at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Ind., Feb. 17, 2012. The three Alaska Army National Guard members are attending the National Guard Patriot Academy and are currently on track to earn their high school diplomas by the end of the summer.

Afghanistan: Georgia Guard welcomes visit from Bulgarian president
March 6, 2012 — KABUL, Afghanistan - After being in office for only a little over 30 days, the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, and his delegation paid a special visit to his deployed... MORE

Army Col. Andy L. Hall, the commander of the 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade and Task Force Hydra, welcomes the Republic of Bulgaria's President, Rosen Plevneliev, to Camp Phoenix Feb. 29, 2012.

Indiana Guard members compete for best-of-the-best competition
March 6, 2012 — EDINBURGH, Ind. - Screams and cheers of encouragement filled the air as Indiana Army National Guard Soldiers navigated over obstacles designed to give the most skilled amongst them a challenge – all... MORE

Army Spc. Derek Thrasher, from the Directorate of Plans, Training, and Mobilization office at Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center, Ind., climbs a five-foot wall March 4, 2012 here during a qualification competition for the 2012 Indiana Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition. The three-day competition included several events to determine the best qualified to compete in the state competition.

North Carolina Guard member among those to meet first lady Obama
March 6, 2012 — RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina National Guard Army Staff Sgt. Stacy Garner is ready for anything. She has excelled while completing the Army Air Assault School and even deployed to a combat zone in... MORE

First Lady Michelle Obama arrives at Raleigh-Durham International Airport where she greeted active duty, National Guard and veteran service members along with their families from all branches of the military here, March 2, 2012. Here Obama talks to North Carolina Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Stacy Gardner and her family.

'Serving Our Troops' serves families, Minnesota Guard members at home, deployed
March 6, 2012 — ST. PAUL, Minn. - Soldiers currently deployed with the 1st Brigade Combat Team come from more than 500 Minnesota communities, but they all have one thing in common - each of them has a family they... MORE

Dozens of Delta volunteers showed up to help at a Serving Our Troops event at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Feb. 25, 2012. More than 3,000 steak dinners were served to the families of deployed Minnesota National Guard 1st Brigade Combat Team Soldiers, while approximately 13,000 steak dinners were simultaneously served to service members at five military bases in and around Kuwait City. Throughout the meal, families were connected with their Soldier through live video feed and chats. This is the ninth project for the Minnesota-based group, with more than 70,000 steak dinners being served around the world since 2004.

Texas National Guard members support local authorities in emergency exercise
March 6, 2012 — EL CAMPO, Texas - Soldiers from Joint Task Force 71 received the activation call at 3:45 a.m. following the alleged terrorist incident. Within two hours, the men and women of the minuteman brigade... MORE

Guard members with Joint Task Force-71 support local and civil authorities during the El Campo Memorial Hospital Exercise, March 3, 2012. The training event, which simulated several hazardous and first response incidents, tested the alert and response capabilities of the different participating agencies. JTF-71 frequently engages joint and interagency exercises to improve department cooperation and communication.

Wyoming National Guard, Tunisia partnership expanding
March 5, 2012 — CHEYENNE, Wyo. - The African nation of Tunisia and the Wyoming National Guard are furthering their relationship a year after a Tunisian revolution kicked off the Arab Spring.The two countries were... MORE

The U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia, Gordon Gray, right, meets with Rick Kaysen, mayor of Cheyenne, Wyo., left; Army Maj. Gen. Luke Reiner, Wyoming adjutant general, center right; and Army Maj. Jim Cudney, the bilateral affairs officer in the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia, Office of Security Cooperation, Feb. 16, 2012. The ambassador's visit was part of the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program.

Maryland Air Guard Conducts Combat Search and Rescue Training in Wisconsin

Missouri Airmen Go Analog in Cyber Attack Simulation

Idaho Army National Guard, Boise Fire Department Conduct Water Rescue

Pennsylvania Guard Aviation Partners with Coast Guard

Arizona National Guard’s Task Force SAFE Strengthens Border Security