Guard News - The National Guard

Indiana Guard, ISU reach agreement on use of restricted air space
December 19, 2011 — TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Indiana National Guard recently teamed up with Indiana State University in Terre Haute by officially entering into an agreement to share restricted airspace with the state... MORE

Kentucky Guard members fly-in school supplies for Afghan schools
December 19, 2011 — KAPISA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - More than 600 children received a surprise Dec. 3 when Soldiers from the Kentucky Army National Guard showed up at their school with more than 50 boxes full of school... MORE

Army Sgt. Heather Carrier, a Kentucky Guard member with Agribusiness Development Team 3, passes out school supplies to Afghan students at a local school in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan Dec. 3, 2011.

Alaska National Guard brings Santa to remote villages
December 19, 2011 — WALES, Alaska - Santa, Mrs. Claus and 35 helpers brought Operation Santa Claus and holiday cheer via an Alaska National Guard C-130 to the small, remote Alaska village of Wales Dec. 9.The Alaska Air... MORE

David Anungazuk, 7, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, in Wales, Dec. 9, 2011. The Clauses, along with about 35 volunteers from Anchorage, were in Wales for an Operation Santa Claus mission in coordination with the Alaska National Guard.

DOD sets goal to financially empower service members, families
December 16, 2011 — WASHINGTON - The need for quality financial education and protections for service members and their families will not diminish even as more than a decade of war begins to draw to a close, a Defense... MORE

Afghanistan: Video may have 'killed the radio star' but Virginia National Guard brings radio alive in rural areas
December 16, 2011 — ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The song "Video killed the radio star" was the first video played on MTV in 1981 and launched a music revolution. While the stars may be "dead," radio is not - not here... MORE

An Army National Guard Soldier of the 116th Infantry Battalion, Virginia National Guard, with assistance of a Romanian soldier, sets up a shortwave antenna at Forward Operating Base Lagman, Afghanistan, Dec. 6, 2011. The short wave antenna is part of the effort to enhance communication between the supporting military elements and the local people in rural areas of the country.

Army National Guard Soldiers saves lives in, out of uniform
December 16, 2011 — EDINBURGH, Ind. - While serving in the military, many service members expect to perform their duties while in uniform and to kick back, relax and not think of work at the end of the day. Army National... MORE

Army National Guard Sgt. Gerald Dick, a combat medic assigned to the Troop Medical Clinic at Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center, Ind., administers an intravenous line to a Soldier here Dec. 14, 2011. Dick, a licensed practical nurse and case manager at Camp Atterbury, is "always" on duty and has rendered medical assistance during to two separate vehicle accidents earlier this year while not on duty.

Army Chief of Staff issues instructions for Guard, Reserve Soldiers demobilizing over holidays
December 16, 2011 — ARLINGTON, Va. - Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno issued instructions Wednesday regarding reserve component Soldiers who will be demobilizing at bases in the United States over the... MORE

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno

Afghanistan: Missouri National Guard Agribusiness Development Team teaches Afghans safe meat processing
December 16, 2011 — NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Inspector Abdul Wahid stands prominently at the head of an examination table surrounded by a huddle of his colleagues. The group of men observes him carefully inspect... MORE

Army National Guard Maj. Samuel Forester, executive officer of the Missouri Agribusiness Development Team, leads an instructional seminar for Afghan government officials on meat inspection in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. Forester is also a U.S. Department of Agriculture certified meat inspector and his main goal was to show agricultural officials how to work with available resources to educate farmers and commercial butchers on good sanitation practices and animal health.

West Virginia Air Guard unit testing ground for flight mask development
December 16, 2011 — MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Develop one aircrew mask that can be used on over 100 different air frames. This is the challenge for researchers assigned to the Joint Service Aircrew Mask-Fixed Wing... MORE

Erin Kennedy, a chemical engineer for the Army and the Joint Service Aircrew Mask-Fixed Wing Research Team test and evaluation lead, listens to feedback from Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Michael Lindamood during a field evaluation of the mask at the West Virginia Air National Guard in Martinsburg, W.Va., Dec. 7, 2011. The Department of Defense research team had aircrew in each of the flying positions don the mask and accompanying gear and perform their duties on a C-5 Galaxy aircraft.

Famous military mom works to boost family support
December 15, 2011 — WASHINGTON - The wife of the nation's vice president walked into a crowded gym at a dusty Army base in the Iraqi desert and was greeted like a rock star.Soldiers were crowded onto bleachers - a sea of... MORE

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, speaks with soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division's 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team during an Independence Day barbecue on Camp Victory, Iraq, July 4, 2010.

Iraq: Panetta concludes Iraq mission, notes service, sacrifice of military members
December 15, 2011 — BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta joined Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin Dempsey and other U.S. and Iraq leaders in honoring eight years of service and sacrifice as they... MORE

Afghanistan: Indiana Guard members train farmers in Khowst
December 14, 2011 — KHOWST PROVINCE - Since November, more than 400 Khowst farmers have taken part in training focused on improving local knowledge of livestock nutrition and proper application of vaccines and... MORE

Farmers from the Mandozai district of Khowst province learn about nutrition and animal care during a class at the Mandozai district center Dec. 1, 2011. This was class was just one of many sponsored by the Indiana National Guard's 4-19th Agribusiness Development Team, which has brought animal husbandry training to more than 400 farmers in the province.

Cake Boss helps National Guard celebrate 375 years, donates iconic cake
December 14, 2011 — ARLINGTON, Va. - To help the National Guard celebrate its 375th birthday Tuesday, a crew from Cake Boss drove four hours to present a professionally decorated cake to National Guard members and... MORE

Cake Boss head decorator, Mauro Castano, explains the 375th birthday cake creation process to Army Lt. Gen. William Ingram Jr., director of the Army National Guard, at the Army National Guard Readiness Center in Arlington, Va., Dec. 13, 2011. The cake was part of the celebration for the 375th birthday of the National Guard.

National Guard Soldier, educator earns prestigious teaching certification at White House
December 14, 2011 — COLUMBIA, S.C. - Becoming a nationally recognized educator is a lofty accomplishment and for one South Carolina Army National Guard member, that achievement became a reality as she was one of about... MORE

Army National Guard Lt. Col. Evet Jefferson, of the South Carolina National Guard, poses with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at the White House in Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 2011, as part of a ceremony recognizing teachers who recently achieved National Board Certification. Jefferson is a high school teacher in Columbia, S.C., and serves in the mobilization section at the Joint Forces Headquarters for her military drill weekends, also in Columbia.

New York National Guard instrumental to Reaper training mission on ground, in air
December 14, 2011 — FORT DRUM, N.Y. - This fall, for the first time ever, the airspace above Fort Drum was graced with a 10,500-pound unmanned aircraft performing an essential operation. It was a pivotal moment that... MORE

The MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle the "Reaper" can cruise airborne at about 250 miles per hour and between 15,000 and 20,000 feet. It has the ability to fly for up to 15 hours with a full-motion video that can be streamed back to a tactical operations center or command and control center for first-response missions. The aircraft also is capable of acquiring targets and tracking them for long periods of time from high altitudes with its camera system.

National Guard, Botswana Defence Force share military intelligence practices
December 13, 2011 — GABORONE, Botswana - Two U.S. generals led a team of four other seasoned intelligence and operations officers to meet with the top leaders of the Botswana Defence Force during the AFRICOM Sponsored... MORE

Army Sgt. Major Kamodi, noncommissioned officer in charge of the Botswana Defence Force Wildlife Training Center, explains to Army Maj. Gen. Greg Lusk, adjutant general of the North Carolina National Guard and Army Maj. Gen. Edward Leacock of the Defense Intelligence Agency, how they train BDF Soldiers to react to various predators to prepare Botswana soldiers to conduct patrols in the bush areas of the country in November 2011. The North Carolina National Guard and Botswana are partners through the National Guard State Partnership Program.

Vets4Warriors offers Guard members, reservists peer-to-peer counseling
December 13, 2011 — WASHINGTON - In an effort to face the unique challenges of providing peer counseling, the National Guard unveiled, during a ceremony at Capitol Hill today, its newest initiative,... MORE

Military’s top senior enlisted leader says one suicide one too many, urges leadership at all levels to help
December 12, 2011 — WASHINGTON - Military leaders are committed to reducing suicides in the ranks, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, the Defense Department's top enlisted leader, said here last week.Battaglia,... MORE

Marine Corps Sgt. Major Brian Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Illinois National Guard to train with Polish army, preparing for 2012 deployment together
December 12, 2011 — SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Someone headed to war surrounded by foreign troops might have reason to be a bit apprehensive, but Army National Guard Col. Michael Zerbonia is calm and confident.Perhaps this is... MORE

Army Maj. Gen. William Enyart, the adjutant general of the Illinois National Guard, receives the Polish Army Medal from Polish Land Forces Commander Lieutenant General Zbigniew Glowienka on Sept. 23. 2011. The Illinois National Guard and Poland have been partners through the National Guard State Partnership Program since 1993.

Afghanistan: Oklahoma Army, Air National Guard units team up in air, on ground
December 12, 2011 — LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The Oklahoma Army and Air National Guards are not new to serving together, especially during training or state activations. However, this is the first time the state... MORE

Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Brandon White, a joint terminal attack controller with the 146th Air Support Operation Squadron of the Oklahoma National Guard, communicates with aircraft personnel, circling above during operations in northern Laghman province, Afghanistan, to disrupt insurgent activity in the area Nov. 15, 2011.

Civic Leaders Fly With Alaska Air Guard During Red Flag Alaska 25-2

Washington Army Guard Trains in Water Bucket Operations

Alaska Army Guard Rescues Family Stranded on River During Storm

lowa Airmen Take Training to New Heights

West Virginia Guard Continues Flood Cleanup Efforts