Guard News - The National Guard

Officials raise awareness of special needs programs
July 23, 2009 — WASHINGTON, D.C. - Pentagon officials want all military families with special needs to be enrolled in the Defense Department's Exceptional Family Member program.Though more than 90,000 military... MORE

Sisterhood of the Travelling BDUs
July 23, 2009 — SAN DIEGO - Two California teenagers are honoring National Guard parents, who have had to pack up their BDUs and travel to overseas locations or natural disasters at home, in a project they have named... MORE

Moranda Hern, 17, and Kaylei Deakin, 16, discuss their experiences as daughters of California National Guardsmen during the Adjutant General's Symposium on Family Readiness in Burlingame, Calif., earlier this year. The two girls plan to hold a conference for the daughters of California Guardsmen next year.

Respite Care Offers Families Valuable Rest
July 17, 2009 — ALEXANDRIA, Va. - For Army families who are responsible for regular care of persons with disabilities, the Exceptional Family Member Program Respite Care Program provides a temporary rest period for... MORE

Heartwarming film pays tribute to Maine troop greeters
July 16, 2009 — NEW YORK CITY - Military personnel and families will want to see the theatrical release of a new independent film running July 17-23 here at the IFC Center in Manhattan. The movie is also for... MORE

Florida spouses deploy together for Iraq mission
July 10, 2009 — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - When Pfc. Joseph James deploys this month, he won't have to say goodbye to his wife Samantha - she will be beside him throughout the year-long mission to Iraq.The James, both... MORE

Pfcs. Samantha and Joseph James of the 1218th Transportation Company pose for a photo outside of the unit's armory in West Palm Beach, Fla., July 1, 2009. The James' are one of the three married couples - all truck drivers - who are deploying with the unit in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Air Force assists with adoption expenses
July 7, 2009 — RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - With thousands of children available for adoption in the U.S. alone, and with adoption fees that can reach well into the thousands of dollars, the Air Force is helping... MORE

Kids encouraged to participate in disaster preparedness
June 26, 2009 — WASHINGTON, D.C. - Hurricane season is underway, and families need to be prepared."Now is the time to make your plan if you don't have one, or rehearse your old plan," said Jim Platt, deputy director... MORE

Youth Camp connects Missouri Guard kids from across the state
June 26, 2009 — ST LOUIS, Mo. - In its third year, the Missouri National Guard State Family Program’s Youth Camp brought together nearly 50 kids ages 10 to 17 from across the state to enjoy three days of team... MORE

From left to right: Lane Schmidt, of Sullivan, Morgan Brooks, of O'Fallon and Ashley Anderson, of Columbia, race for first place in the four-legged relay during a youth camp held by the Missouri National Guard.

Web site to open sign-ups for post-9/11 GI Bill transfers
June 24, 2009 — WASHINGTON, D.C. - It's official. The Defense Department signed off yesterday on policies and procedures servicemembers will use to transfer their unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to their spouses or... MORE

DoD works to lessen impact of deployments on children
June 23, 2009 — WASHINGTON, D.C. - Defense Department officials are working aggressively to reduce the impact of multiple deployments on the children of military families."The department recognizes that these... MORE

President acknowledges military father's sacrifices, contributions
June 22, 2009 — WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Barack Obama recognized in his Father's Day proclamation the sacrifices military fathers make every day, and hosted the Military Father of the Year today at the White... MORE

A 59-year-old Florida National Guard Soldier serving in Iraq got an early Father's Day present recently as he met up with his 21-year-old grandson, who is also deployed to the combat zone. Staff Sgt. Paul Weekley, a member of B Company, 146th Signal Battalion, reunited with his grandson Spc. Cory Lincourt briefly at Victory Base Complex shortly before Father's Day. Lincourt is an Air and Missile Defense crewmember attached to the 108th Airborne Brigade. Prior to deploying to Iraq last Fall, Weekley said he hoped to cross paths with grandson while in Southwest Asia. "If I can get over there and get with him, I'm gonna try," Weekley said before his unit left Florida. "It isn't every day you get a grandfather and grandson serving together over there." Weekley is also a Vietnam veteran, and joined the Florida National Guard in 1973. His unit is based in Pensacola, Fla., and is scheduled to return later this year.

Kids deserve medals too
June 22, 2009 — CENTENNIAL, Colo. - Nine-year-old Colby Allen, a fourth-grader at Lone Tree Elementary School, knew he was receiving something special from his father for being away so long in a war, but he had no... MORE

Capt. Derwin Allen acknowledges his nine-year-old son Colby after placing the Yellow Ribbon Program's hero medal around his neck during a ceremony in Colby's fourth-grade class at Lone Tree Elementary School on June 2, 2009. The hero medal acknowledges the sons and daughters of deployed parents. Colby's father was deployed to Afghanistan for nine months and he did not see him for a year.

Wives and mothers of fallen Illinois Guard Soldiers enjoy a day of pampering
June 12, 2009 — CHICAGO - Some lost a son. Others lost a husband. All lost someone who meant the world to them. While they mourned, people told them it was time to think about themselves."You forget about... MORE

Lisa Otto of Oregon, Ill., mother of fallen hero Spc. Norman Cain, was treated to her first manicure yesterday at Dana Spa in Chicago as part of the USO of Illinois Diva for a Day. Otto and other Illinois Army National Guard mothers and wives were pampered with manicures, pedicures, facials and massages. Cain, who was assigned to 1st Battalion 178th Infantry in Woodstock, Ill., was killed in action in Afghanistan March 15.

Army identifies primary crisis intervention resources
June 4, 2009 — WASHINGTON - Soldiers, Army civilians and their families in need of crisis intervention now have two resources to call for assistance, as the Army has identified Military OneSource and the Defense... MORE

City in Oklahoma appoints ambassador to military families
June 3, 2009 — WASHINGTON, D.C. - Having been part of their tightly knit community all her life, Teresa Vance always has had an interest in military families. Her father made a career out of the Army, serving in... MORE

The city commission of Enid, Okla., has appointed Teresa Vance as the city's official ambassador to military families. Vance was born into an Army family and married a career naval officer.

Illinois agencies help prepare for returning Soldiers
May 20, 2009 — SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Coming home from a deployment overseas is exciting for Soldiers, but can also lead to a mix of emotions, actions, reactions and consequences.Several state, federal, and local... MORE

'Her War' podcast aims to help military wives
May 20, 2009 — WASHINGTON, D.C. - When Melissa Seligman's husband left for his second deployment to Iraq, she knew all too well what was expected of her."I was expected to be the nice, caring, understanding military... MORE

ANG bands build 'bonds of friendship' through music
May 20, 2009 — VOLK FIELD, Wis. - Collectively they are armed with everything from bass guitars and drum sticks to keyboards and microphones. They are Airmen ... better yet, they are rock band Airmen.Their mission... MORE

Airman 1st Class Johanna Brooks, Air National Guard - Band of the Northwest member, sings a pop song as part of their concert practice following a full day of pre-deployment training at Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, Wis., April 17. Two other bands participated in the training which readies 30 ANG band members to deploy overseas to aid a strained active duty band element this summer.

Highlander Infantry Soldiers promote good fun
May 20, 2009 — JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - Washington Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment Soldiers took time off from the roads to enjoy camaraderie while promoting unit cohesion during the... MORE

Capt. David N. Redmond, of Everett, Wash., with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, leads the Highlander pack at the start of the 5K run during the Highlander games at Joint Base Balad, Iraq April 30.

KFOR removes barriers in Kosovo
May 20, 2009 — CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - Imagine a life in which you lived in fear of bombs falling from the sky and mines littering the ground. You would not feel very safe and would constantly worry about your home... MORE

Soldiers with the Alpha Company Aztecs, 79th BSTB, Task Force Nightstalkers, and with Liaison Monitoring Team One Task Force LMT move sandbags from a Hercules Engineering Solutions Consortium (HESCO) barrier during a mission to beautify the Kamenica Cultural Center in Kamenica/Kamenice, Kosovo.

Virginia National Guard Team Trains for Disaster Response

D.C. Air Guard Makes Improvements at Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy

Maine Guard Airmen Exercise Rapid-Response Communications Skills

Louisiana Guard Hosts International Interrogation Competition to Build Readiness

Air Reserve Component Test Center Marks Milestone With F-35 Test Force at Eglin AFB