Guard News - The National Guard

'Hodgepodge' convoy escort platoon comes together to get job done
February 20, 2007 — CAMP ADDER, Iraq - Combat logistics patrol teams are normally comprised mostly of military police officers, trained from day one to perform the inherently dangerous mission of escorting supply trucks... MORE

National Guard Assists in Storm-Battered New York
February 15, 2007 — WASHINGTON - About 100 troops from the New York Army National Guard are assisting in snow removal in upstate New York, where winter storms have left more than 10 feet of snow in some areas over the... MORE

South Dakota National Guard engineers support border mission
February 9, 2007 — NOGALES, Ariz. – Heavy road construction equipment operators with the South Dakota Army National Guard's 842nd Engineer Company have spent their annual training reconstructing a 1.5 mile section of... MORE

Florida National Guard assists in deadly storm recovery
February 5, 2007 — LADY LAKE, Fla. - When violent storms tore through central Florida on Friday, Feb. 2, the Lady Lake Church of God was leveled by a tornado that literally tore the building to pieces.A day later... MORE

Florida National Guard Ready to Assist After Tornado Strike
February 2, 2007 — WASHINGTON - More than 8,000 Florida National Guard members are ready to assist local authorities after a tornado touched down in the central part of the state early this morning, a Florida National... MORE

Illinois Soldiers Follow 'Da Bears' to Big Game in Miami
February 1, 2007 — LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, Iraq - Many soldiers from the 1744th Transportation Company weren't alive the last time the Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl, in 1986.But about half of the unit's... MORE

Soldiers from the 1744th Transportation Company celebrate as Chicago Bear Bernard Berrian catches a touchdown pass from quarterback Rex Grossman in the Chicago Bears' victory over the New Orleans Saints in the National Football Conference Championship game, Jan. 21. Pictured are: Spc Daniel Barsi (front left raising his fist in the air), Staff Sgt. Joseph Geymayel (back left), Spc. Kyle Hollingsworth (in the doorway), Spc. Annette Uriostegui (back right), and Spc. Brianna Mariani.

Commission Hears Testimony on Future of Guard's Top Post
January 31, 2007 — WASHINGTON - The Commission on the National Guard and Reserves heard testimony here today from three top leaders concerning how best to empower the Guard through its top leadership position.Congress... MORE

Alaska ANG Integration Moves Airmen from Kulis to Elmendorf
January 30, 2007 — WASHINGTON - The 176th Wing, Kulis Air National Guard Base, Alaska, and associated aircraft, will relocate to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, in accordance with the 2005 BRAC Commission... MORE

Lieutenant General H Steven Blum Extended as Chief, National Guard Bureau
January 29, 2007 — The National Guard Bureau Chief, Lieutenant General H Steven Blum was notified January 26 that the United States Senate confirmed his nomination for a two-year extension in his current position. In... MORE

Breaking gender barriers in war: Female combat medics earn respect from Afghan Army
January 26, 2007 — GARDEZ, Afghanistan - A Oregon Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Jo Turner, and Spc. Cheryl Ivanov have found a niche in a "Good Ol' Boys' Club" while serving in Afghanistan.Turner, from Springfield,... MORE

Oregon Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Jo Turner (left) and Spc. Cheryl Ivanov are battle buddies who stick together and help each other cope with the emotional and mental stress of combat operations in Afghanistan.

Established Procedures Followed After Black Hawk Crash
January 26, 2007 — WASHINGTON - Coalition forces followed established "aircraft down" procedures when reacting to the crash of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter Jan. 20 in Diyala province in which 12 U.S. servicemembers... MORE

More Texas National Guard Called Up to Protect U.S.-Mexico Border
January 24, 2007 — WASHINGTON - More than 600 Texas National Guardsmen were activated by the state's governor Jan. 22 to support a surge operation targeting crime and international drug and human trafficking along the... MORE

Guard mourns 10 Soldiers killed in helicopter crash in Iraq
January 24, 2007 — ARLINGTON, Va. - Ten Army National Guard Soldiers, including a grandmother who was a senior noncommissioned officer and two men who were nicknamed "the Senator" and "Big Daddy,"... MORE

Fighting corruption in Afghanistan; Police Training Improves Professionalism
January 21, 2007 — MAZAR-E SHARIF, Afghanistan - Reforming the Afghan police force is a difficult challenge that Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V is tackling head on in Northern Afghanistan. Six U.S. military... MORE

Two senior Afghan policemen demonstrate the proper use of a baton to subdue suspects. New recruits as well as policemen in the Transitional Integration Course receive instruction on the proper use of force and human rights during their training at the regional training center.

Duty Day with God
January 19, 2007 — UR, Iraq - The Ziggurat, a 50-foot pyramid temple, towers over the vast Iraqi desert. Less than a mile away sits the royal palace, which was the capital of Sumeria more than 6,000 years ago. This is... MORE

Dhief Muhsen, curator for the historical sites at Ur, shows Soldiers from the 449th Aviation Support Battalion, 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, how the city used to look several thousand years ago. (U.S. Army photo by

California Air National Guard F-16 crashes in remote area
January 19, 2007 — FRESNO, Calif. - A California Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed at approximately 10:30 a.m. Jan. 19 in Owens Valley, Calif. while on a routine training mission.The pilot ejected safely... MORE

An F-16 Fighting Falcon like these from the California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno, Calif., crashed at approximately 10:30 a.m. Jan. 19 in Owens Valley, Calif. The pilot ejected safely.

Guard rolls out for yet another Midwest storm
January 17, 2007 — ARLINGTON, Va. - More than 600 Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen in Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas have been called out in response to the latest in a series of severe winter storms to blanket the... MORE

Wyoming Air National Guard loadmasters aboard a C-130 Hercules aircraft watch as a 1-ton hay bale lands near a herd of cows during an emergency feeding mission in southeast Colorado Jan. 3, 2007. The hay is being dropped near La Junta, Colo., to help feed livestock that have been stranded from a snow storm that has impacted the area.

Governors, adjutants general support new 12-month mobilization policy
January 17, 2007 — ARLINGTON, Va. - The nation's governors and adjutants general have expressed their universal support and appreciation for the recently announced change to Department of Defense policy that will limit... MORE

Now driving for the Guard: Casey Mears takes wheel of No. 25
January 17, 2007 — ARLINGTON, Va. - Casey Mears says the honor is all his. "It's just a big honor" Mears said shortly after he was introduced as the National Guard's new Guard Car driver at the Army National Guard... MORE

Casey Mears, the National Guard's new Guard Car Driver, poses with Lt. Gen. Clyde A. Vaughn, the director of the Army National Guard, and Lance McGrew, crew chief, at the Army National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington Hall, on Jan. 12, 2007. Mears will drive the new #25 National Guard GMAC Chevy Monte Carlo SS with Hendrick Motorsports in this year's NASCAR Nextel Cup series.

Hall: New Policies to Relieve Stress, Promote Unit Cohesion
January 17, 2007 — WASHINGTON - The new Defense Department policy limiting the duration of call-ups to 12 months is already in effect for National Guard and reserve members being ordered to active duty, the senior DoD... MORE

Guard Bureau Chief Promotes Partnerships at Defense Services Asia Exhibition

Virginia Guard Takes Holistic Approach to Health, Readiness

West Virginia’s 167th Wing Conducts Readiness Exercise

New York Army Guard Hosts Regional Best Warrior Competition

Alaska Guard Helps Provide Free Health Care to Kodiak Residents