Guard News - The National Guard

Army Guard helicopters primed for Southwest border duty
April 5, 2007 — GULFPORT, Miss. - The first of three-dozen upgraded and overhauled OH-58 Kiowa helicopters are scheduled to arrive on the U.S. border with Mexico in April to boost the National Guards support to the... MORE

Staff Sgt. Dennis Tillery refits an Army National Guard OH-58 Kiowa helicopter for Operation Jump Start (OJS) duty at the Mississippi Army National Guard's 1108th Aviation Classification and Repair Depot (AVCRAD) in Gulfport, Miss., on March 23, 2007. Thirty-six Kiowas are being upgraded and overhauled at the National Guard's four AVCRADs for OJS, the National Guard's mission to assist the Border Patrol in securing the U.S. border with Mexico. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jim Greenhill) (Released)

'Only one chance' First honor guard competition strives for excellence among Guard teams
April 5, 2007 — RENO, Nev. - Staff Sgt. Jeromy Turner knows all about the finality of funerals, about the idea that you have only one chance to make a good first impression."We only have one chance per veteran. We... MORE

Sgt. Charles Rice commands the Oregon honor guard's firing detail during the National Guard Bureau's first National Honor Guard Competition held in Reno, Nev., from March 20-22. The team won the competition. Team members are, from left, Sgt. Robert "Luke" Summers, Sgt. Kenneth Kaiser, Spc. Scott Mahe, Sgt. Thomas Barella, Sgt. Timothy Tompkins, and Staff Sgt Jeromy Turner, the team's noncommissioned officer in charge.

Army medic recalls his actions during convoy attack
April 3, 2007 — BALAD, Iraq - "Watch any war movie," said Spc. James Black, "and you always see some crazy and brave guy with a red cross on his arm doing the impossible to save his brothers “ that is what people... MORE

Spc. James Black, a combat medic formerly attached to the Lincoln, Neb.-based 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry Regiment, poses for a photo while preparing for a convoy mission.

Citizen-Soldier molds future
March 30, 2007 — BARBERTON, Ohio - he hallways of Barberton High School bustled with activity as students hurried to get to class on time. As the bell rang, students in one classroom settled into their seats to face a... MORE

Henry D. Muren, a mathematics teacher at Barberton High School and a staff sergeant in the Ohio Army National Guard, explains a problem to his class while solving it on the board.

Ohio Airman paces all others in Air National Guard recruiting
March 30, 2007 — An Airman from the Toledo-based 180th Fighter Wing was recently recognized for leading the Air National Guard in accessions through the Guard Recruiter Assistance Program (G-RAP). Maj. Gen. Gregory L... MORE

Staff Sgt. Ashley Schmidt, 180th Fighter Wing, receives an award from Col Mark Bartman, 180th FW commander, for leading the Air National Guard in the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP) enlistments since the program began in April 2006. The program is designed for military members who want to volunteer to become recruiting assistants.

Air Force announces milestone in force transformation
March 27, 2007 — WASHINGTON - The Secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff recently announced the completion of the next phase of Total Force Integration initiatives after discussions with Airmen from the... MORE

Commission: Changes Needed to Ensure Long-Term Guard Readiness
March 26, 2007 — WASHINGTON - The National Guard has problems that affect its readiness, particularly at home, but fixing them requires a sweeping, intergovernmental effort, the chairman of the Commission on the... MORE

Helicopter crews help prevent flooding in Maryland
March 26, 2007 — OAKLAND, Md. - Soldiers and their helicopters from two Maryland National Guard aviation companies were called out in early March to move pumps into position to drain water from an overflowing... MORE

A Maryland Army National Guard CH-47D Chinook helicopter from Company B, 3rd battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, assists local authorities by hauling two giant pumps used to relieve pressure on a dam in the western Maryland town of Oakland on March 7, 2007. The dam had become dangerously full when a submerged outflow pipe had become clogged with sticks and mud placed by beavers.

Ohio Air Guard unit best food services operation
March 23, 2007 — COLUMBUS, Ohio - The 121st Air Refueling Wing Services Flight located at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, earned the title of "The Best Food Service Operation in the Air... MORE

Tech. Sgt. Derrick McElrath serves lunch during the Disney competition.

Alaska Air National Guard aid injured British Sailor
March 23, 2007 — ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFNEWS) - Airmen in Alaska came through for a wounded British Sailor March 21 when he was injured during a deadly explosion aboard the Royal Navy submarine HMS... MORE

An Alaska Air National Guard HC-130 aircraft like this one from the 211th Rescue Squadron, with pararescuemen aboard from the 212th Rescue Squadron, evacuated an injured British Sailor March 21 from Deadhorse to Anchorage where he received medical treatment. The Sailor, assigned to Royal Navy submarine HMS Tireless, was injured during a deadly explosion while the vessel operated in Arctic waters north of Prudhoe Bay.

Maintainers keep Guard aerovacs flying to Balad and back
March 23, 2007 — RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - Thousands of coalition forces who have been injured during Operation Iraqi Freedom have been flown to modern medical facilities thanks to people who can turn a... MORE

Maintenance airmen from the 172nd Airlift Wing, Mississippi Air National Guard work on the flightline at Ramstein Air Base, Germany on March 4.

Air Guard retirement process goes online
March 20, 2007 — DENVER (AFNEWS) - Eligible members of the Air National Guard can now submit retirement applications electronically via the virtual Personnel Center -- Guard and Reserve.This is the second... MORE

Mississippi Guard 'globe-masters' perform medical airlift from Iraq
March 20, 2007 — RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - The Mississippi Air National Guard's 172nd Airlift Wing makes it look easy: how they fly aeromedical evacuation missions (aerovac) to the other side of the world, land in... MORE

Senior Master Sgt. Robert Lundy from the 172nd Airlift Wing, Mississippi Air National Guard monitors a loadmaster station on March 4 aboard a C-17 Globemaster III bound for Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

Deployed Minnesota officer recognized for embodying ideals of leadership
March 19, 2007 — CAMP ADDER, Iraq - In two months, Capt. Scott J. Rohweder is going to receive an award that he doesn't think he deserves.On March 1, he was notified by the Department of the Army that he was one of... MORE

Capt. Scott J. Rohweder, commander of Echo Company, 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 136th Infantry Regiment addresses his Soldiers during a formation in November 2006. Rohweder was recently named as one of 28 company-grade officers who will receive the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award during a ceremony May 16 in Washington, D.C.

Pentagon Channel Documentary Focuses on Guard, Reserve Members
March 19, 2007 — WASHINGTON - They were once known as "weekend warriors," ordinary citizens who gave up just a little bit of their time for minimal military training and a paycheck."What we advertised was one weekend... MORE

Oregon Guardsmen serve unique mission in Operation Jump Start
March 15, 2007 — PHOENIX, Ariz. - Donning protective gear and carrying a weapon while standing watch over the desert landscape. Performing maintenance on UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. Climbing 100-foot communication... MORE

Oregon Army National Guard soldier, Sgt. Ross Willey of Portland, Ore., from Echo Company (Civil Engineer Unit), 3rd Battalion, 116th Calvary, based in Prineville, Ore., welds a railroad tie into place to create a vehicle barrier south of Sasabe, Ariz., on Jan. 19. Willey is working in Arizona as part of Operation Jump Start, supporting U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The barriers will be used to prevent vehicles from illegally crossing the Arizona-Mexico border.

Sheriff network is first call for help for Minnesota Soldiers in Iraq
March 14, 2007 — CAMP ADDER, Iraq - Convoy escort missions are often routine for Red Bull Soldiers, who travel up to 530 miles of Iraq highway. However, some circumstances on the road are anything but routine and... MORE

Minnesota National Guard Soldiers of the Camp Taji sheriff station. Front row, Spc. Joseph Wilson, Spc. Joseph Derrane. Second row, Spc. Christopher Smith, Master Sgt. Paul Hoppe, Staff Sgt. Karl Stocker. Third row, Capt. Edward Vela.

1/34th BCT surpasses $15 million in reenlistment bonuses
March 14, 2007 — CAMP ADDER, Iraq - A Minnesota Army National Guard unit surpassed $15 million in reenlistment bonuses awarded to Soldiers in the unit who have extended their military obligations since deploying here... MORE

(From left) Staff Sgt. Melissa Meger, Sgt. Michael Sayre and Sgts. 1st Class David Drazek and Joseph Schwinghammer, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, recite the oath of reenlistment at the steps of the Ziggurat of Ur.

National Guard Soldiers display 'exemplary' actions during convoy attack
March 14, 2007 — AL ASAD AIRBASE, Iraq - In two National Guard Soldiers' written accounts of an August 2006 attack on their convoy, they used the same words to describe the back of a Humvee that was struck by a 155 mm... MORE

Members of the Mankato, Minn.-based 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment survey the scene of a medical evacuation for three of their Soldiers after a Humvee in their convoy struck a pressure-plate improvised explosive device in the road Aug. 26, 2006. The IED was a 155 mm artillery shell.

Army Guard Leader Visits Deployed Citizen Soldiers in Afghanistan
March 14, 2007 — KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Army National Guard Director Lt. Gen. Clyde A. Vaughn received a warm welcome March 4 from fellow Guardsmen at the Kandahar Airfield main dining facility. More than 40... MORE

Army National Guard Director Lt. Gen. Clyde A. Vaughn speaks to deployed Guardsmen at the Kandahar Airfield main dining facility Mar. 4.

Air National Guard Leaders Host 2025 Wing Leader Fly-In

Colorado Army National Guard Conducts Aviation Training for Wildfire Season

Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs Highlights Virginia National Guard Excellence at Military Ball

Oregon Air Guard Participates in Sentry Aloha Exercise

Air Guard Units Join Forces for Aerial Wildfire Suppression Training