Guard News - The National Guard

177th Fighter Wing Airmen receive mental health first aid training
February 14, 2020 — EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Airmen with the 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard received mental health first aid training Feb. 12-13 at the Atlantic City Air National Guard... MORE

Erick Clark, mental health first aid instructor and certified peer recovery practitioner with the Mental Health Association of Union County, N.J., teaches a mental health first aid training course for members of the 177th Fighter Wing Feb. 12, 2020, at the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base. The two-day class addressed some of the unique aspects of military culture and gave unit members the tools to help fellow Airmen facing mental health issues.

Guard unit translates coronavirus safety message
February 13, 2020 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – Soldiers with the 341st Military Intelligence Battalion translated life safety and preparedness messages into multiple languages during February's drill weekend to help people who... MORE

A Washington National Guard Soldier with the 341st Military Intelligence Battalion translates a safety message about how to avoid the novel coronavirus for the Washington Department of Health on Feb. 9, 2020, at the Information Operations Readiness Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Soldiers translated the information into multiple languages for those who don't speak English.

PRNG restructures efforts in support of quake victims
February 13, 2020 — FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico – After more than a month of support to the southern municipalities affected by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake Jan. 7, the Puerto Rico National Guard is restructuring its... MORE

Medics from the Puerto Rico National Guard continue their mission to tend to residents of Guánica at their base camp, Feb. 7, 2020. The National Guard has helped support people in the south section of the island since a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the area Jan. 7, 2020.

148th ASOS conducts night training
February 13, 2020 — MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Tactical Air Control Party specialists from the 148th Air Support Operations Squadron conducted night training Jan. 11 at Fort Indiantown Gap.The night training acted as proficiency... MORE

Airmen from the 148th Air Support Operations Squadron, Pennsylvania Air National Guard, perform a casualty evacuation drill during training Jan. 11, 2020, in Annville, Pennsylvania. The 148th ASOS performed a round-robin style training event, conducting tactical drills at night.

Airmen train with pack animals in rural Idaho
February 12, 2020 — GOWEN FIELD, Idaho – Airmen from the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) in the 124th Fighter Wing trained with pack animals Feb. 9 in case they ever need to use them to haul cargo in rugged... MORE

A special warfare tactical air control party, Airman from the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron, participates in pack animal training, Feb. 9, 2020, in Emmett, Idaho. Pack animals, including horses, donkeys and mules, are utilized during missions where usual methods of transportation are restricted.

207th Engineer Utilities Detachment conducts water immersion training
February 12, 2020 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Soldiers of the Alaska Army National Guard’s 207th Engineer Utilities Detachment implemented new cold-water immersion training at Gwen Lake Feb. 8.The... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard Col. Matthew Schell, 297th Regional Support Group, participated in cold water immersion training organized by the 207th Engineer Utilities Detachment at Gwen Lake on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 8, 2020. The training is to ensure Soldiers are aware and capable of the processes in self-rescue and buddy-rescue when there is a risk of falling through ice.

Stealth fighters combine airpower in new fighter exercise
February 10, 2020 — JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii, – More than 600 Air National Guard members, reservists and active-duty Airmen completed a new fighter exercise Feb. 7, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The... MORE

A Hawaii Air National Guard F-22 Raptor taxis down the Honolulu Airport Runway Jan. 29, 2020, as an F-35A Lightning II takes off.

Flying the MQ-9, one of the many firsts at Southern Strike
February 10, 2020 — GULFPORT, Miss. – One of Col. Rick Weaver’s priorities as the exercise director for Southern Strike 2020, was to integrate the use of the MQ-9 Reaper into the breadth of the exercise. On Tuesday, Jan... MORE

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker boom operator, assigned to the Mississippi Air National Guard 186th Air Refueling Wing, refuels an A-10 Thunderbolt II as part of Southern Strike 2020 over the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Miss., Feb. 7, 2020.

NGB team facilitates innovation, launches competition
February 7, 2020 — ARLINGTON, Va. – Airmen in the California Air National Guard designed maintenance trailers to operate more efficiently in austere environments, reducing the time it takes to deploy fighter aircraft... MORE

Sheet metal technicians with the Georgia Air National Guard's 116th Air Control Wing and the 461st Air Control Wing secure an engine aircraft cover on a cowling fixture table at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, April 3, 2019.

Virginia National Guard Soldiers staged and ready
February 7, 2020 — RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia National Guard has staged approximately ten Soldiers and three vehicles for state emergency support duty Feb. 7th in the Richlands and Tazewell County areas. They are... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Cedar Bluff-based 1033rd Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group conduct maintenance checks on their light/medium tactical truck Feb. 7, 2020, in Cedar Bluff, Virginia.

Oregon Guard members learn the basics of hazardous operations
February 7, 2020 — WARRENTON, Ore. - The biting cold onshore breeze stabs through the buildings at Camp Rilea on the Oregon coast, just south of Astoria. The salt-stained air is brightly lit by the steel grey sky. It is... MORE

U.S. Army Pfc. Benjamin Ruehs, with the 102nd CERFP, Oregon National Guard, is sprayed off in a hasty decontamination tent at Camp Rilea near Warrenton, Oregon, January 26, 2020.

Winter Strike brings cold-weather training to Michigan
February 6, 2020 — ALPENA, Mich. – A new, cold-weather, joint military training exercise called “Winter Strike” took place earlier this month at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center and Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver... MORE

U.S. Army Soldiers from C Battery, 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery Regiment, Wisconsin Army National Guard conduct a Fire Control Alignment Test (FCAT) to ensure the M777A2 155mm howitzers are properly aligned to provide an accurate fire mission at Camp Grayling, Mich., during joint training exercise Northern Strike 20-2 ("Winter Strike,") January 24, 2020.

Iowa National Guard medical unit cooks in national competition
February 5, 2020 — IOWA CITY, Iowa – On a blustery 30-degree day, uneven snow packed the ground outside the Iowa Army National Guard Readiness Center. Smells of fresh coffee, simmering potatoes and cinnamon filled the... MORE

Pfc. Christian Phipps, a culinary specialist with the 109th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, Iowa Army National Guard, pours coffee during the Philip A. Connelly culinary competition at the Iowa City Readiness Center Feb. 1, 2020. Phipps is on the 109th culinary team, which won the state and regional contests and is competing against National Guard units from Nebraska, New York and Virginia for the national title for best culinary operation in the Army National Guard, field-feeding category.

National Guard Civil Support Teams ready to respond
February 4, 2020 — MINNEAPOLIS – It's no secret that the National Guard is always ready to respond to domestic emergencies and natural disasters. Soldiers and Airmen don their uniforms at a moment's notice and pause... MORE

Sgt. Erik Wellman with the 55th Civil Support Team, Minnesota National Guard, works meticulously from inside his Level A suit to collect samples of a potentially hazardous material in a training exercise Jan. 14, 2020, with the Minneapolis Police Department's Bomb Squad and the local FBI office.

166th AW fuel cell maintainers work in high places, tiny spaces
February 4, 2020 — NEW CASTLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Del. – The fuel system of a C-130H2 is one of the most complex and critical systems on the aircraft. To keep the aircraft mission-ready, fuel cell maintainers work... MORE

Master Sgt. Eugene Jackson of the 166th Maintenance Squadron, fuel systems maintenance shop, prepares to reseal a leaky fuel system access door on top of the right wing of a C-130H2 aircraft. Because fuel system maintainers have to work in high places, they are required to clip into a safety harness.

Guam National Guard supports America’s National Defense Strategy
February 3, 2020 — YIGO, Guam – Guam National Guard members make vital contributions to the Joint Force team executing the nation’s National Defense Strategy, the National Guard’s most senior general told Soldiers and... MORE

Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief, National Guard Bureau, talks with members of the RED HORSE Squadron serving with the Guam Air National Guard, Guam, Jan. 29, 2020.

ANG Defender Challenge team trains at Fort Chaffee
February 3, 2020 — FORT SMITH, Ark. – Security forces Airmen from across the United States gathered at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, Jan. 21-25 to train for the Defender Challenge, a competition between security forces.The... MORE

Senior Master Sgt. Bradley Rose, 185th Security Forces Squadron, left, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Finer, 124th SFS, and Master Sgt. Gregory Wardle, 153rd SFS, tackle a land navigation element Jan. 23, 2020, at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. The team of Airmen from across the Air National Guard gathered to train for the Air Force Defender Challenge, a security forces skills competition held in May at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis, Texas.

NY Army Guard unit recognized for 2012 Afghanistan mission
January 31, 2020 — LATHAM, N.Y. – Seven years after returning from Afghanistan, New York Army National Guard Soldiers of Headquarters Company and Bravo Company of the 427th Brigade Support Battalion have been recognized... MORE

New York Army National Guard Pfc. Stephanie Luis of Bravo Company, 427th Brigade Support Battalion, at the German marksmanship range Nov. 17, 2012, in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. Soldiers of the battalion who deployed to Afghanistan to help ship home U.S. military equipment were recently recognized for their service in Afghanistan with the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

McEntire JNGB supports Seymour Johnson AFB exercise
January 31, 2020 — MCENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, South Carolina – F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, and C-130J Hercules military transport aircraft from Little... MORE

McEntire Joint National Guard Base, home of the South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing, co-hosts nighttime arming and refueling training during Exercise Agile Lion Jan. 14, 2020.

Cold climate creates joint exercise training opportunities
January 30, 2020 — GRAYLING, Mich. – Camp Grayling, northern Michigan’s joint military training complex, offered a cold-weather joint training exercise called Northern Strike 20-2/“Winter Strike” in January. Soldiers... MORE

Soldiers from C Battery, 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery Regiment, Wisconsin Army National Guard, fire M777A2 155 mm howitzers to provide integrated fire support during Northern Strike 20-2/Winter Strike, a cold weather joint training exercise, Camp Grayling, Mich., Jan. 24, 2020.

Maine Army Guard Engineers Build Communities, Readiness

Iowa Army Guard Soldiers Train at Tigerland

Idaho Guard Engineers Aid Redwood Park Restoration

Oregon Army Guard Helps Design Future Medevac Technology

Alaska Air National Guard Rescues Five Distressed Boaters