Guard News - The National Guard

West Virginia and other states send hurricane teams
September 13, 2018 — CHARLESTON, W. Va. - The West Virginia National Guard was ramping up efforts today to prepare for the impact of Hurricane Florence on the Mountain State, while simultaneously lending support to... MORE

The 167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard, is serving as a staging area for the Federal Emergency Management Agency ahead of Hurricane Florence’s expected impact along the East Coast this week. About 70 trailers full of food, water, blankets, cots, tents and fuel will be on stand-by, ready to mobilize as needed from the Martinsburg, W.Va., base.

South Carolina Guard in position to respond for Florence
September 12, 2018 — COLUMBIA, S.C. - Approximately 2,000 South Carolina National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were activated and are stationed throughout the Palmetto state as of today in preparation for landfall of... MORE

South Carolina National Guard Soldiers, Chief Warrant Officers 2 Benji Long and James Honour, conduct pre-flight checks before lifting off with senior leaders from the South Carolina Department of Transportation and Highway Patrol to observe lane reversals of South Carolina Interstates 26, 77 and Highway 501 as Hurricane Florence heads towards the Carolinas' coasts Sept. 11, 2018.

Guard Soldiers and Airmen gearing up for Hurricane Florence
September 12, 2018 — WASHINGTON — The governors of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland declared states of emergency Monday as Hurricane Florence approaches the East Coast. Additionally, the mayor of... MORE

South Carolina Army National Guard Soldiers from the 118th Forward Support Company stage recovery equipment to provide support for disabled vehicles during the lane reversal of I-26 in North Charleston, South Carolina, Sept. 11, 2018. Approximately 2,000 Soldiers and Airmen have been mobilized to prepare, respond and participate in recovery efforts as forecasters project Hurricane Florence will increase in strength with potential to be a Category 4 storm and a projected path to make landfall near the Carolinas and East Coast.

Wisconsin Guard Black Hawk crew rescues stranded kayakers
September 11, 2018 — MADISON, Wis. - A Wisconsin Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew rescued two men stranded in the Eldorado Marsh in the Fond du Lac River on Sunday after the men got disoriented on a... MORE

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter operated by a crew with the Wisconsin Army National Guard flies over the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility on June 28, 2018, at Fort McCoy, Wis. A Black Hawk crew rescued two men stranded in a marshland.

P.R. Guard ready as Hurricane Isaac tracks around island
September 11, 2018 — SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Current projections indicate that Puerto Rico may be spared a direct hit from Hurricane Isaac, officials said Monday. "The Puerto Rico National Guard remains vigilant as... MORE

Richard Dessert, a Washington Air National Guard master sergeant, unloads emergency kits to residents in a remote mountain areas in Puerto Rico Oct. 5, 2017. On its current track, Hurricane Isaac is expected to bypass the island.

Va. Guard to support statewide response to Hurricane Florence
September 10, 2018 — CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — The Virginia National Guard is planning to initially bring up to 1,500 Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force on state active duty for possible... MORE

U.S. Airmen from the South Carolina Air National Guard and 169th Fighter Wing, prepare to deploy from McEntire Joint National Guard Base to Bluffton, South Carolina, to support partnered civilian agencies and safeguard the citizens of the state in advance of Hurricane Florence, Sept. 10, 2018.

S.C. Guard preparing to assist during Hurricane Florence
September 10, 2018 — COLUMBIA, S.C. -- As South Carolina residents and emergency responders prepare for Hurricane Florence, the South Carolina National Guard has mobilized approximately 1,600 Soldiers and Airmen to... MORE

South Carolina National Guard Soldiers from the 118th Forward Support Company transfer bulk diesel fuel into M987 HEMTT fuel tanker trucks for distribution in preparation to support partnered civilian agencies and safeguard the citizens of the state in advance of Hurricane Florence, in North Charleston, South Carolina, Sept. 10, 2018.

Southeastern states prepare for Hurricane Florence
September 10, 2018 — RICHMOND, Va. —Emergency preparations have been underway over the weekend in Virginia and other southeastern states in advance of an anticipated strike this week by Hurricane Florence. Virginia... MORE

Oregon National Guard engineers help maintain public lands
September 7, 2018 — REDMOND, Ore. - Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers with the 224th Engineer Company, based in Albany, Oregon, worked long days during their Annual Training (AT) to improve conditions at Biak Training... MORE

An Oregon Army National Guard Soldier with the 224th Engineer Company, 1249th Engineer Battalion, smooths out a freshly resurfaced road at Biak Training Center near Redmond, Oregon, June 19, 2018. The 224th Engineer Co. spent their 2018 annual training repairing and resurfacing several miles of gravel road on the 43,000 acres at Biak, which is open to both military training and public recreational use.

Contingency Response Group Airmen train in West Virginia
September 7, 2018 — JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - Airmen assigned to the 621st Contingency Response Group spent four days training with and working alongside Airmen from the West Virginia Air National Guard... MORE

Air National Guard Airmen train 621st Contingency Response Airmen on weather balloons at Camp Branch in Logan County, W.Va., Aug. 21, 2018. The 621st CRG spent four days training with and working alongside the 130th ANG at Camp Branch practicing semi-prepared runway operations.

Army Guard space support teams give commanders a needed view
September 6, 2018 — WASHINGTON - It can sometimes be hard for commanders to get a full picture of the battlefield, whether that's on the ground in Syria or in the forests of Colorado. The "Space Cowboys" of the Colorado... MORE

Capt. Jennifer Staton, a space operations officer, and Sgt. Cassandra Quinones and Pfc. Miranda Yost, geospatial engineers, use mapping software during the multi-state, large-scale, natural disaster emergency response exercise Vigilant Guard 2014, hosted by the Kansas National Guard in Salina, Kan., Aug. 4-7, 2014.

NGB chief advises of Extended Military OneSource Benefit
September 6, 2018 — Fellow Guardsmen,I wanted to make you all aware of the Extended Military OneSource Benefit for Veterans and Families from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.For many who serve,... MORE

Ohio National Guard members practice disaster response
September 5, 2018 — COLUMBUS, Ohio - The closest ocean shoreline to Ohio is about 300 miles away, yet the Ohio National Guard is prepping for a new hurricane season. That's because a series of major hurricanes that hit... MORE

A member of the Puerto Rico militia, Luis Suarez, picks up water from a loading dock at a Federal Emergency Management Agency distribution center in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Oct. 26, 2017. FEMA, assisted by the National Guard and militia, distributes water and food to people throughout the area. Ohio Guard members recently practiced relief techniques.

Alaska Army Guard members rescue three after plane crash
September 5, 2018 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Soldiers with the Alaska Army National Guard's 1-207 Aviation Battalion rescued three individuals shortly after 10 p.m. Monday about 20 miles northwest of St... MORE

An Alaska Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter approaches Malemute Drop Zone during airborne training at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 30, 2018. A similar aircraft rescued three people near St. Mary's after a plane crash on Sept. 3, 2018.

Gordon makes landfall; Ala., La., Miss. declare emergencies
September 4, 2018 — NEW ORLEANS – Tropical Storm Gordon made landfall late Tuesday and as of early Wednesday was located 40 miles west of Mobile, Alabama, and tracked northwest at 14 mph.Maximum sustained winds have... MORE

A satellite image shows Tropical Storm Gordon as the weather system heads toward the southeast United States.

Hawaii Guard members persevere against two natural disasters
September 4, 2018 — KEAUKAHA, Hawaii - While maintaining the response to the Island of Hawaii's latest volcanic threat from Fissure 8, the newest rotation of the Hawaii National Guard's Task Force Hawaii was bombarded by... MORE

Staff Sgt. William Muira, from the Hawaii National Guard's CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) Team, escorts FEMA Urban Search and Rescue members from California Task Force 3 while they perform a wide-area assessment in the wake of Hurricane Lane in Kea'au, Hawaii, on Aug. 27, 2018.

Ore. Airmen respond to Hurricane Lane during summer training
August 31, 2018 — HONOLULU, Hawaii — What started out as a typical summer training deployment for the men and women of the 142nd Medical Group (MDG), Oregon Air National Guard, turned anything but, when the Hawaiian... MORE

Oregon Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Anina Anderson, right, assists U.S. Army 1st Lt. Elizabeth Lane with preparing a patient for delivery in the Labor & Delivery section at Tripler Army Medical Center, in Honolulu, Hawaii, Aug. 28, 2018. Anderson and her fellow Airmen from the 142nd Medical Group took part in Medical Facilities Annual Training Aug. 18-31, 2018, and were able to assist in a real-world support mission when Hurricane Lane threatened to strike the Hawaiian Islands the week of Aug. 20, 2018.

Ill. Guard member honored for saving woman from car in pond
August 29, 2018 — HUNTLEY, Ill. – An Illinois Army National Guard corporal helped save a woman's life by diving into the murky water of a retention pond and pulling her from the overturned submerged vehicle, according... MORE

Cpl. Nathan Jennings of the Illinois National Guard was among 11 rescuers who saved the life of a 26-year-woman who nearly drowned in her overturned car in a retention pond.

New York Guard school turns Soldiers into infantry members
August 29, 2018 — CAMP SMITH, N.Y. - Ten Army National Guard Soldiers from the Northeast who were not infantrymen are now qualified to wear the sky blue cord and crossed rifles of the infantry after completing a... MORE

Army National Guard Soldiers from the Northeast Region at infantry reclassification course 18-002 ruck march in the mountains during their final field training exercise at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Aug. 13, 2018. The 106th Regional Training Institute conducted the infantry course from August 3-21, 2018 and adapted the training curriculum to meet the new infantry standards.

Wisconsin National Guard continues sandbagging in Madison
August 27, 2018 — MADISON, Wis. — Approximately 85 Wisconsin National Guard troops continue to assist local emergency crews with sandbagging operations in Monona and Madison today as floods resulting from heavy rain... MORE

Wisconsin National Guard troops are continuing sandbagging operations in Madison and elsewhere in the state affected by heavy rainfall.

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