Guard News - The National Guard

Army National Guard Soldiers Train in Funeral Honors Program
March 20, 2024 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Virginia Army National Guard Funeral Honors Program hosted 11 Army National Guard Soldiers from nine states and territories for a training course Feb. 26-March 8 at the State... MORE

The Virginia Army National Guard Funeral Honors Program hosts 11 Army National Guard Soldiers from nine states and territories for a level 2 funeral honors training course March 5, 2024, at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Soldiers from Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Wisconsin participated in the two week-long training, which certifies instructors to teach fellow Soldiers the skills, procedures and standards for providing final respects to military veterans.

Iowa Guard’s 132d Cyber Range Hosts Training Event
March 19, 2024 — DES MOINES, Iowa - The 132d Wing’s Cyberspace Range Squadron hosted its first training event at the 132d Wing, Iowa Air National Guard, Feb. 29-March 3. The 132d RANS is a first-of-its-kind cyber... MORE

Staff Sgt. Dawston Regan, left, and Tech. Sgt. Thomas Monroe, cyberspace operators from the 168th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Iowa Air National Guard, prep their stations during an exercise Feb. 29, 2024, at the 132d Wing in Des Moines, Iowa. The exercise was the first by the 132d Wing’s new cyber range.

New York National Guard Brings Fallen Warrant Officers Home
March 19, 2024 — LATHAM, N.Y. - The New York National Guard brought home the remains of two helicopter pilots killed March 8 in a helicopter crash in Texas.The caskets containing the bodies of Army National Guard... MORE

A New York Army National Guard Honor Guard team carries the remains of Chief Warrant Officer 2 John M. Grassia III from a New York Air National Guard LC-130 to a hearse past a line of dignitaries, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, during plane-side honors at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Latham, New York, March 18, 2024. Grassia and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Casey Frankoski were killed in a March 8 helicopter crash in Texas.

Southern Strike Joint Combat Exercise Concludes in Mississippi
March 19, 2024 — GULFPORT, Miss. - Military members from all departments of the U.S. armed forces participated in the Southern Strike 2024-1 joint combat exercise at Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center March... MORE

A U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment General Support Aviation Battalion, Michigan Army National Guard, lands beside a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft assigned to the 186th Air Refueling Wing, Mississippi Air National Guard, in preparation for combat air medical operations training during Southern Strike 2024 at Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport, Mississippi, March 13, 2024. The team participating in the training included the 146th Aeromedical Evacuation Group, 146th Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard; and the 114th Medical Group, 114th Fighter Wing, South Dakota Air National Guard.

Massachusetts, New York Guard Units Compete in Shooting Match
March 18, 2024 — PEEKSKILL, N.Y. - Army National Guard Soldiers from New York’s 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, squared off against their Massachusetts sister unit, the 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment,... MORE

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Brum, a squad leader assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, uses a pair of binoculars to view a competitor target during the 2024 Logan-Duffy Marksmanship Competition at Camp Smith Training Site in Peekskill, New York, March 13, 2024. The Logan-Duffy Marksmanship Competition is an annual shooting match between 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment.

Ukraine Delegation Visits Washington National Guard Leaders
March 18, 2024 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. - A delegation from Ukraine visited Washington National Guard leaders March 15 to thank them for supporting the country.“We know your unit deployed to Ukraine in 2021 to help our... MORE

Brig. Gen. Kenneth Borchers, left, director of the Joint Staff, Washington National Guard, shakes hands with Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, during a visit to Camp Murray, Wash., March 15, 2024. The visit to Camp Murray focused on sharing stories and building on friendship established during the 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team’s 2021 deployment to Ukraine supporting the Joint Multinational Training Group - Ukraine mission.

173rd Fighter Wing Joins Sentry Luau Exercise in Hawaii
March 15, 2024 — JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii - About 90 Airmen from the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon, took to the skies at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for exercise Sentry... MORE

A U.S. Air Force crew chief from the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field, Ore., directs an F-15 Eagle back to the ramp parking during Sentry Luau at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Feb. 26, 2024. Approximately 20 Airmen from Kingsley Field received familiarization flights while at JBPHH.

Oregon Air Guard Pilot Conducts 142nd Wing’s First EX Flight
March 15, 2024 — EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Five F-15C instructor pilots from the Oregon Air National Guard’s 123rd Fighter Squadron are training in the F-15EX with instructors from the 85th Test and Evaluation... MORE

Lt. Col. Joel Thesing, 123rd Fighter Squadron pilot, climbs into an F-15 EX at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 7, 2024. Thesing is the first Portland, Ore.-based pilot to fly and train in the EX.

Oklahoma Guard Explores Future of Drone Defense at Symposium
March 15, 2024 — OKLAHOMA CITY - A quote from the “Oppenheimer” movie, “This isn’t a new weapon, it’s a new world,” set the tone for the inaugural Oklahoma National Guard Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Symposium at... MORE

Lt. Col. Brent Hill, deputy director of military support for the Oklahoma National Guard, introduces Jamey Jacob, Ph.d., P.E., during the inaugural Oklahoma National Guard Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Symposium in Oklahoma City, March 12, 2024. Jacob is the executive director of Oklahoma State University's Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education.

109th Airlift Wing Wraps up Antarctic Science Support Mission
March 13, 2024 — STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. - The New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing concluded its annual Operation Deep Freeze mission, marking the end of another productive season... MORE

An LC-130 Hercules assigned to the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing sits on the ice runway in Antarctica, McMurdo Station, Nov. 11, 2023. From October 2023 to March 2024, 366 Airmen assigned to the wing transported 2.2 million pounds of cargo, 1,500 passengers and 68,000 gallons of fuel in support of National Science Foundation Antarctic research.

Alaska, Maine Guard Conduct Disaster Preparation Exercise
March 13, 2024 — ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The National Guard’s “Always Ready, Always There” motto symbolizes its vigilant presence across the nation. In Alaska, where natural disasters like earthquakes pose significant... MORE

Alaska and Maine National Guardsmen offload from a 176th Wing C-17 Globemaster III while supporting Exercise Vigilant Guard 2024-2 (Alaska) at Merle K. “Mudhole” Smith Airport, Cordova, Alaska, March 5, 2024.

Guard Bureau Chief Sees Innovation, Tech Converge in Texas
March 12, 2024 — AUSTIN – Innovation and emerging technology underscored the National Guard’s senior-most officer’s visit to Texas on March 9-10.Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau, met with Texas... MORE

Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau, joins the South by Southwest Conference, Austin, Texas, March 9-10, 2024. Hokanson engaged with entrepreneurs, small business owners and innovators about new concepts that could benefit the Guard and the Joint Force.

New Jersey National Guard Activates Air Refueling Squadron
March 12, 2024 — JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - The New Jersey Air National Guard’s 108th Wing unveiled its newest unit March 6 with the inauguration of the 170th Air Refueling Squadron.Guided by the Fiscal... MORE

Lt. Col Matthew Secko, 170th Air Refueling Squadron commander, right, receives the unit guidon from Col. William Liess, 108th Operations Group commander, left, during the 170th assumption of command ceremony March 7, 2024, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. Secko is the first commander of the newly activated 170th Air Refueling Squadron.

Oklahoma National Guard Tests Drone Technologies
March 12, 2024 — OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma National Guard collaborated with industry partners across the state to test the cutting-edge capabilities of unmanned aircraft systems at Camp Gruber Training Center Feb... MORE

The Oklahoma National Guard worked with industry partners from across the state Feb. 22 to test the capabilities of unmanned aircraft systems at Camp Gruber Training Center in Oklahoma City. This initiative aims to equip and train the OKNG alongside civilian aerospace industry experts and local partners to enhance mission readiness in aviation and aerospace technologies.

New York National Guard Names Soldiers Killed in Texas Helicopter Crash
March 11, 2024 — LATHAM, N.Y. - Two New York Army National Guard aviators were killed March 8 when the UH-72 Lakota light utility helicopter they were flying crashed near Rio Grande City, Texas, at 2:50 p.m. local... MORE

New York Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Casey Frankoski, left, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Grassia were killed when a UH-72 Lakota helicopter they were flying crashed near Rio Grande City, Texas, March 8, 2024. The two were assigned to Detachment 2, Company A, of the 1st Battalion, 244th Aviation Regiment, operating as part of Joint Task Force North, supporting Customs and Border Protection operations on the southwest border.

New York Army Guard Soldiers Help Track Down Arsonist
March 8, 2024 — NEW YORK – Three New York Army National Guard Soldiers displayed quick thinking and teamwork to help track down a suspected arsonist who tried to set fire to a building a few feet from a Long Island... MORE

Three New York Army National Guard Soldiers who were on duty at a hotel being used as a migrant shelter in Long Island City, New York, helped apprehend a suspected arsonist and put out the fire he started Jan. 29, 2024. Pictured are, from left, Staff Sgt. Richard Miller, Sgt. Animesh Das, Spc. Jaslin Guzman.

81st SBCT Completes Command Post Exercise
March 8, 2024 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. - The 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team tested its command processes and identified redundancies during a command post exercise at Camp Murray from Feb. 29 to March 3.“This was the... MORE

The 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team and subordinate battalion during a command post exercise at the Pierce County Readiness Center, Camp Murray, Wash., Feb. 29, 2024.

The Harlem Hellfighters: A Legacy of Lasting Impact
March 7, 2024 — NEW YORK - In the past few years, the name Harlem Hellfighters evoked confusion for some, intrigue for others and great pride for those who know the stories of valor and triumph. Lesser known are the... MORE

The granddaughters of legendary Harlem Hellfighter James Reese Europe — Patricia Europe Pearson, Lynn Europe Cotter, and Theresa Europe — pose with senior officers of the 369th Sustainment Brigade for a photo in front of a mural during a visit to the Harlem Regiment Armory in New York Feb. 24, 2024. They were given a tour of the armory by New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Leyland Jones, Col. Patrick Clare, and Lt. Cols. David Myones and Peter Fish.

Air National Guard Director Visits Wisconsin Air Guard
March 6, 2024 — MILWAUKEE - Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, director of the Air National Guard, and his spouse, Dianne, visited the 128th Air Refueling Wing March 3 for flight simulator training and a tour of Wisconsin’s... MORE

Senior Airman Margaret A. Miller receives a coin from Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, director, Air National Guard, at the 128th Air Refueling Wing, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, March 3, 2024. Miller is a part of the 128th ARW medical group and was recognized for exceptional personnel processing that ensured maximum Airmen readiness across the wing.

Wisconsin Air Guard Helps Refine Air Combat Targeting
March 5, 2024 — VOLK FIELD, Wis. - The Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 128th Air Control Squadron participated in a five-day exercise at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada that could result in a combat competitive... MORE

U.S. Air Force air battle managers and tactical air control-party Airmen experiment with Air Combat Command’s Tactical Operations Center-enabled Control Reporting Center during the Shadow Operations Center – Nellis’ Capstone event at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Dec. 8, 2023.

Georgia's 165th Airlift Wing Hosts Response Exercise TOXIC PEACH 2025

Puerto Rico Air Guard Tests Flexible Communications in Evaluation

Pennsylvania Guard Medical Unit Gains Vital Experience During Field Exercise

California Air National Guard Hosts Reaper Smoke 2025

Louisiana Guard, Active Component Airmen Complete Air-to-Air Integration Training