Guard News - The National Guard

Air Combat Command stands down units due to budget cuts
April 10, 2013 — LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. - Air Force officials Tuesday began standing down active-duty combat units to ensure the remaining units supporting worldwide operations can maintain sufficient readiness... MORE

Beginning Tuesday, the Air Force cut the number of flying hours for some units.

Nebraska National Guard member’s career winds down as son begins his service
April 8, 2013 — SONSONATE, El Salvador - As one career ends and another begins, a father and son from the Nebraska National Guard are appreciating the opportunity to share a last, and a first with each other.With the... MORE

Sgt. 1st Class Mitchell Patzel and Pvt. Mitchell Patzel, Jr. work on a Movement Tracking System in a truck in El Salvador April 5, 2013. The father-son duo are there for training.

Alaska National Guardsmen rescue snow researcher after 80-foot fall into crevasse
April 8, 2013 — CAMP DENALI, Alaska - Airmen with the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th, 211th and 212th Rescue Squadrons rescued a snowmobiler who fell 80 feet into a glacier crevasse April 4.According to the... MORE

A flight crew with the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th Rescue Squadron conducts training with an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter near Bryant Air Field on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Jan. 29, 2013.

Citizen-Soldiers find employment through occupational assistance programs
April 5, 2013 — FORT BLISS, Texas - As the mission in Afghanistan draws down, and more Reserve and National Guard Soldiers return to their civilian lives, many Soldiers face challenges on the home front.Veterans face... MORE

Soldiers from the 182nd Engineer Battalion attend the Veteran's Opportunity to Work/Transition Assistance Program training during the demobilization process at the Soldier Readiness Processing site at Fort Bliss, Texas, Jan. 23, 2013.

North Carolina civil support team practices hazardous-materials scenarios
April 5, 2013 — RALEIGH, N.C. - Civil Support Teams (CSTs) are relatively unknown assets to the residents of our state as they pertain to chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear incidents.Recently, members of... MORE

Two members of the North Carolina National Guard's 42nd Civil Support Team's survey section prepare for transport on a Polaris quad track vehicle to a simulated Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and of Explosive (CBRNE) incident site during the unit's evaluation March 28, 2013.

First B-2 stealth bomber surpasses 7,000 flight hours
April 5, 2013 — WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo - Since the B-2 "Spirit of Florida" first arrived at Whiteman Air Force Base in July 1996, its stealthiness and massive firepower have been used in missions around the... MORE

U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit crew chiefs stand ready to perform maintenance on the "Spirit of Florida" after completing a historic training mission in which it became the first B-2 to reach 7,000 flight hours, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., April 1, 2013.

Alaska K-9 Trooper gains, gives at Air Force NCO academy
April 4, 2013 — McGHEE TYSON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Tenn. - Tech. Sgt. Brian Zeisel of the Alaska Air National Guard is modest about the recognition he gets from leading his Alaska State Trooper K9, Argo, through... MORE

Tech. Sgt. Brian Zeisel of the 168th Security Forces Squadron, Alaska Air National Guard, recently graduated from Noncommissioned Officer Academy.

Kentucky National Guard has high hopes for future Soldiers' technical proficiency
April 4, 2013 — LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Army National Guard can have way too many acronyms, some too confusing for even the most veteran of Soldiers. Try JNN (Joint Network Node) or WIN-T (Warrior Information Network -... MORE

Staff Sgt. Luis Berdecia of the 138th Fires Brigade supervises as children climb inside for a look during the 2013 Student Technology Leadership Program in Lexington, Ky., March 28, 2013.

Michigan Airman Charlie Peterson honored for combat leadership
April 3, 2013 — SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. - A decade ago, he was a newly minted master sergeant, wondering if he had what it takes to truly be a leader. Today, one of the classrooms where the Air Force... MORE

Master Sgt. Charlie Peterson talks with students at the Noncommissioned Officers Academy at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., March 27, 2013. A classroom at the academy was named in his honor. Peterson is a member of the 127th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich.

'Brotherly competition' helps quadruplets who enlisted in Virginia Army National Guard
April 2, 2013 — FORT LEE, Va. - A foursome of high school juniors from the same family in Newport News enlisted last month in the Virginia Army National Guard.Kahlil, Karlyle, Karon, and Kameron Jones, 17, took the... MORE

Kahlil, Karon, Kameron and Karlyle Jones pose with family and friends after their enlistment March 7, 2013, at Fort Lee, Va. Sgt. Brian Merritt (far right) was their recruiter.

Command Sgt. Maj. Conley convenes book group to discuss Army National Guard history
April 1, 2013 — ARLINGTON, Va. - As a high school teacher, Command Sgt. Maj. Brunk Conley always valued and advocated for what learning can do for people; so much so that the Army National Guard’s senior enlisted... MORE

Command Sgt. Maj. Brunk Conley of the Army National Guard discusses the book 'I Am the Guard' at the first meeting of a book club he organized for professional development at Arlington Hall in Arlington, Va., March 29, 2013.

Kentucky National Guard trains for multiple threat emergencies
April 1, 2013 — MUSCATATUCK URBAN TRAINING CENTER, Ind. - For today's Soldiers and Airmen, the more realistic their training, the better prepared in the event of an actual situation they'll be.For the Kentucky... MORE

Members of the Kentucky Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package decontamination element transport a mock victim for medical assessment during training at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Butlerville, Ind., March 22, 2013.

DoD Releases Update to Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Policy
April 1, 2013 — WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense released updated policies and procedures aimed at combating sexual assaults in the military and improving care for victims.The release came March 28; President... MORE

Alaska rescue center, manned by Air National Guard, completes 5,000th mission
April 1, 2013 — CAMP DENALI, Alaska - Searching for overdue aircraft, rescuing injured hunters, locating lost hikers, helping those stranded at sea, it’s all part of the mission of the Alaska (11th Air Force) Rescue... MORE

Alaska Air National Guard crews practice hoist maneuvers. Members of the Alaska (11th Air Force) Rescue Coordination Center on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, completed their 5,000th mission March 27, 2013.

National Guard emphasizes alcohol abuse mitigation during April
April 1, 2013 — ARLINGTON, Va. - The National Guard recognizes April as Alcohol Abuse Awareness Month, an opportunity to further increase service member awareness of alcohol abuse and the impact it can have on Guard... MORE

The Army National Guard Health page on Facebook provides a place to share information on fitness and health issues.

Badger State officers take talents north of border for joint training
March 29, 2013 — MADISON, Wis. - A group of Wisconsin Army National Guard officers spent nearly two weeks in late February and early March in Canada participating in a major military exercise.The five officers who... MORE

Maj. Max Brosig conducts aviation operations during Canadian Resolve, a Canadian military exercise that included a group of officers from the Wisconsin Army National Guard. The five-member team participated in a division-level Canadian military exercise Feb. 19 to March 4 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Hagel announces fewer furlough days for civilians
March 29, 2013 — WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has revised from 22 to 14 the number of days hundreds of thousands of civilian employees could be furloughed this year because of the budget sequester, Defense... MORE

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced fewer furlough days for civilian DoD employees. He is pictured addressing guests during his swearing-in ceremony March 14, 2013, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va.

Air Force to implement force structure changes
March 29, 2013 — WASHINGTON - The Air Force released its plan Thursday to implement force structure changes mandated by the fiscal year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act.The bill authorized the service to... MORE

U.S. ambassador to El Salvador praises New Hampshire National Guard for partnership
March 29, 2013 — SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador - The U.S. ambassador to El Salvador expressed appreciation to the New Hampshire National Guard for its contribution to the State Partnership Program during a recent trip... MORE

U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador Mari Carmen Aponte praised the New Hampshire National Guard State Partnership Program with that nation.

New York National Guard headquarters tests remote-work capabilities
March 29, 2013 — STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. - More than 50 critical members of the New York National Guard’s military and civilian staff tested their ability to work from remote locations if the New York... MORE

New York Army and Air National Guard officers and noncommissioned officers assigned to the Joint Operations Staff work in an ad hoc Joint Operations Center during a Continuity of Operations exercise March 27, 2013.

Pennsylvania Guard Aviation Partners with Coast Guard

Arizona National Guard’s Task Force SAFE Strengthens Border Security

Idaho Guard Airmen Push Limits in Joint Field Training

Pennsylvania Guard Competes in Governor’s Twenty Marksmanship Competition

N.Y. National Guard Aircrews Train with Forest Rangers to Prep for Wildfires