Guard News - The National Guard

Panetta, Dempsey announce initiatives to stop sexual assault
April 17, 2012 — WASHINGTON - The Pentagon's top civilian and military leaders took their campaign to stop sexual assault in the military to Capitol Hill Monday, where they announced new initiatives to combat the... MORE

From left to right: Congressman Michael Turner (Ohio), General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (California) hold a press briefing at the House of Representatives in Washington D.C. on April 16, 2012. Secretary Panetta and General Dempsey along with Representatives of the Women's Caucus addressed new measures to combat sexual assault in the military. (DoD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo)

Air Guard units close chapters, begin anew
April 16, 2012 — STARKE, Fla. - In the span of a few moments one Florida Air National Guard unit became part of the past, and another became the way of the future.On April 12, the Florida Air Guard's Weather Readiness... MORE

Florida Air National Guard State Command Chief Master Sgt. Robert Lee (left) and Senior Master Sgt. Cory Brown (right) unveil the new official colors for the 131st Training Flight at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, April 12, 2012. The Florida Air National Guard's Weather Readiness Training Center was deactivated and replaced as the 131st Training Flight was activated.

Army Guard top enlisted leader makes time to visit deployed Soldiers
April 16, 2012 — FORWARD OPERATING BASE PASAB, Afghanistan - Far off the beaten path in the mountains of southern Afghanistan is typically not the place you would expect to find Army Command Sgt. Maj. Richard J... MORE

Army Command Sgt. Richard J. Burch, the Army National Guard command sergeant major, awards a coin for outstanding performance to Army Spc. Jonathon Richards during a visit with the Kentucky National Guard's Agribusiness Development Team 4 on April 4, 2012 in southern Afghanistan.

Kenyan native gives back to new home through service in National Guard
April 16, 2012 — KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Army Pvt. Paul Baiywo has only been in the United States for about five years, but this Kenyan native has made the decision to serve in the Missouri Army National Guard as a means... MORE

Army Pvt. Paul Baiywo (right) takes his first physical fitness assessment at the Raytown High School track while his recruiter, Army Sgt. Jerry Simons, encourages him to do as many push-ups as he can April 16, 2012.

Wisconsin Airman hits the ground running for marathon team try-out
April 16, 2012 — MADISON, Wis. - In 2010, Airman 1st Class Robert Miles ran only the second marathon of his life – he won.Now, nearly two years and six marathons later, he's 26.2 miles away from a chance at making the... MORE

Airman 1st Class Robert Miles, assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard, runs the 1.5 mile portion of his annual physical fitness assessment April 15, 2012. Miles is also training for the Lincoln National Guard Marathon scheduled to take place May 6 in Lincoln, Neb., for a chance to make the National Guard Marathon Team, the Guard's top runners who then travel with the team and compete in various events throughout the year.

South Dakota Guard Civil Support Team trains with civilian first responders
April 13, 2012 — KEYSTONE, S.D. - The South Dakota National Guard 82nd Civil Support Team worked through a new training scenario involving the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation's bomb squad and personnel... MORE

Army Sgt. 1st Class Marcia Hento, from the 82nd Civil Support Team, decontaminates Riley Cook, a member of the South Dakota's Division of Criminal Investigation bomb squad, after he collected samples from a package leaking a hazardous chemical during an emergency response training exercise at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, April 11, 2012. The DCI bomb squad partnered with the South Dakota National Guard's 82nd CST to test equipment and procedures while working together. The CST specializes in chemical, biological and radiological detection and the DCI has expertise with the disposal of explosive ordnances.

Kentucky Air Guard Contingency Response Group becomes first in Air Guard to earn verification for cargo-handling capability
April 12, 2012 — JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - Members of the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Contingency Response Group recently set new standards for excellence when they deployed here last month,... MORE

Maryland Air National Guard member awarded the Air Force Cross for "extraordinary heroism"
April 12, 2012 — ARLINGTON, Va. - Air Force Capt. Barry Crawford, a Maryland Air National Guard member from the 175th Wing, who fought in and survived a 14-hour firefight in 2010, was presented the Air Force Cross... MORE

Maryland Air National Guard Capt. Barry F. Crawford Jr. was presented the Air Force Cross during a ceremony at the Pentagon April 12, 2012, for his heroism during his service as a Special Tactics Officer while deployed to Afghanistan. On May 4, 2010, Crawford - while attached to an Army Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha and its Afghan partner force - was instrumental in saving the lives of three Afghan soldiers and evacuated two Afghans killed in action.

Senate honors California Air National Guard members for international maritime rescue
April 12, 2012 — SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Seven California Air National Guard members from the 129th Rescue Wing was recognized on the California Senate floor today for their efforts in the successful rescue of two... MORE

129th Rescue Wing Airmen conducted a long-range over-water rescue mission 700 miles off the coast of Mexico March 10-12 to save two fishermen who were burned in a diesel fire onboard the Chinese fishing vessel, Fu Yuan Yu #871.

Missouri Air Guard band 'Sidewinder' performs at White House
April 11, 2012 — WASHINGTON - Sidewinder, the rock band element of the St. Louis, Mo.-based 571st Missouri Air National Guard Band made famous by a YouTube video, performed at the White House today in front of the... MORE

Sidewinder band members Air Force Staff Sgt. Sean Navarro; Staff Sgt. Ransom Miller; Staff Sgt. Devin LaRue; Staff Sgt. Brian Owens; Tech. Sgt. John Cavanaugh; Staff Sgt. Toby Callaway; Tech. Sgt. Kevin Maret; and Tech. Sgt. Joey Castilleja, perform at the White House on the South Lawn April 11, 2012. Sindwinder, the St. Louis, Mo.-based 571st Missouri Air National Guard Band made famous by their YouTube video performance of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" is part of the 131st Bomb Wing out of Lambert Air National Guard Base-St. Louis.

New Mexico Guard aviators ‘Steal from the Reaper'
April 11, 2012 — CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan - "Medevac, medevac, medevac" comes over the radio as flight crews from Company C, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, New Mexico Army National Guard run out to a UH-60... MORE

Federal Law Enforcement board grants accreditation to Air Force security forces officer, enlisted courses
April 10, 2012 — HILTON HEAD, S.C. - The Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation Board granted initial program accreditation status to the 343rd Training Squadron's Security Forces Basic Officer and Apprentice... MORE

Florida Wildlife expedition makes stop at National Guard training post
April 10, 2012 — STARKE, Fla. - A thousand-mile, 100-day expedition stopped at the National Guard's training post in North Florida recently, emphasizing the importance of the military site as a wildlife habitat.Four... MORE

Missouri Air National Guard medical team sets bar in disaster evaluation
April 10, 2012 — SAINT JOSEPH, Mo. - It took only 36 minutes for the Missouri National Guard's 139th Airlift Wing's medics here to make their presence known as medical performers during a recent homeland response... MORE

Missouri National Guard Soldiers exit a decontamination tent during a Region 7 Homeland Response Force exercise at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center near Butlerville, Ind., March 23, 2012. More than 500 Missouri National Guard Soldiers and Airmen participated in the exercise, which evaluates their ability to react to large-scale disasters within the U.S.

Military medical professionals arrive in Alaska for Arctic Care 2012
April 10, 2012 — CAMP DENALI, Alaska - Military aircraft carrying participants for Arctic Care 2012 arrived in Alaska today for the largest recurring joint military medical readiness and logistics training... MORE

A loadmaster from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing directs an all-terrain vehicle May 14, 2012, as its driver exits the cargo bay of a Kentucky Air Guard C-130 onto the flight line at Fort Campbell, Ky. The 123rd was participating in an exercise to test its response to a simulated earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, a fault line that originates near New Madrid, Mo., and stretches southwest across four states. About 20 Kentucky Airmen, all assigned to the 123rd’s Initial Response Hub package, assessed Campbell Army Airfield for earthquake damage, determined the kinds of airlift operations the facility could support and opened the ramp for incoming relief and aeromedical evacuation flights within five hours of being called to duty. (U.S. Air Force photo by Maj. Dale Greer)

Kansas National Guard unit trains to respond to multiple threats
April 10, 2012 — FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - The first real-life incident for the Kansas National Guard's 73rd Civil Support Team, Weapons of Mass Destruction, was in 2004 when it was called to identify and remove World... MORE

Army Sgt. Joseph Duncan, 73rd Civil Support Team, Kansas National Guard, washes a camera used by a hazardous materials team to photograph the scene during an exercise March 27, 2012, at Wollman Park in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Texas Air Guard member named top Air Guard recruiter
April 9, 2012 — CAMP MABRY, Texas - In March, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jennifer A. Joubert, a production recruiter with the 149th Fighter Wing at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was recognized by the Air National Guard... MORE

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jennifer A. Joubert, a production recruiter with the 149th Fighter Wing at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was recently named the top recruiter in the Air National Guard for "Prior Service Qualified Accessions" and "Critical Accessions."

Air Force to end pilot travel card program
April 5, 2012 — WASHINGTON - The Air Force recently decided to transition existing Controlled Spend Account travel cards to an enhanced Government Travel Card by the end of fiscal 2012."The CSA, a pilot travel card... MORE

Virtual wingman app makes smart choices easy for Airmen
April 4, 2012 — JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO - RANDOLPH, Texas - Air Education and Training Command unveiled a new mobile phone application that is designed to provide resiliency and safety information to Airmen. The app... MORE

Coast Guard Cutter, Air Guard members rescue three injured persons from racing yacht
April 3, 2012 — ALAMEDA, Calif. - The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf, along with Air National Guard members from the 129th Rescue Wing rescued and assisted three injured persons aboard a 67-foot racing yacht... MORE

A Coast Guard drop master prepares to drop medical supplies to the Clipper Venture 6, a 67-foot sailing yacht, Saturday, March 31, 2012. The Rescue Coordination Center in Alameda, Calif. is coordinating the rescue efforts of three injured boaters.

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