Guard News - The National Guard

South Carolina Guard creates folding procedure for state flag
November 23, 2010 — COLUMBIA, S.C., - During official ceremonies, the South Carolina Army and Air Guard have followed different procedures for folding and presenting the American flag and the state flag. Also, there has... MORE

Air Force Staff Sgt. Rachel Hill of the 169th Medical Dental Group, and Army Sgt. Stephen Beasly of Company C, 1/151st Attack Recon Battalion, fold the South Carolina State flag, while Army Staff Sgt. Trevor Dean of Joint Forces Headquarters keeps the flag pulled tight. The South Carolina National Guard Army and Air Honor Guard teams have crafted a standard procedure for folding the state flag.

Army Guard hopefuls battle for spot in 'Best Ranger' field
November 22, 2010 — FORT BENNING, Ga., - Fort Benning's Warrior Training Center hosted an assessment here Nov. 17 to find the best Rangers in the Army National Guard to represent the service in the 2011 Best Ranger... MORE

Army Staff Sgt. Tony Genovese of the Illinois National Guard makes his way down the Confidence Climb obstacle during an assessment for the 2011 Best Ranger Competition held at Fort Benning, Ga., Nov. 17, 2010.

Gates visit underscores strong relationship with Chile
November 22, 2010 — SANTIAGO, Chile, - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here Nov. 19 for a visit meant to reinforce what officials said already is a strong military relationship between the two countries. On... MORE

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, second from left, reviews the troops with Chilean Defense Minister Jaime Ravinet at Salon Bernado O'Higgins during an honors arrival ceremony commemorating Gates' visit to Santiago, Chile, Nov. 20, 2010.

New Hampshire wing practices response to public health emergency
November 22, 2010 — PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H., - The 157th Air Refueling Wing is no stranger to responding to emergencies, but a little practice never hurts.Airmen from the wing’s medical group used annual flu... MORE

Senior Airman Leslie M. Wood of the 157th Air Refueling Wing Medical Group administers an annual seasonal flu shot to 2nd Lt. Jeffrey C. Hill during a Point Of Dispensing (POD) exercise at Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H., Nov. 6, 2010. POD exercises test roles, responsibilities and flow of people in dispensing immunizations.

Army showcases newest version of Lakota
November 22, 2010 — WASHINGTON, - As part of upgrading the Army's air fleet, 140 of 345 planned UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters have been delivered and are currently being broken-in throughout the force. Aiding... MORE

Members of the 121st Medical Company, Air Ambulance of the District of Columbia National Guard prepare for a mission in Hohenfels, Germany. The unit conducted its first medical evacuation with the UH-72 Lakota helicopter in Germany on Aug. 10, 2010.

Army Guard enlisted leader stresses the ‘New Norm’
November 22, 2010 — ARLINGTON, Va., - Soldiers who faced mental health issues in the past may have been hesitant to ask for help, because of a fear of being stigmatized or suffering from other adverse effects, such as... MORE

Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Richard J. Burch briefs participants at the 2010 Association of the U.S. Army annual meeting and exposition in Washington D.C., Oct. 25, 2010. He issued a memorandum on Nov. 19, 2010 about the "New Norm," which makes asking for assistance a priority.

Army Guard flight instructors serve at Fort Rucker
November 22, 2010 — FORT RUCKER, Ala., - In the spring of 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates visited Fort Rucker and suggested that more pilots should be trained faster. "Today, the primary limitation on helicopter... MORE

First Lt. Laz Murphy, right, an Army National Guard instructor pilot, reviews a final check of a UH-60 Black Hawk with a student.

Handbook helps troops' families, friends
November 19, 2010 — WASHINGTON, - A new one-of-a-kind resource handbook and video is being made available to servicemembers' families and friends, courtesy of an independent film production company, Vulcan Productions,... MORE

Air Force selects Stewart ANGB for C-17 aircraft
November 16, 2010 — WASHINGTON, - The Air Force announced today its preferred basing decision for eight C-17 aircraft at an Air National Guard location. The preferred base approved by the secretary and chief of staff of... MORE

Engineers test eight-blade prop for C-130
November 5, 2010 — EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., - Engineers with the 418th FlightTest Squadron are currently testing a C-130H3 cargo plane equipped withHamilton Sundstrand NP 2000 propellers.The new eight-bladed... MORE

North Dakota Guard readies for winter emergencies
November 5, 2010 — FARGO, N.D., - Although it was just last week that North Dakotagot its first glimpse of what's to come this winter, the North DakotaNational Guard has been planning for a month for what the season may... MORE

Connecticut Airmen get first look at C-27J
November 4, 2010 — EAST GRANBY, Conn., - The sun rose like any other day on Oct. 22 over Bradley Air National Guard Base, but on his time a new airframe was welcomed by its warm rays.Once shedding its light on the A-10... MORE

Capt. Garrett Caponetti pilots the C-27J Spartan during a familiarization flight over New England Friday, Oct. 22, 2010. Caponetti is currently assigned to the 118th Airlift Squadron at Bradley Air National Guard Base in East Granby, Conn., and was among the first of the Flying Yankees to fly the new light cargo aircraft that visited the base to give members there a glimpse of their future mission.

Army Guard provides combat support troops in first Gulf war
November 4, 2010 — ARLINGTON, - The Persian Gulf War marked the first time in history that America fought a war without a single ground maneuver unit from the National Guard, and many of the troops regretted not getting... MORE

Sgt. Haskell Mills, left, and Sgt. Ricky Newsom, right, pose with a ringer washer belonging to the Tennessee Army National Guard's 212th Engineer Company during Operation Desert Shield. It is the last known photo of the washer. Shortly after this photo was taken, the company left the camp for a mission. As the Tennessee Army Guardsmen returned, they observed the machine disappearing into the clouds slung under the belly of a helicopter. Luckily, the two sergeants had removed their laundry before the incident. A majority of the 65,000 Army Guardsmen deployed in support of the operation were combat service support troops.

Hawaii tankers host 11-year-old pilot for a day
November 4, 2010 — JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii, - When an 11-year old becomes a pilot, it's a headline maker. When an 11-year old survives potentially-terminal brain cancer, it's a headline maker.And the... MORE

Eleven-year-old Ryder Lum flies a C-17 simulator during his visit to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Oct. 29, 2010. Ryder was part of the 535th Airlift Squadron's quarterly Pilot for a Day program, which allows children with catastrophic disorders or illnesses to experience a day in the life of an Air Force pilot. Ryder was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor four years ago and has been in remission for almost two years.

Virginia Guard conducts first unit-level cyber defense exercise
November 3, 2010 — FAIRFAX, Va., - A Virginia Army National Guard data processing unit recently conducted a unit-level cyber defense exercise to test the unit's technical capability in preventing, identifying and... MORE

Soldiers of the Virginia National Guard Data Processing Unit's Network Warfare Branch monitor network traffic during the unit's Cyber Forward exercise conducted in Fairfax, Va., Oct. 16, 2010.

Louisiana Guard: Saints in the Skies
November 3, 2010 — AFGHANISTAN, - Suspended 5,000 feet above the arid foothills of the Hindu Kush in western Afghanistan, an Afghan army soldier lies prostrate on the floor of a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.Tubes and... MORE

Sgt. 1st Class David Jacob, senior flight medic for the Louisiana National Guard writes information about a patient that is being transported an Afghan Army soldier. The soldiers of F Company fly into hostile fire areas to pick up and transport patients to safety, and are able to perform many different procedures while in the air.

Marksmen gain valuable experience at Wilson matches
November 3, 2010 — NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark., - Everyone's attention was either focused on the match that was in progress or the next competition ahead here at the 40th annual Winston P. Wilson (WPW) Sustainment Training... MORE

Soldiers leap over a barricade during the fallen comrade event at the Winston P. Wilson shooting matches held at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock, Ark., Oct. 24-29, 2010. The event had Soldiers run a total of 200 yards, while negotiating obstacles and carrying a dummy. In the middle of the event, they lie prone and knock down seven targets with rifle fire.

Air Guard builds partnerships with employers
November 2, 2010 — TUCSON, Ariz., - Nearly 100 business leaders from the WesternUnited States and Guam converged on Arizona's 162nd Fighter Wing here atTucson International Airport Oct. 27-28 to learn about the Air... MORE

Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, director of the Air National Guard, welcomes
employers to the 162nd Fighter Wing at a combat dining out for Business and Industry Days Oct. 27, 2010. The dinner introduced about 100 business leaders to the expeditionary nature of service in today's Air National Guard. The regional event helped build positive relations between the Air Guard and Western United States employers who hire Guardsmen.

California brigade joins Indian Army in Yudh Abhyas 2010
November 2, 2010 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska, - U.S. Army Alaska and the Indian Army celebrated the opening of the annual joint and bilateral training exercise Yudh Abhyas 2010 during a ceremony here at... MORE

Soldiers of U.S. Army Alaska and the Indian Army stand in formation during the Yudh Abhyas 2010 opening ceremony of the annual joint and bilateral training exercise at Buckner Physical Fitness Center, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska Oct. 31, 2010. Yudh Abhyas is an annual training exercise designed to strengthen ties between the armies by expanding operational and cultural knowledge with a training focus on peacekeeping operations.

Carpenter: Emotional fitness is long-term answer to suicide spike
November 2, 2010 — WASHINGTON - With the spike in servicemember suicides, the Army should put the same emphasis on emotional fitness as it does on physical fitness, the acting director of the Army National Guard said... MORE

Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter, acting director of the Army National Guard, tells attendees at the 2010 Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 27, 2010, that emotional fitness is as important as physical fitness.

Iowa Air Guard’s 132nd Security Forces Squadron Conducts Annual Training in Hawaii

Wisconsin Air Guard’s 115th Fighter Wing Partners With UW Health for Medical Airmen Training

Connecticut Army Guard Partners With Coast Guard to Dislodge Beached Buoy

Minnesota Guard Among First to Field Army’s Newest M250 Automatic Rifle

Soldier’s Medal Awarded to Georgia Guardsman Who Pulled Driver From Burning SUV