Guard News - The National Guard

Army Guard fixed wing aircrews expand mission to keep ground troops safe
March 4, 2010 — FORT BELVOIR, Va., - The initial deployment the Army National Guard's Task Force Observe, Detect, Identify, and Neutralize or ODIN will come to an end this weekend, when Soldiers from Company B of the... MORE

From left to right, Spc. Thomas White, Maj. John L. Baynham Jr., Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joel D. Smith, Sgt. Jamie Cohodes and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shandella Vaughan are members of Company B of the 3rd Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment, which participated in the initial deployment of Task Force Observe, Detect, Identify, and Neutralize in Afghanistan. The unit will redeploy this weekend

Board reassesses service disability ratings
March 4, 2010 — WASHINGTON, - Recommendations from a congressionally directed Defense Department disability review board have resulted in 61 percent of applicants having their status changed from a medical separation... MORE

EOD experience benefits Guardsman
March 4, 2010 — GREENVILLE, N.C., - Army Staff Sgt. Tracy Dice was a 12-year veteran of the law enforcement field when she decided to become an explosive ordnance disposal technician in the North Carolina National... MORE

Army Staff Sgt. Tracy Dice of the North Carolina Army National Guard supports the 690th Brigade Support Battalion's training in proper response techniques for improvised explosive devices in Farmville, N.C., Feb. 7, 2010.

Guard retirees eligible for dental coverage
March 4, 2010 — FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Good oral health is an important part of maintaining overall health and a military retiree's access to dental coverage doesn't end when they hang up their uniform.With the Tricare... MORE

oment of silence held for 203rd RED HORSE today
March 3, 2010 — ARLINGTON, Va., - A moment of silence will be observed today by the 203rd RED HORSE Squadron of the Virginia Air National Guard to honor the lives of 18 unit members and three Florida Army Guard... MORE

A red horse kneels in front of the 7,000-pound, black granite boulder with the names of the 21 fallen Army and Air National Guard members etched into its polished surface.

From the WAF to the Guard, sergeant reflects on her career
March 3, 2010 — TUCSON, Ariz., - Although her military uniform never included a prairie dress or apron, Senior Master Sgt. Brenda West began paving the way for female Airmen more than 36 years ago and is,... MORE

Airman Basic Brenda West sits for her official photo upon graduating from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas in 1974. At 18, West joined the Women's Air Force or WAF, which was abolished in 1976. That same year the U.S. Air Force Academy began accepting female cadets.

Arkansas leadership observes ADT in action
March 2, 2010 — CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind., - Leadership of the Arkansas Army and AirNational Guard visited with troops from the Arkansas AgriculturalDevelopment Team (ADT) as they trained in preparation for deployment... MORE

Army Brig. Gen. Roger McClellan, right, the joint force land component
commander of the Arkansas National Guard, presents a commander's coin to Air National Guard Lt. Col. David Sheely, team leader of the agriculture
specialists of the Arkansas Agriculture Development Team. The presentation was made as the ADT Team continued training toward a March deployment to Afghanistan to assist farmers in redeveloping the nation's agricultural productivity Feb. 26.

Florida BCT lauded for 'record breaking' training at Ft. Hood
March 2, 2010 — FORT HOOD, Texas - Soldiers from the Florida Army National Guarddeparting for Kuwait and Iraq this week are some of the most skilled Soldierswho have trained here, said the commanding general of First... MORE

Puerto Rico mechanics support local police
March 2, 2010 — San Juan, P.R., - The Puerto Rico National Guard is directly supporting the Puerto Rico Police Department to fight crime after an executive order was signed by Gov. Luis G. Fortuño Feb. 2.On the first... MORE

Social media policy balances Web 2.0 with security
March 2, 2010 — WASHINGTON, - The new policy allowing access to social media from computers connected to the Defense Department's unclassified network balances the mission value of Web 2.0 tools and the need for... MORE

Guard's first weapons school graduate tops the class
March 2, 2010 — LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va., - Maj. Michael D. "BOK" Schaner, aweapons officer and F-22 Raptor pilot with the 149th Fighter Squadron of theVirginia Air National Guard was recently selected as the F-22... MORE

New policy authorizes social media access with caveats
March 1, 2010 — WASHINGTON, - Attention all Facebookers, Twitter tweeters and YouTubers: a new Defense Department policy authorizes you to access these and other Web 2.0 platforms from nonclassified government... MORE

Oregon Airmen train for base honor guard duty
March 1, 2010 — PORTLAND, Ore. - Holding a folded American flag at eye level, an Oregon Airman pauses for a moment as he slowly inspects the colors.Staff Sgt. Justin Meininger is one of 12 airmen of the 142nd Fighter... MORE

Members of the Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Fighter Wing Honor Guard team carefully fold an American flag during honor guard training at the Portland Air National Guard Base, Feb. 24, 2010. Active Air Force members from McChord AFB, Wash., spent a week training Oregon airmen.

Former Utah Guardsman wins Olympic gold
March 1, 2010 — WHISTLER, B.C., - Former Utah National Guard bobsledder Steven Holcomb ended Team USA's 62-year gold medal drought in Olympic bobsleigh competition by driving Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and Curtis... MORE

Former Utah National Guard bobsledder Steven Holcomb and teammates Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and Curt Tomasevicz bite their gold medals at Whistler Medals Plaza after winning the Olympic four-man bobsled crown at Whistler Sliding Centre Feb. 27, 2010.

Virginia Airmen forecast the weather for state units
March 1, 2010 — SANDSTON, Va., - When the Virginia National Guard has a weather-related state emergency, it calls on the expertise of the internal weather forecasters from the Virginia Air National Guard.The 200th... MORE

Senior Master Sgt. Stephen Gamache and Senior Airman Christopher Tuck track weather systems moving across Virginia during the snow storms that ravaged the region in February 2010.

ARNORTH tests Nevada Guard CST
February 26, 2010 — LAS VEGAS - U.S. Army North's Team B, West Division, Civil Support Training Activity, evaluated the Soldiers and Airmen of the Nevada National Guard's 92nd Civil Support Team during a certification... MORE

Holcomb leads team USA in Olympic bobsled event tonight
February 26, 2010 — WHISTLER, British Columbia, - After finishing sixth in the two-man Olympic bobsled competition Feb. 21, former Army World Class Athlete Program bobsled driver Steven Holcomb said he looks forward to... MORE

Bobsled pilot Steven Holcomb, a former member of the Utah National Guard, posts the sixth-fastest time of 51.89 seconds with Curt Tomasevicz aboard USA 1 in the first heat of the Olympic two-man bobsled competition Feb. 20, 2010, in Whistler, British Columbia.

Iowa Guardsman takes worldwide talent search honors
February 26, 2010 — RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - Air Force officials here selected the top 11 Air Force entertainers from 74 Airmen who gathered for the annual Air Force Worldwide Talent Search Jan. 17-25 at Lackland... MORE

Nisker to look after Army Guard's warrant officers
February 26, 2010 — ARLINGTON, Va., - He represents a small percentage of the force, but as the new command chief warrant officer of the Army National Guard, Gary Nisker, has the huge task of looking out for the... MORE

Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter, acting director of the Army National Guard, hands a saber over to Chief Warrant Officer 5 Gary Nisker during a change of responsibility ceremony at the Army Guard Readiness Center in Arlington, Va., Feb. 25, 2010. Nisker took the position of Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Army Guard.

Air Force space camp open to ANG dependents
February 26, 2010 — SYRACUSE, N.Y., - The Air Force Services Child & Youth Program is sponsoring the AF Space Camp Program at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., July 25-30.The Air Force Space Camp is a... MORE

Civic Leaders Fly With Alaska Air Guard During Red Flag Alaska 25-2

Washington Army Guard Trains in Water Bucket Operations

Alaska Army Guard Rescues Family Stranded on River During Storm

lowa Airmen Take Training to New Heights

West Virginia Guard Continues Flood Cleanup Efforts