Guard News - The National Guard

SDNG trains with firefighters on hazmat response
May 4, 2021 — RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota National Guard’s 82nd Civil Support Team worked with the Rapid City Fire Department on annual hazardous materials training April 28-29. The joint training enables... MORE

U.S. Army Capt. Russ Reed checks the protective equipment of Staff Sgt. Jerico Witte as members of the South Dakota National Guard’s 82nd Civil Support Team and the Rapid City Fire Department conduct annual hazardous material training in Rapid City, S.D., April 29, 2021.

Iowa Air Refueling Wing tests emergency response in exercise
May 4, 2021 — SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Members of the 185th Air Refueling Wing Fire Department participated in a mass casualty exercise directed by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Sioux Gateway Airport Brig... MORE

A helicopter from Wings Air Rescue arrives at Sioux Gateway Airport Col. Bud Day Field to pick up a load of simulated casualties to deliver to a hospital during a Federal Aviation Administration mass casualty exercise at the airport in Sioux City, Iowa, May 1, 2021. The Iowa Air National Guard's 185th Air Refueling Wing participated in the exercise.

NYNG troops participate in Indiana disaster response drill
May 3, 2021 — MUSCATATUCK, Ind. – Almost 200 New York Army National Guard Soldiers from the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion and 204th Engineer Battalion were among 4,200 troops taking part in an exercise... MORE

Soldiers assigned to the New York Army National Guard's Bravo Company, 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion, bring satellite stations online at Regional Support Camp Nighthawk, in Nineveh, Ind., April 19, 2021, as part of the Guardian Response 21 exercise at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center. New York National Guard Soldiers supported other state National Guard elements during the exercise.

Alaska Air National Guard rescues stranded hikers
May 3, 2021 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Members of the Alaska Air National Guard’s search and rescue aircrew and pararescue teams saved two stranded hikers on Rainbow Peak trail early May 1. One of... MORE

An Alaska Air National Guard HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter and aircrew assigned to the 210th Rescue Squadron and pararescuemen from the 212th Rescue Squadron saved a distressed hiker on July 26, 2020, at Mount Williwaw east of Anchorage.

AZNG Soldiers recognized for Sedona rescue mission
May 3, 2021 — PHOENIX – Soldiers with the Arizona Army National Guard 2-285th Assault Helicopter Battalion recognized three of their fellow service members May 1 for rescuing stranded hikers and a local rescue team... MORE

Three Arizona Army National Guard aircrew members with the 2-285th Assault Helicopter Battalion are recognized at Papago Park Military Reservation in Phoenix, Ariz., May 1, 2021, for rescuing hikers stranded in inclement weather in Sedona Jan. 25, 2021.

Hawaiian Raptors fly with RAAF for exercise Pacific Edge 21
April 30, 2021 — JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – Total Force Airmen from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam completed a multifaceted, air combat exercise April 22, flying more than 100 sorties alongside partners... MORE

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail, operated by No. 2 Squadron based at RAAF Base Williamtown, Australia, flies in formation with Hawaii Air National Guard F-22 Raptors April 21, 2021, near Oahu, Hawaii, as part of the Pacific Edge 21 exercise.

NYNG helps hit half-million shot count at NYC vaccine site
April 30, 2021 — NEW YORK – More than a half-million COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered at New York state's mass vaccination site at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, staffed by 600 New York National Guard... MORE

Cassie Huang, 28, of New York receives her first Pfizer vaccination from nurse Raquel Calderon April 26, 2021, marking the 500,000th vaccine administered at the Jacob Javits Center mass vaccination site. More than 3,180 members of the New York Army and Air National Guard, the New York Naval Militia and the New York Guard are supporting the multi-agency response to COVID-19 at 24 vaccination sites and other locations across New York.

California National Guard trains for CRE mission
April 29, 2021 — MUSCATATUCK URBAN TRAINING CENTER, Ind. – Soldiers of the California Army National Guard, 216th Engineer Movement Augmentation Company, trained for search and rescue operations as part of the... MORE

Search and rescue Soldiers of the California National Guard, 216th Engineer Movement Augmentation Company, Pomona, California, place a neck brace on a mock casualty during vehicle extraction training at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center April 24-25, 2021. The training was part of Guardian Response 2021, a multicomponent Homeland Emergency Response Exercise run by the Army Reserve’s 78th Training Division.

Oklahoma National Guard helps at federal vaccination clinic
April 29, 2021 — TULSA, Okla. – Nearly 30 Oklahoma National Guardsmen are supporting a community vaccination clinic as part of the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.The Guard members are transporting vaccines,... MORE

Oklahoma National Guard Airman 1st Class Jaquee Dixon, medical technician, 138th Fighter Wing, prepares COVID-19 vaccines at a community vaccination clinic in Tulsa April 21, 2021. The clinic runs from April 21 to June 15.

SDNG supports vaccination events on Pine Ridge Reservation
April 27, 2021 — KYLE, S.D. – The South Dakota Army National Guard supported Indian Health Services and the Oglala Sioux Tribe during two COVID-19 vaccination events on the Pine Ridge Reservation April 16-17. IHS and... MORE

Sgt. Hien Nguyen, 730th Area Support Medical Company, South Dakota Army National Guard, vaccinates an Oglala Sioux Tribe member during a COVID-19 vaccination and health fair event in in Kyle, S.D., April 16, 2021. The 730th provided medical personnel to assist with administering COVID-19 vaccinations for members of the OST and to provide administrative support.

Alaska Army Guard deploys Black Hawk for spring flood season
April 27, 2021 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – The Alaska National Guard is sending a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to Bethel as part of the state’s effort to prepare for disaster response during the 2021... MORE

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter departs Bethel, Alaska, returning to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, April 9, 2021.

Guard, DISA participate in international cyber exercise
April 26, 2021 — MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Members of the West Virginia and Illinois National Guard, Defense Information Systems Agency employees and West Virginia University students partnered with Polish allies to compete... MORE

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Paul Coffy, center, seated, views a virtual exercise environment as two West Virginia University students and U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Adam Brenner, right, observe at the Morgantown National Guard Readiness Center. The international Locked Shields 2021 cyber defense exercise was held the week of April 12, 2021.

167th firefighters train to save lives, rescue local man
April 23, 2021 — MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – Rigorous training, every shift, often blindfolded.That’s how firefighters with the 167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard, prepared to respond to a structure fire,... MORE

Firefighters from the 167th Airlift Wing, Martinsburg, W.Va., respond to a simulated aircraft fire as part of their Federal Aviation Administration Part 139 Live Fire Training, Oct. 14, 2018. The West Virginia State Fire Academy provided an aircraft fire simulator for the annual training event.

Virginia Guard supports community vaccination clinic
April 23, 2021 — BLACKSTONE, Va. – The Virginia National Guard is supporting a community COVID-19 vaccination clinic opened April 19 by the Virginia Department of Health at the VNG armory in Blackstone.Virginia Army... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen support a community COVID-19 vaccination clinic opened April 19, 2021, by the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management at the VNG armory in Blackstone, Virginia. VNG medics trained and certified by VDH are administering the vaccines, and additional Soldiers are assisting with logistics.

Idaho, West Virginia Guardsmen shine at Ranger competition
April 23, 2021 — BOISE, Idaho – Idaho Army National Guardsman Capt. John Bomsta and his teammate, Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Smith from the West Virginia Army National Guard, were the top National Guard team and 10th out... MORE

Idaho Army National Guardsman Capt. John Bomsta and his teammate, Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Smith from the West Virginia Army National Guard, finish as the National Guard’s top team April 18, 2021, at the U.S. Army’s Best Ranger Competition and 10th out of 51 U.S. Army teams.

92nd CST fires up Exercise Desert Torch in Vegas
April 22, 2021 — LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas residents had the opportunity to witness a flurry of training activity starting April 20, as the Nevada National Guard’s 92nd Civil Support Team conducted mock emergency HAZMAT... MORE

Sgts. Chaz Rapp and Rjhun Rimon with the 92nd Civil Support Team, Nevada National Guard, search for hazardous materials in level-A fully encapsulated chemical entry suits during training scenarios for Exercise Desert Torch, April 20, 2021, in Las Vegas.

Task Force Phoenix completes pre-deployment exercise
April 21, 2021 — NORTH FORT HOOD, Texas – The Soldiers of Task Force Phoenix faced several worst-case scenarios during a 10-day culminating training exercise (CTE) in April. Indirect fire attacks, downed aircraft,... MORE

Task Force Phoenix UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from G Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), land at North Fort Hood, Texas, April 17, 2021, during a medevac training mission that was part of a culminating training exercise.

Idaho Air Guard sweeps top honors during Hawgsmoke 2021
April 21, 2021 — BOISE, Idaho – The 124th Fighter Wing’s 190th Fighter Squadron was recognized as the top pilot team at Hawgsmoke 2021, a biannual A-10 Thunderbolt II competition, at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia,... MORE

Idaho National Guard A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots and their crews come home to Boise as the 2021 Hawgsmoke overall team champions. The Hawgsmoke is a biennial aerial competition where approximately 150 Airmen from 13 Air Force units compete to test the bombing, missile and tactical gunnery skills of the pilots and maintainers of the U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft. This year it was held at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, April 14-17, 2021.

Oregon National Guard supports COVID vaccinations statewide
April 20, 2021 — SALEM, Ore. - Oregon National Guard Citizen-Soldiers and -Airmen have vaccinated almost 300,000 people since Jan. 8, helping the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and regional medical partners distribute... MORE

Oregon National Guard Airman 1st Class Yvette Rascon, assigned to the 173rd Fighter Wing, administers the COVID-19 vaccine during a mass vaccination clinic at the Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Ore., April 19, 2021. Oregon Guardsmen have administered almost 300,000 vaccinations.

NY, NJ Homeland Response Force resumes training
April 19, 2021 — EAST AMHERST, N.Y. — After a year and a half hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 200 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from New York and New Jersey trained together to respond to Chemical,... MORE

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

Air National Guard Leaders Host 2025 Wing Leader Fly-In

Colorado Army National Guard Conducts Aviation Training for Wildfire Season

Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs Highlights Virginia National Guard Excellence at Military Ball

Oregon Air Guard Participates in Sentry Aloha Exercise