Guard News - The National Guard

Hokanson thanks Guard members supporting wildfire fight
July 22, 2021 — LAKEVIEW, Ore. – The general’s eyes scanned the 40 or so National Guard troops assembled in a horseshoe around him in a field Thursday and he felt pride.“Whatever the mission – fighting America’s... MORE

Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau, thanks National Guard members for their ongoing support to local, state and federal agencies fighting the Bootleg Fire, Lakeview, Oregon, July 22, 2021.

Kentucky Airmen sharpen maintenance skills in Puerto Rico
July 22, 2021 — CAROLINA, Puerto Rico – More than 130 Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard completed a week of intensive aircraft maintenance training at Muñiz Air National Guard Base June 12-18, honing... MORE

Master Sgt. Chuck Rodgers, right, a propulsion elements supervisor from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Maintenance Squadron, and Staff Sgt. Mike Hasson, an aerospace maintenance craftsman from the same unit, install engine panels on a C-130 Hercules at Muñiz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico, June 13, 2021, as part of Maintenance University. More than 130 Airmen from the Kentucky Air Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing trained on career-specific proficiencies during the intensive week-long course.

Army National Guard CSM visits South Dakota Soldiers
July 22, 2021 — RAPID CITY, S.D. – The senior enlisted advisor of the Army National Guard visited South Dakota Army National Guard Soldiers at Camp Rapid July 11. Command Sgt. Maj. John Sampa met with the Soldiers in... MORE

Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. John Sampa addresses South Dakota Army National Guard Soldiers at Camp Rapid in Rapid City, S.D., July 11, 2021. Sampa’s talked about his initiative to have open conversations about suicide, sexual harassment and sexual assault in the National Guard.

Northern Strike returns to Northern Michigan
July 22, 2021 — LANSING, Mich. – Northern Strike 21-2, one of the Department of Defense's largest reserve component readiness exercises, is scheduled across Northern Michigan July 31 to Aug. 14.Approximately 5,100... MORE

Pennsylvania Guard participates in cyber defense exercise
July 22, 2021 — CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah – Eight cyber experts from the Pennsylvania National Guard are participating in Cyber Shield, the Department of Defense's largest unclassified cyber defense exercise, at Camp... MORE

Eight cyber experts from the Pennsylvania National Guard are participating in Cyber Shield, the Department of Defense’s largest unclassified cyber defense exercise, July 10-23 at Camp Williams, Utah. Bottom row, left to right: Capt. Sean Smith, Maj. Christine Pierce, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jeremy Marroncelli, Staff Sgt. Andrew Clancey; Top row, left to right: Sgt. 1st Class Keith Stout, Sgt. 1st Class Brian Frantz, Master Sgt. Elefterios Ginnis, Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Byers.

152nd Airlift Wing 'High Rollers' extended on MAFFS duty
July 20, 2021 — RENO, Nev. – The Nevada Air National Guard's participation in the wildland firefighting mission in the West has been extended to Aug. 26 at the request of the National Interagency Fire Center... MORE

Three Air National Guard C-130s await launch orders July 14, 2021, at CAL FIRE Air Tanker Base, McClellan Park, Calif. The Department of Defense, through the commander, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), supports the National Interagency Fire Center in wildland firefighting operations.

Tennessee Guard joins national cybersecurity exercise
July 20, 2021 — NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Members of the Tennessee National Guard are participating in the nationwide cybersecurity exercise, Cyber Shield, July 10-24 at Joint Force Headquarters in Nashville.The annual... MORE

Tennessee National Guard Capt. Curtis Crossman, Det. 2, 175th Cyber Protection Team commander, participates in Cyber Shield 2021, July 14, 2021, at Joint Force Headquarters in Nashville. Cyber Shield 2021 is a national cybersecurity exercise to increase response capabilities of cyber professionals across the country.

WVNG's 167th hosts 123rd Airmen for predeployment training
July 20, 2021 — MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – The West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th Airlift Wing hosted seven air transportation specialists from the 123rd Airlift Wing, Kentucky National Guard, for predeployment... MORE

Aerial transportation specialists and loadmasters from the 167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia National Guard, and 123rd Airlift Wing, Kentucky National Guard, load palletized cargo onto a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft during a cargo loading exercise at the 167th Airlift Wing, Martinsburg, West Virginia, July 14, 2021. The 167th hosted members from the 123rd for a small air terminal training in preparation for their upcoming deployment.

Swamp Foxes end expeditionary force rotation in Saudi Arabia
July 19, 2021 — MCENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. – Approximately 300 Airmen and a contingent of F-16CJ Fighting Falcon aircraft from the South Carolina Air National Guard's 169th Fighter Wing ended a... MORE

South Carolina Air National Guard personnel return home July 16, 2021, to the 169th Fighter Wing at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina, after a three-month deployment to Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “Swamp Fox” Airmen projected combat power and bolstered defensive capabilities against potential threats in the region.

Alaska Air Guard rescues 2 people after crash landing
July 19, 2021 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Alaska Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing rescued two people July 16 after an emergency crash landing in the Susitna River across the inlet from... MORE

An HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 41st Rescue Squadron flies through the air during a rapid-rescue exercise, Nov. 3, 2016, near Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

Virginia 180th Engineers head to Louisiana for JRTC rotation
July 16, 2021 — FORT POLK, La. – More than 50 Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 180th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group, are supporting the Arkansas National... MORE

Virginia National Guard Soldiers load a bulldozer onto a trailer for transport July 9, 2021, at Fort Pickett, Virginia. The bulldozer is part of the heavy equipment the 180th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group, is using during a training rotation July 10-Aug. 3, 2021, at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Hawaii Airmen train in California on disaster response
July 16, 2021 — CONCORD, Calif. – Medical specialists from the Hawaii Air National Guard's 154th Medical Group Detachment 1 took their expertise on the road to participate in a California disaster response... MORE

Hawaii Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Chris Whitworth, 154th Medical Group, Detachment 1 medic, crawls through a simulated collapsed structure in search of notional explosion victims April 15, 2021, in Concord, Calif.. Whitworth was participating in exercise Sentinel Response, an urban search and rescue exercise to practice interoperability with first responders and elements of the California National Guard.

Alaska Air National Guard medevacs injured Army paratrooper
July 16, 2021 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Alaska Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing medically evacuated an injured U.S. Army Alaska paratrooper July 14.The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center was... MORE

The Guardian Angel team of the 212th Rescue Squadron, 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, provides airborne medical care for a U.S. Army Alaska paratrooper during medical evacuation July 14, 2021. The Soldier was injured in a static-line jump over Malamute Drop Zone on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

270th ATCS makes ANG history during Patriot North exercise
July 15, 2021 — FORT MCCOY, Wis. – Airmen from the 270th Air Traffic Control Squadron out of Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon, operated a mobile air traffic control unit during Patriot North 21 at Ft McCoy in... MORE

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from the 167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard, performs a low pass over a mobile air traffic control tower at Fort McCoy, Wis., June 14, 2021. PATRIOT 21 is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities to prepare for disasters.

Alaska National Guard Airmen rescue injured mountain biker
July 15, 2021 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Alaska Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing rescued an injured mountain biker near Girdwood July 14.The biker, riding an electric bike, was reported to... MORE

HH-60G Pave Hawk aircrew of 210th Rescue Squadron simulate combat search-and-rescue tactics by locating and evacuating a simulated downed pilot in southcentral Alaska Jan. 21, 2021, as part of Operation Noble Defender. The exercise is a North American Air Defense Command Arctic air defense operation.

VTNG supports COVID response from strategic stockpile
July 14, 2021 — COLCHESTER, Vt. – Termination of Vermont's COVID-19 state of emergency has led to a shift in priorities for Soldiers and Airmen supporting the state's Strategic National Stockpile.Distribution of... MORE

Airman 1st Class Abas Kallon from the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, retrieves personal protective equipment to fill an order at the Strategic National Stockpile Warehouse, Aug. 27, 2020. Airmen from across the 158th Fighter Wing have supported operations at the warehouse since March 2020.

NHNG practices combat marksmanship in annual competition
July 14, 2021 — FORT DEVENS, Mass. – The New Hampshire National Guard held its annual combat marksmanship match July 8–11 at Fort Devens.Soldiers and Airmen competed in team and individual small-arms events,... MORE

Maj. Gen. David Mikolaities, New Hampshire adjutant general, hurls a hatchet downrange during the New Hampshire National Guard's annual combat marksmanship competition July 10, 2021, at Fort Devens, Mass. The four-day match featured 14 teams and 75 marksmen competing in pistol, rifle, shotgun and even hatchet-throwing events.

NY Air Guard helps train Air Force Reserve port specialists
July 13, 2021 — SCOTIA, N.Y. – The New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing is hosting two Air Force Reserve Airmen from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base while they complete their hands-on training as aerial... MORE

Daniel Guthrie, Polar Field Services cargo supervisor, works with Senior Airman Ian Chisholm, left, and Airman 1st Class Trevor Cornelius to secure a pallet of cargo at Stratton Air National Guard Base, Scotia, N.Y. The Air Force Reserve Airmen from the 87th Aerial Port Squadron are being trained by air transportation specialists assigned to the 109th Airlift Wing.

152nd CES firefighters train at Volk Field in Wisconsin
July 13, 2021 — VOLK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Wis. – Fire protection specialists with the Nevada Air National Guard's 152nd Civil Engineer Squadron participated in multiple firefighting training exercises June... MORE

Fire protection specialists with the 152nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Nevada Air National Guard, extinguish an exterior fire of a C-130 aircraft frame during a live-burn exercise at Volk Field Air National Guard Base in Wisconsin July 7, 2021.

New York National Guard closing down mass vaccination site
July 12, 2021 — NEW YORK – New York National Guard Soldiers and Airmen began winding down their mission at the country's largest COVID-19 mass vaccination site July 9, as the last shot was administered at the Jacob... MORE

Emma L. Jenks, 21, of Millerton, New York, gets one of the last vaccinations at the Jacob K Javits mass vaccination site in Manhattan July 9, 2021. Jenks, the daughter of New York Army National Guard Sgt. Major Robert, received her second Pfizer vaccination from nurse Christina Davis-Riley and New York Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Mark Manual, a member of the 105th Airlift Wing, who served as the data entry technician. Representatives from the agencies that comprised Joint Task Javits witnessed the occasion.

Beyond the Uniform: New Hampshire Airman’s Training Becomes a Lifeline

Washington Guard, U.S. Army Reserve Conduct Helocast Training in the Pacific Northwest

Guard Explosive Ordnance Disposal Soldiers from Four States Unite for Training

Connecticut Air Guard Provides Rapid Fighter Jet Refueling, Rearming in Record Time

Wyoming Guard Joint Exercise Builds Readiness for Aeromedical Evacuation Teams