Guard News - The National Guard

Counterdrug analyst finds purpose through tragedy
July 22, 2019 — CINCINNATI, Ohio – She's working through a loved one's loss — it's arduous and never stops. She pushes the pain aside, like rolling a boulder nearer the top of a hill only for it to roll back down... MORE

Ohio Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Chelsea Lovelace, an analyst for the Ohio National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force, stands for a photo at the Cincinnati Police Department’s Narcotics Division. Lovelace lost her father to a morphine pill overdose and now works to get drugs off the streets of greater Cincinnati.

Idaho Army National Guard Soldier plays Carnegie Hall
July 22, 2019 — BOISE, Idaho - There’s an old joke that a couple on a New York City street once asked legendary classical violinist Jascha Heifetz how to get to Carnegie Hall. Without missing a beat or looking up, he... MORE

Idaho Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Micah Strasser poses for a photo next to his timpani during a dress rehearsal for a Millennial Choirs and Orchestras performance at New York City's Carnegie Hall July 11, 2019.

Puerto Rico's 'port dawgs' handle nitty-gritty on tarmac
July 17, 2019 — MUNIZ AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Puerto Rico – Despite the mission, task or the natural disaster/emergency, one constant remains on the concrete plateau of Muniz Air National Guard Base – the "Port... MORE

Day or night, aircraft loading operations, including personnel and their equipment, keep the mission moving in support of domestic operations at Muniz Air National Guard Base for the Vigilant Guard Exercise.

Joint training helps the community and servicemembers
July 16, 2019 — NORWICH, N.Y. – As community members come to Norwich High School to receive no-cost health care during the Greater Chenango Cares Innovative Readiness Training July 11-20, the first faces they see are... MORE

Patient administrators with the Greater Chenango Care Innovative Readiness Training check-in patients July 15, 2019, at Norwich High School, Norwich, New York.

Idaho Army, Air Guard members earn air assault badges
July 15, 2019 — BOISE, Idaho – Two Idaho National Guard members graduated from the U.S. Army’s Air Assault School June 28 at Camp Rilea, Oregon. Idaho Army National Guard Soldier Cadet Porter Haux and Idaho Air... MORE

Army Soldiers take part in the rappelling portion of Air Assault School at Camp Rilea, Warrenton, Oregon, June 27, 2019.

Joint forces provide no-cost medical care in New York
July 12, 2019 — HOMER, N.Y. – More than 50 Wisconsin Air National Guard members assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing will be providing care to the citizens of New York July 11 - July 20 as part of an Innovative... MORE

Airmen assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing, Madison, Wisconsin, board an Illinois Air National Guard C-130 Hercules for transport to New York July 9, 2019, for the Greater Chenango Cares and Healthy Cortland Innovative Readiness Training.

Air wing member delivers baby on Washington road shoulder
July 11, 2019 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. — Delivering babies is not what Senior Airman Travis Cunningham does on a regular basis but on May 13th, Mother’s Day, that’s what he was called upon to do. While on duty as a... MORE

Senior Airman Travis Cunningham(left), 194th Intelligence Squadron, poses with a father and his newborn child near Winthrop, Wash., May 13, 2019. Cunningham, also a Washington State Trooper, helped deliver the baby on the side of the road after a traffic stop turned into a medical emergency.

Five Utah sisters take five different military paths
July 10, 2019 — SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tiara Puro was 17 years old when her father handed her a recruiting brochure for the Utah Army National Guard. She remembered a feeling of excitement as she flipped through the... MORE

The five Puro sisters of Utah took different paths to military careers. Left to right: Tiara, Air Force; Tambra, Army Guard, Tayva, Air Guard; Ty'lene, Army Guard; Taryn, Navy.

N.Y. Guard Soldiers remember Medal of Honor recipients
July 9, 2019 — TROY, N.Y. – Veterans and Soldiers of the New York National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team honored the World War II veterans of the 27th Division and one of its Medal of Honor recipients,... MORE

New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. William O'Brien, commander of the 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, leads his unit in the relief of another outfit during the battle of Saipan, June 18, 1944. O'Brien would receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his leadership and actions during the largest Japanese suicide charge of the Pacific Theater July 6-7, 1944.

Female chaplain’s mission field is with Wisconsin troops
July 8, 2019 — MADISON, Wis. – Watching her husband and other Soldiers in the 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry of the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team work through their deployment... MORE

1st Lt. Jennifer Kuhnert, a chaplain with the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 257th Brigade Support Battalion, speaks during a Jan. 13, 2019, memorial service for Staff Sgt. Madeline Wegner.

Tenn. Airman credits Guard training for successful IT career
July 8, 2019 — NASHVILLE, Tenn. – When an Airman enters the military, it’s often for patriotic reasons, coupled with a number of great benefits including education, healthcare and a competitive salary. Staff Sgt... MORE

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Caleb uses a computer programs to identify network issues during his unit's training period at Berry Field Air National Guard Base, Nashville, Tenn, on May 5, 2019. Caleb's unit was training in advanced network systems and resolving network issues. (This photo has been altered for security purposes by blurring out identification badges.)

Ohio's 124th Intelligence Squadron restores natural habitat
July 3, 2019 — SPRINGFIELD-BECKLEY AIR GUARD STATION, Ohio – Behind the scenes of nature’s beauty often lies a deadly competition. Native plant species vie for resources in a struggle to survive. Reed Creek Nature... MORE

Forty-nine Airmen with the 124th Intelligence Squadron (IS) helped restore the Reed Creek Nature Park to its natural beauty during annual training June 13, 2019, at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Airmen cleared more than an acre of land of an invasive species, Chinese Privet, which threatened the natural habitat's native species.

Citizen-Warrior: Pa. Guard Soldier keeps comm lines open
July 1, 2019 — FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Spc. Courtney Petrauskas serves as an information technology specialist with Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 28th Expeditionary... MORE

U.S. Army Spc. Courtney Petrauskas, information technology specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, poses for a photo in front of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters at Muir Army Airfield.

W. Va. engineer officer earns dual tab recognition
June 28, 2019 — CHARLESTON, W. Va. – It's no surprise when first seeing U.S. Army Capt. Richard Payne that he is the 'go-getter' type. He exudes confidence through his demeanor and is physically ready to meet and... MORE

U.S. Army Capt. Richard Payne poses for a photo June 25, 2019, in St. Albans, West Virginia. Payne recently completed U.S. Army Ranger School where he earned a Ranger tab to go along with the Sapper tab he earned in 2015. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Bo Wriston)

Kentucky Guard Soldier posts highest ACFT score yet
June 27, 2019 — FRANKFORT, Ky. – The U.S. Army is transitioning to a new physical fitness test, the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), to better prepare Soldiers in readiness and lethality. To date, no Soldier yet has... MORE

Spc. Ryan Sowder is an 88M truck driver for the 2112th Transportation Company based in Burlington, Ky. Sowder recently scored a 597 out of 600 points on the new Army Combat Fitness Test, which is the highest score to date across the force.

Natural disasters inspire Guard members to re-enlist
June 21, 2019 — TOPEKA, Kansas – No one wants bad things to happen, especially in their communities. However, for two Kansas National Guard members, the devastation of recent floods was a rejuvenating experience... MORE

Maj. Drew Polen (left), executive officer of the 891st Engineer Battalion, gives the reenlistment oath to Spc. Russell O'Neill (right), assigned to 891st Forward Support Company, June 2, a top of pallets of water that are ready to be distributed to communities in Kansas devastated by flooding in May.

W.Va. Guard Soldier makes impact in flood recovery program
June 20, 2019 — CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia Army National Guard (WVARNG) Pvt. 1st Class James Jarrell, an interior electrician (12R), has been making a positive impact for flood recovery efforts in the state... MORE

Pvt. 1st Class James Jarrell, an interior electrician in the West Virginia Army National Guard, poses for a photo June 17, 2019. Jarrell works for the RISE West Virginia program to assist West Virginians affected by the devastating 2016 flood.

Gunnery simulators augment Army Guard training
June 19, 2019 — SUFFOLK, Va. – Spc. Erik Murphy, a cavalry scout with the Virginia Army National Guard’s Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, stood in the turret of a Humvee, prepared to engage targets with... MORE

Spc. Erik Murphy, a cavalry scout with the Virginia Army National Guard's Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, engages targets with an M2 .50 caliber machine gun on the Individual Unstabalized Gunnery Trainer during training at the Suffolk Armory in Suffolk, Virginia, June 8, 2019. The IUGT is a computer-based simulator that connects the body of a weapon to a virtual reality system and is used to augment the training on crew-served weapons.

Idaho Guard works with SWAT team to boost marksmanship
June 17, 2019 — MELBA, Idaho – The Idaho National Guard marksmanship team participated for the first time in the urban and rural sniper training held in Melba by the Treasure Valley's SWAT sniper element. The... MORE

Sgt. 1st Class Jared Frogley, the IDNG state marksmanship NCO in charge engages precision fire on targets with a bolt-action scope rifle as the Idaho National Guard marksmanship team participated for the first time in the urban and rural sniper training held in Melba by the Treasure Valley's SWAT sniper element. The Meridian Police Department sponsored the course and the SWAT team instructors volunteered their time and to produce the intense 50-hour, five-day course, held from June 3 through June 7, 2019.

Under pressure: Providing critical care when it matters most
June 14, 2019 — SWANTON, Ohio – While other children watched "Sesame Street" or "Lamb Chop's Play-Along," Kaitlyn Newkirk watched shows about trauma surgeons. Even as young as three years old, her dad would find her... MORE

U.S. Air Force Capt. Kaitlyn Newkirk, a clinical nurse assigned to the Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing, poses for a portrait March 18, 2019, at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. As a clinical nurse, she draws blood, gives shots, and teaches self-aid and buddy care to all 180FW Airmen to ensure they have the skills to provide life-saving first aid during the often chaotic and high-stress situations they might face in deployed environments.

Maine Army Guard Engineers Build Communities, Readiness

Iowa Army Guard Soldiers Train at Tigerland

Idaho Guard Engineers Aid Redwood Park Restoration

Oregon Army Guard Helps Design Future Medevac Technology

Alaska Air National Guard Rescues Five Distressed Boaters