Guard News - The National Guard

New Year Brings New Focus on Airmen Fitness
January 16, 2024 — SIOUX CITY, Iowa – As the new year begins, post-holiday realities of too much eating and too little activity begin to set in. Many Americans choose this time of year to refocus their attention on... MORE

U.S. Air National Guard Technical Sgt. Devon Parr, a 185th Air Refueling Wing aerospace propulsion technician, demonstrates a forearm plank

New Hampshire Army Guard Pilot Injured in Iraq Returns to Cockpit
January 12, 2024 — CONCORD, N.H. - After receiving intel of a potential Iranian attack on Al Asad Air Base in western Iraq, Capt. Brendan Meehan began calling units from the operations tent, warning them to seek... MORE

Capt. Brendan Meehan poses for a photo at the New Hampshire Army Aviation Support Facility in Concord, New Hampshire. Meehan was injured during an Iranian missile strike Jan. 8, 2020, in Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. After about two years of extensive treatment, the pilot is now flying again and commanding a unit.

Oregon Airman Lives Her Dream to Serve
January 4, 2024 — KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - The call to serve one’s country is different for each of us. Airman 1st Class Kellie Marshall chose to serve by joining the 173rd Fighter Wing as a Citizen-Airman.“I always... MORE

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Kellie Marshall, a traditional Guardsman with the 173rd Fighter Wing, prepares to conduct a magnetic particle inspection Dec. 15, 2023, at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The inspection finds cracks in material preventing potential part failure and aircraft mishaps.

Kentucky National Guard Posthumously Honors World War II POW
December 22, 2023 — CYNTHIANA, Ky. - There can be little doubt that the spirit of U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Jack Henry Owen is alive and well nearly 11 years after the former World War II bomber pilot died at the age of... MORE

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Jack Henry Owen served in the Kentucky Air National Guard for more than 24 years after his time as a prisoner of war during World War II. He is shown in the cockpit of a Kentucky Air National Guard RF-101 Voodoo aircraft in the late 1960s or early 1970s.

New York Air National Guard Members Help Track Santa Claus
December 21, 2023 — ROME, N.Y. - New York Air National Guardsmen assigned to NORAD's Eastern Air Defense Sector will help track Santa as he makes his way around the world on Christmas Eve.Each year, the North American... MORE

Airman 1st Class Kyle Larsen, a member of the New York Air National Guard assigned to the Eastern Air Defense Sector in Rome, New York, keeps an eye on the sky over the eastern United States while preparing for Christmas Eve, when the sector’s Airmen will help in the annual NORAD Tracks Santa effort.

Army National Guard Recruit Saves Residents From House Fire
December 21, 2023 — NUTLEY, N.J. - New Jersey Army National Guard Pvt. Anthony Del Tufo was recognized by the Nutley School Board of Education Dec. 11 for assisting residents of a home threatened by fire.Del Tufo... MORE

U.S. Army Pvt. Anthony Del Tufo, Recruiting and Retention Battalion, New Jersey Army National Guard, receives a state award from the Nutley Board of Education at Nutley High School in Nutley, New Jersey, Dec. 11, 2023, for helping residents of a home threatened by a fire.

Pennsylvania Air National Guardsman Honors the Fallen
December 20, 2023 — PITTSBURGH - An Airman from the 171st Air Refueling Wing honors fallen veterans by cleaning headstones and placing wreaths on their graves during the holiday season.Tech Sgt. Robert Hasenflu, an... MORE

Volunteers placed wreaths in front of headstones at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies as part of Wreathes Across America, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, Dec. 16, 2023.

South Carolina Guardsman Conquers French Desert Commando Course
December 20, 2023 — DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti - For nearly 50 years, French soldiers stationed in Djibouti have made their way to the Arta Mountains for the grueling, five-day French Desert Commando Course to test their... MORE

U.S. Army Sgt. Liliana Munday, 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Carolina National Guard, holds her French Desert Commando pin Dec. 19, 2023, at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. Munday was one of 40 U.S. service members and the only female to go through the most recent iteration of the French Desert Commando Course.

General Commissions Son Where He Commissioned Decades Earlier
December 18, 2023 — BOISE, Idaho - Brig. Gen. Ryan Robinson returned to the Idaho State Capitol Dec. 15 to administer the commissioning oath to the Idaho Army National Guard’s newest officer: his son, 2nd Lt. Benjamin... MORE

Brig. Gen. Ryan Robinson administers the oath of commissioning to his son, 2nd Lt. Benjamin Robinson, Dec. 15, 2023, at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. Robinson commissioned in the same location in May 1996.

Oregon Airman Shares His Journey to Success
December 14, 2023 — PORTLAND AIR GUARD STATION, Ore. – Shining a light on the diverse paths to happiness and success, it’s evident that college is not the route to professional success for Airman 1st Class Stephen... MORE

Airman 1st Class Stephen Warren, a firefighter with the 142nd Civil Engineer Squadron, poses next to a fire engine at Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore., November 5, 2023.

Couple Enlist Together in Wisconsin Air National Guard
December 8, 2023 — MADISON, Wis. - Husband and wife Steven Krueger and Paola Astudillo enlisted in the Wisconsin Air National Guard 115th Fighter Wing in November, joining a wing that respects and promotes the bonds... MORE

Steven Krueger and Paola Astudillo, husband and wife, enlisted in the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 115th Fighter Wing during a joint enlistment ceremony at Truax Field in Madison, Wisconsin, Nov. 22, 2023. Krueger, a prior Army Reservist and 115th Fighter Wing Airman, joined his wife for her first oath of enlistment after which his father, retired U.S. Army Col. Roy Krueger, administered his son's third.

Kentucky Guardsman Completes Ranger School on First Go 
December 7, 2023 — FRANKFORT, Ky. – There are many leadership schools that service members can attend but few are more challenging than the U.S. Army Ranger School, where perfection is the standard, and nothing less is... MORE

Kentucky Army National Guard 2nd Lt. Dustin McKie-Miller's girlfriend, Army Capt. Carly Schroeder, puts the Ranger Tab patch on his arm after his graduation from Ranger School at Fort Moore, Georgia, Aug. 18, 2023. McKie-Miller aced every challenge of the Ranger training on his first attempt and finished the course in 62 days, the shortest time possible.

Alaska Guard Spreads Holiday Cheer to Remote Communities
December 6, 2023 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - For the 68th year, the Alaska National Guard's Operation Santa Claus is bringing the magic of the season to the remote communities of Fort Yukon, Golovin,... MORE

Santa and Mrs. Claus disembark from a C-17 Globemaster III and head to a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to support Operation Santa Claus at Bethel, Alaska, Nov. 15, 2023. Operation Santa Claus is the AKNG’s yearly community outreach program that provides gifts and Christmas cheer to children in remote communities.

New York Army Guard Salutes Former President Van Buren
December 6, 2023 — KINDERHOOK, N.Y. - New York Army National Guard Maj. Gen. Michel Natali commemorated the 241st birthday of former President Martin Van Buren Dec. 5 by laying a wreath from the White House at the... MORE

New York Army National Guard Maj. Gen. Michel Natali and Command Sgt. Maj. Edwin Garris salute after placing a wreath from the White House marking the birthday of former President Martin Van Buren in Kinderhook, New York, Dec. 5, 2023. Natali presented a wreath from President Joseph Biden at the annual ceremony held at Van Buren’s gravesite in Kinderhook Reformed Cemetery.

First Lady Welcomes National Guard Families to White House
December 1, 2023 — WASHINGTON - For the second straight year, first lady Jill Biden welcomed National Guardsmen, spouses and children to the White House to discuss their challenges and how best to support them.The first... MORE

First lady Jill Biden welcomes National Guard senior leaders and family members for a roundtable discussion on support for National Guard children in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington Nov. 27, 2023. Attendees, including Guard children, and adjutants general, also joined the first lady’s presentation of the 2023 White House “Magic, Wonder & Joy” holiday theme and decorations.

Mechanics Help DC National Guard Maintain Readiness
November 20, 2023 — WASHINGTON - Pfc. Marques Downing thrives on a good challenge, problem-solving and constant change. He spent most of the past two years working in information technology, studying the latest computer... MORE

Dozens of wheeled vehicle mechanics keep tactical vehicles operational at the District of Columbia National Guard’s Combined Support Maintenance Shop at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Oct. 21, 2023.

STARBASE: Enriching Lives Through STEM
November 8, 2023 — LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – A transformative journey unfolds for the young minds that venture through the doors of STARBASE. From building award-winning rockets to programming their very own robotic... MORE

STARBASE students interact on the robotics table, exploring STEM concepts with tangible applications in Los Alamitos, California, Oct. 30, 2023. STARBASE is the Department of Defense’s premier youth outreach program and a beacon of enrichment for underserved, underrepresented and underestimated youth across the United States.

Father and Son Fly Pennsylvania Guard Black Hawk Together
November 6, 2023 — FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – A routine flight on Nov. 2 was much more than that for two Pennsylvania National Guard pilots, as it encapsulated a family’s unwavering commitment to service and a shared... MORE

U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Zack Adams, left, and his father, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Rich Adams, helicopter pilots with the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, flew a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter together for the first time Nov. 2, 2023, in Pennsylvania. Rich is a 34-year veteran of Army aviation while Zack is a recent graduate of the U.S. Army Initial Entry Rotary Wing school.

Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldier trains for the Olympics
October 27, 2023 — FORT CARSON, Colo. – There are more than 8,000 Citizen-Soldiers in the Oklahoma Army National Guard, but only one holds the title of Soldier-athlete: Spc. Dalton Duffield.Duffield, a horizontal... MORE

Spc. Dalton Duffield, an Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldier, throws his competitor during a practice wrestling match at Fort Carson, Colorado, Aug. 8, 2023. Duffield is a member of the Oklahoma National Guard and a Greco-Roman wrestler pursuing his Olympic goals through the U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program.

Maryland Intelligence Analyst Helps Team Win Skills Exercise
October 27, 2023 — NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A team predominately comprising members of the Maryland Air National Guard’s 175th Cyberspace Operations Group captured first place during a recent skills validation exercise hosted... MORE

Master Sgt. Benny Casalina, a network intelligence analyst assigned to the 135th Intelligence Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, at Martin State Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Md., Oct. 27, 2023.

Connecticut Guard Squadron Assists Mortuary Mission at Dover Air Force Base

Oregon Guard Advances Drone Capabilities With New Training Systems

Army Updates Standards for Appearance, Grooming, Uniform Wear in New Directive

Pennsylvania Guard Hosts Helicopter Orientation for Emergency Responders

Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0 Tests Oklahoma Guard's Unmanned Aerial System Capabilities