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National Guard Day at Nationals Park Celebrates Guard Service, Community

U.S. Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe throws the ceremonial first pitch during the Washington Nationals National Guard Appreciation Game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., May 18, 2026. The first-pitch baseball was presented by Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, prior to the game honoring National Guard service members and their contributions to the nation. Photo by Staff Sgt. Brianna Rodriguez-Munns.

May 19, 2026 - WASHINGTON – More than 250 Soldiers and Airmen from throughout the National Guard took part in National Guard Day at Nationals Park in Washington, highlighting the Guard’s service, sacrifice and community connection.Guard...

Utah Guard, Morocco Partners Provide Medical Care in African Lion

A group of U.S service members and Royal Moroccan Armed Forces perform care on a newborn baby after an emergency cesarean section during an African Lion 26 humanitarian civic assistance mission at El Faid, Morocco, April 30, 2026. The humanitarian civic assistance mission reflected the enduring Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program relationship between the U.S. and Morocco, with Utah National Guard and Moroccan military medical teams providing medical, surgical, dental and diagnostic services. The partnership reinforces the commitment to regional stability built through cooperation. African Lion 26 is U.S. Africa Command's largest annual joint exercise, designed to strengthen collective security capabilities of the U.S., African nations and global allies. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, or SETAF-AF, from April 20 to May 8, 2026, and hosted in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, African Lion involves over 5,600 civilian and military personnel from more than 40 nations, using innovation to drive partner-led regional security. Photo by Sgt. Lark Sine.

May 19, 2026 - EL FAID, Morocco – Utah National Guardsmen and the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces redefined what partnership looks like through shared expertise, innovation and expanding access to impactful care, under a network of...

New Jersey Guardsman Given Air Guard Chaplain Corps Minuteman Award

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jason Harden, 177th Fighter Wing Chaplain Corps religious affairs superintendent, poses for an environmental portrait at the 177th Fighter Wing, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, May 16, 2026. Harden was awarded the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps Minutemen Award for 2025 for his actions during the DC Safe and Beautiful mission. Photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin Ray J. Salvador.

May 18, 2026 - ATLANTIC CITY AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.J. – U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jason Harden, Chaplain Corps superintendent assigned to the New Jersey National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing, was awarded the prestigious Air National...

Indiana Guard Plans Indy 500 Military Flyover With Precision

Indiana Army National Guard Col. Scott Oden, U.S. Air Force Capt. Nate Padgett and Capt. Cory Beck watch as a plane from Grissom Air Force Base arrives over Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a planned flyover at the Grand Prix in Speedway, Indiana, May 9, 2026. To meet the requirements of national broadcast, the flight team has about a three-second target window for the plane to come over the speedway. Photo by Sgt. Austin Goss.

May 18, 2026 - SPEEDWAY, Ind. – A schedule locked down to the millisecond. Millions of dollars of live television airtime on the line. Months of anticipation and precision coordination behind the scenes.It is all part of what makes the...

Washington Guard, Singapore Conclude Exercise Tiger Balm

U.S. Soldiers and members of the Singapore Armed Forces trade unit patches after the closing ceremony of Exercise Tiger Balm 2026 at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, May 15, 2026. This ceremony concluded the 45th iteration of Exercise Tiger Balm, which is an annual bilateral exercise between the United States and Singapore armies focused on building combat readiness, strengthening interoperability and demonstrating regional security partnership. Photo by Sgt. Abigail Clark.

May 18, 2026 - JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – From detailed planning efforts to explosive ordnance operations and live-fire training, Exercise Tiger Balm brought U.S. and Singapore soldiers together to train side by side, strengthen...

Louisiana Guard Hosts Region V Best Warrior Competition

A Soldier competing in the Region V Best Warrior Competition rappels from a training tower at Camp Beauregard in Pineville, Louisiana, May 4, 2026. The four-day competition tested Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas in a series of physically and mentally demanding events designed to evaluate military proficiency, leadership and readiness. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Scott Longstreet.

May 15, 2026 - PINEVILLE, La. – Twelve Soldiers and noncommissioned officers representing Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas competed May 4-8 in the Region V Best Warrior Competition at the Louisiana National Guard...

New York Guard, Sweden Strengthen Partnership at Exercise Northern Lights

A Swedish Armed Forces service member, left, speaks with a New York Army National Guard Soldier with Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment, during exercise Northern Lights 26, April 28, 2026, in Habo-Tibble, Sweden. Northern Lights 26, also known as Aurora 26 in Sweden, is a multinational exercise involving 18,000 soldiers from 13 countries aimed at strengthening defense capabilities and enhancing interoperability with international allies. Photo by Master Sgt. Warren W. Wright Jr.

May 15, 2026 - KUNGSÄNGEN, Sweden – Eighty New York Army National Guard Soldiers spent their annual training working alongside Swedish soldiers in Sweden's sprawling forests.Instead of spending their two weeks of annual training at Fort...

Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force Assists Investigation That Seized 13-Plus Kilograms of Illegal Drugs

Illicit drugs and weapons sit on display after seizure by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Butts County Sheriff’s Office in March 2026. The Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, which supports state, local and federal law enforcement agencies in the detection, interdiction and disruption of drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations, played a crucial behind the scenes role in the investigation. Portions of this photo have been altered for security purposes. Courtesy photo.

May 15, 2026 - ARLINGTON, Va. – Members of the Georgia National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force assisted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and other state and local law enforcement agencies in an investigation resulting in seizure of more...

Louisiana Guard Hosts Interrogation Competition

Sgt. Maj. Jose Melendez, sergeant major for the Headquarters Department of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2 (Intelligence), speaks during the Tranquil Storm 2026 awards ceremony at the Louisiana National Guard's Camp Beauregard April 30, 2026. Twenty-three Human Intelligence, or HUMINT, Collector teams from the United States, Australia and Canada competed in the fifth annual interrogation competition focused on improving HUMINT proficiency in a contingency environment. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Scott Longstreet.

May 14, 2026 - PINEVILLE, La. – Twenty-three Human Intelligence, or HUMINT, Collector teams from the United States, Australia and Canada competed in the fifth annual Tranquil Storm interrogation competition at the Louisiana National Guard’s...

Arizona Guard Medic Recognized for Actions at Crash Scene

Senior Airman Nicolle Coy, an aerospace medical services specialist assigned to the Arizona National Guard's 162nd Wing Medical Group, receives recognition from leadership with the Tucson Fire Department during the Wing Annual Awards, May 3, 2026. Coy rendered aid to a critically injured civilian and assisted firefighter with emergency medical procedures. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Hampton Stramler.

May 14, 2026 - TUCSON, Ariz. – The Tucson Fire Department recently recognized an Arizona National Guard’s 162nd Wing aerospace medical service specialist for providing critical medical care at the scene of a severe motor vehicle accident...

Tennessee Guardsmen Respond to Henry County Industrial Fire

At the request of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, a Tennessee Army National Guard UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter with the 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion, based in Jackson, supported firefighters battling an industrial fire at the Sigma Renew 360 plant in Henry County, Tennessee, May 8, 2026. Courtesy photo.

May 14, 2026 - HENRY COUNTY, Tenn. – At the request of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, a Tennessee Army National Guard UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter from Jackson’s Army Aviation Support Facility supported firefighters battling an...

Alaska Guard Treats Injured Pilot Near Knik Glacier

May 14, 2026 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Three Alaska Air National Guard pararescuemen, or PJs, of the 212th Rescue Squadron provided lifesaving medical care May 5 for a pilot involved in a plane crash near Knik...

Idaho Guard Cyber Squadron Identifies Threats, Delivers Intelligence

Intelligence Airmen assigned to the 224th Cyber Operations Squadron, Idaho Air National Guard, conduct defensive cyber operations on Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, May 9, 2026. Intelligence Airmen work behind the scenes to identify threats, analyze adversary activity and provide the insight cyber operators need to defend critical networks. Photo by Airman 1st Class Sarah Welch.

May 13, 2026 - GOWEN FIELD, Idaho - Airmen with the Idaho National Guard’s 224th Cyber Operations Squadron’s Intelligence Support shop work behind the scenes every day on Gowen Field in Boise to identify threats, analyze adversary activity...

Indiana Guard Sharpens Readiness Through Demolition Mission

An Indiana National Guardsman with the 113th Engineer Battalion operates an excavator to demolish a building as part of an Innovative Readiness Training, or IRT, in partnership with the city of Terre Haute, Indiana, May 8, 2026. IRT is a collaborative program that leverages military contributions and community resources to multiply value and cost savings for participants. These missions simultaneously enhance military readiness and deliver vital infrastructure benefits to U.S. communities. Photo by Staff Sgt. Hector Tinoco.

May 13, 2026 - TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana Army National Guardsmen with the 113th Engineer Battalion are the latest service members within the Department of War to reap the benefits of the Innovative Readiness Training program through their...

South Dakota Guard, Suriname Partners Conclude Operation Rumble in the Jungle

Suriname Armed Forces Sgt. First Class Alvaro Ronoreso teaches survival techniques to U.S. Soldiers and Airmen, as well as Suriname Armed Forces members, during Operation Rumble in the Jungle at Ayoko, Suriname, April 17, 2026. The austere environment survival exchange is designed to test the forces' ability to operate together in demanding jungle conditions, marking 20 years of security cooperation between the South Dakota National Guard and Suriname through the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program. Photo by Senior Airman Kyle St. Pierre.

May 13, 2026 - PARAMARIBO, Suriname – South Dakota National Guard Soldiers and their Suriname partners have concluded Operation Rumble in the Jungle, a joint exercise that included testing the forces' ability to operate together in...