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Remains of New Mexico Guard World War II Veteran Return Home

The New Mexico Army National Guard Funeral Honors Team rendered planeside honors for U.S. Army Cpl. Richard A. Veal, a New Mexico National Guard Soldier who fought in the defense of Bataan during World War II. Veal returned home to New Mexico April 21, 2026. Photo by Iain Jaramillo.

April 23, 2026 - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Army Cpl. Richard A. Veal, a New Mexico National Guard Soldier who fought in the defense of Bataan during World War II, returned home to New Mexico April 21.The New Mexico Army National Guard Funeral...

Nevada Guard Maintenance Unit Deploys to Support CENTCOM

U.S. Army Capt. Jamee Finley, left, and 1st Sgt. Paul Jones, right, the company command team for the 150th Maintenance Company, case the colors at the Washoe County Armory in Stead, Nevada, April 18, 2026. The 150th Maintenance Company is deploying to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Photo by Spc. Ahylin Arroyo.

April 23, 2026 - STEAD, Nev. – The 150th Maintenance Company has deployed to the Middle East to support operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, marking the unit’s first deployment.The Carson City-based unit serves as...

HIMARS Unit Fires Simultaneously Across 700 Miles, Three States

M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, crews fire at Camp Orchard, Boise, Idaho, during I Corps’ Courage Lethality exercise April 17, 2026. The HIMAR was one of eight 1st Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment HIMARs to fire at Camp Orchard during the exercise, which also included battalion crews firing simultaneously at the Yakima Training Center in Yakima, Washington, and at the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. Courage Lethality tested the battalion’s ability to deliver long-range precision fires across while distributed across 700 miles. Photo by Mike Freeman.

April 23, 2026 - BOISE, Idaho – Twelve M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, were fired simultaneously across 700 miles and three states April 17, testing the HIMARS crews’ ability to deliver precision strike capabilities in...

Washington Guard Transfers Strykers to Bulgarian Land Forces

Brig. Gen. Paul Sellars, commanding general, Washington Army National Guard, sits down with Evgeni Mandadzhiev, reporter with the Ministry of Defense Information Center, to introduce the Stryker Fighting Vehicles and discuss the role of the National Guard in supporting the Bulgarian Land Forces, April 15, 2026, Sofia, Bulgaria. Courtesy photo.

April 23, 2026 - CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – With the ongoing transformation of the 81st Brigade from a Stryker to a Mobile Brigade, the Washington National Guard transferred eight Strykers to the Bulgarian Land Forces through the Foreign Military...

Minnesota Guard, Croatia Partners Participate in Best Warrior Competition

Minnesota Army National Guard Spc. Bronson Stachowiak, from Cottage Grove, Minnesota, who serves as a unit supply specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 682nd Engineer Battalion is one of 27 service members from the Minnesota National Guard and NATO allied nations Canada and Croatia who participated in the 2026 Minnesota Best Warrior Competition April 15-18, 2026, at Camp Ripley, near Little Falls, Minnesota. This competition tests participants’ knowledge, technical and tactical proficiency, physical endurance and resilience through a series of demanding events. Minnesota’s winners will move on to compete against the best Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from across the Midwest at the Region IV Best Warrior Competition, hosted this year by the Michigan National Guard at Fort Custer, April 29-May 3, 2026. Photo by Staff Sgt. Bob Brown.

April 22, 2026 - LITTLE FALLS, Minn. – Twenty-seven Minnesota Guard members, along with Canadian and Croatian soldiers, tested their skills April 15-18 during harsh weather conditions in the 2026 Minnesota Best Warrior Competition.The...

Washington Guard Leads Multi-Agency Radiation Response Workshop

Maj. Jaymar Imperial, Operations Officer, 10th Civil Support Team gives a briefing during a multi-agency Radiation Response Workshop, April 3, 2026 at Camp Murray, Wash. Courtesy photo.

April 22, 2026 - CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – The Washington National Guard’s 10th Civil Support Team (Weapons of Mass Destruction) hosted a multi-agency Radiation Response Workshop April 3, bringing together federal, state and local partners to...

California Guard Conducts Training Ahead of Wildfire Season

Airmen from the 146th Airlift Wing, 152nd Airlift Wing and the 302nd Airlift Wing train alongside CAL FIRE ground crews during their annual Modular Airborne Firefighting System, or MAFFS, recertification training at McClellan Air Tanker Base, Sacramento, Calif., April 20, 2026. The MAFFS is a roll on and off system that enables a military C-130 aircraft to become a firefighting air tanker that can spread thousands of gallons of fire retardant, aiding ground crews to supress wildfires. The training ensures that aircrews and support personnel remain qualified to operate the MAFFS system and fly into hazardous fire areas at any time of year. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Michelle Ulber.

April 22, 2026 - McCLELLAN AIR TANKER STATION, SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Airmen with the 146th Airlift Wing began their annual Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, recertification and training April 20, in preparation to support aerial...

US, Philippine Airmen Strengthen Partnership in Cope Thunder

Exercise Cope Thunder 26-1 participants pose for a group photo after the opening ceremony at Clark Air Base, Philippines, April 6, 2026. Cope Thunder provides a unique platform to integrate U.S. and Philippine Air Forces and enhance interoperability through bilateral fighter training, subject matter expert exchanges and key leadership engagements. Photo by Staff Sgt. Jordan Garner.

April 22, 2026 - CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines – U.S. Pacific Air Forces and Philippine Air Force members participated April 6-17 in Exercise Cope Thunder 26-1, aimed at strengthening partnerships and supporting the Philippine Air Force’s...

Oklahoma Guard Hosts Exercise Lightning Strike

Two Oklahoma National Guardsmen replace a drone’s battery during Exercise Lightning Strike at Camp Gruber Training Center, Oklahoma, April 15, 2026. The Oklahoma National Guard, in partnership with Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management, hosted Exercise Lightning Strike, a domestic exercise scenario of an EF5 tornado. At the center of the exercise is the integration of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) across various scenarios, enabling real-time data sharing, improved situational awareness and more effective coordination among participating agencies. Exercise Lightning Strike brings together a wide range of agencies to operate within a shared framework, reinforcing the Guard’s role in supporting civil authorities during domestic incidents and natural disasters. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Sgt. Anthony Ackah-Mensah)

April 22, 2026 - MUSKOGEE, Okla. – The Oklahoma National Guard, in partnership with the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management, recently hosted Exercise Lightning Strike, a domestic training exercise using drones to respond to a simulated...

California Guard Innovation Center Hosts Drone Training

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Charles Rodriguez, Hap Arnold Innovation Center, California Air National Guard, tries on First-Person View goggles for small Unmanned Aerial Systems during a Defense Contract Management Agency, or DCMA, Blue List training event, March Air Reserve Base, Calif., April 14, 2026. This training informed smarter procurement and the development of scalable, cost-effective small Unmanned Aerial Systems solutions for warfighters. In alignment with Executive Order 14307 and the Secretary of War’s drone-dominance directive, DCMA is accelerating the delivery and integration of these capabilities to the force. Photo by Senior Master Sgt. Julianne Sitterding.

April 21, 2026 - MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. – The California National Guard’s Hap Arnold Innovation Center brought together military, federal and industry partners for a Defense Contract Management Agency Blue List small Unmanned Aircraft...

Utah Guard Activates Light Infantry Unit

Utah Guard Lt. Col Steven Pagoaga assumes command of the 1st Battalion, 204th Infantry Regiment, Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Camp Williams. The 1-204th Infantry Regiment falls under the 204th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade with elements based in Ogden, Logan, Tooele and St. George. Infantrymen assigned to the unit are equipped with modern platforms, including Infantry Squad Vehicles and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, designed to increase speed and mobility on the battlefield. Photo by Airman Jacob Treanor.

April 21, 2026 - CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah – The Utah Army National Guard officially activated the 1st Battalion, 204th Infantry Regiment during an April 18 ceremony, marking a milestone for the state and formally ushering in its first traditional...

Guam Guardsmen Assist in Post-Typhoon Sinlaku Recovery

Guam National Guardsman Staff Sgt. Ignacio Cabrera, fire support sergeant, Guam Army National Guard, directs traffic in Maite, Guam, April 18, 2026. Guam National Guardsmen, alongside local law enforcement authorities and first responders, set up traffic control points at various locations experiencing power outages because of damage from Typhoon Sinlaku. Photo by Senior Airman Natasha Ninete.

April 21, 2026 - BARRIGADA, Guam – Guam National Guardsmen are supporting recovery efforts and overseeing traffic control after Typhoon Sinlaku’s slow crawl through the Pacific April 13-15 brought substantial damage to Guam and the northern...

Nordhaus Underscores National Guard’s Indispensable Role

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, joins reserve component chiefs to testify before the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense during a National Guard and Reserve Forces oversight hearing in Washington, April 17, 2026. Photo by Master Sgt. Zach Sheely.

April 17, 2026 - WASHINGTON– In the span of a single year, the men and women of the National Guard conducted precision airstrikes to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, rescued dozens of children from rising Texas floodwaters, repelled cyber...

Montana Guard Returns World War II Soldier Home

Soldiers assigned to the Montana Army National Guard Honor Guard carry the casket of Pvt. Henry Bordner from a Lockheed C-130 Hercules to a waiting hearse during a dignified transfer at Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, Mont., April 15, 2026. Photo by Spc. Daniel Temme.

April 17, 2026 - BERT MOONEY AIRPORT, Mont. – After more than 80 years, a Montana Soldier has returned home.Airmen from the 120th Airlift Wing conducted a solemn C-130H transport mission April 15, bringing the remains of U.S. Army Pvt. Harry...

Washington Guard Athletes Earn All-Guard Endurance Team Honors

Capt. Julie Keppner, 122nd Theater Public Affairs Support Element; Maj. Brendan Thompson, Special Operations Detachment–Pacific; and Capt. Eddy Allen, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 56th Theater Information Operations Group show off their medals following the National Guard Endurance Team trials, held as part of the Nebraska DekaFit Road Show at the Nebraska Army Aviation Support Center in Grand Island, Nebraska, April 11, 2026. Courtesy photo.

April 17, 2026 - CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – Three Citizen-Soldier athletes from the Washington Army National Guard proved their grit and competitive edge on a national stage, earning spots on the All-National Guard Endurance Team during the...

Nevada Guard Unit Transitions to Mobile Infantry Battalion

U.S. Army Soldiers attached to the 1st Battalion, 221st Cavalry, B Company, receive their blue cord during a

April 17, 2026 - LAS VEGAS – The 1st Battalion, 221st Cavalry, transitioned from a mounted cavalry formation to a mobile infantry battalion during a “Turning Blue” ceremony April 12 at the Clark County Armory.Soldiers began the day with a...

Tennessee Guardsmen Provide Aid, Secure Evidence in Shooting

Soldiers from the Tennessee National Guard’s 190th Combat Engineer Company with the Memphis Safe Task Force, supported the Memphis Police Department while responding to a shooting April 12 in North Memphis, providing immediate medical aid to the victim and securing key evidence. Courtesy photo.

April 17, 2026 - MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Tennessee National Guardsmen with the Memphis Safe Task Force supported the Memphis Police Department while responding to a shooting April 12 in North Memphis, providing immediate medical aid to the victim...