Guard News - The National Guard

Colorado National Guard Aircrew Breaks Record for Hoist Rescue
July 25, 2025 — GYPSUM, Colo. – Members of a Colorado Army National Guard Black Hawk aircrew tested their skill and pushed their helicopter’s performance to its limits during a dangerous nighttime rescue that set the... MORE

Colorado Army National Guard crew chiefs U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Wade Shore (left) and Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Hubbard (right), High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, perform maintenance on their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, in Gypsum, Colorado, July 23, 2025.

Colorado Soldier Receives the Soldier’s Medal for Heroism
July 10, 2025 — CENTENNIAL, Colo. — U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Robert F. Cruz, 8th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, Colorado Army National Guard, was awarded the Soldier’s Medal for heroism July 9 in an... MORE

Sgt. 1st Class Robert F. Cruz receives the Soldier’s Medal for Heroism after rescuing an unconscious driver from a burning vehicle without regard for his own safety.

Alaska Army Guard Rescues Family Stranded on River During Storm
July 2, 2025 — BETHEL, Alaska — Alaska Army National Guard aviators assigned to the 207th Aviation Battalion rescued a family of six June 30 near Tuntutuliak on the Kuskokwim River.The Alaska Rescue Coordination... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nick Lime, an aviator assigned to 207th Aviation Battalion, assists six distressed people stranded on the Kuskokwim River during a rescue mission June 30, 2025.

Alaska Air National Guard Rescues Five Distressed Boaters
June 18, 2025 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing members rescued five distressed boaters stuck in sea ice June 16 about 10 miles east of Deering on the Kotzebue... MORE

Alaska Air National Guard rescues 5 distressed boaters near Deering

California Air Guard, Coast Guard Rescue Sailor Offshore
June 13, 2025 — MOFFETT AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif. — A Ukrainian sailor was rescued by a pararescueman from the California Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing and transported to a local hospital Tuesday... MORE

Alaska National Guardsmen Save Nine During Start of Rescue Season
June 2, 2025 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska– Alaska Air and Army National Guard units responded to five requests for assistance May 24-28, primarily in support of the Alaska State Troopers and local... MORE

An HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter from Golf Co., 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion conducts a training mission May 31, 2023.

Alaska Army Guard Aviators Rescue Four Stranded Boaters
May 22, 2025 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Alaska Army National Guard aviators with A Company, 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion, operating a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter out of Bethel,... MORE

Louisana Guard Medical Evacuation Training Turns Real
May 21, 2025 — FORT CAVAZOS, Texas - Soldiers of the Louisiana Army National Guard’s 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and its assigned units were conducting a training exercise May 14 for an emergency medical... MORE

Staff Sgt. Ashley Renye perform during a culminating training event to medically evacuate soldiers at Fort Cavazos, Texas, May 14, 2025.

Alaska Air National Guard Rescues Four in Separate Missions
April 11, 2025 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Alaska Air National Guard Airmen of the 176th Wing conducted four rescue missions across Southcentral Alaska between April 1- 4, successfully rescuing four... MORE

Alaska Air National Guard saves 4 during 4 missions

North Dakota Guardsman Rescues Woman from Sinking Car
August 1, 2024 — DEVILS LAKE, N.D. – U.S. Army 2nd Lt. David Hooge, 231st Quartermaster Platoon, North Dakota National Guard, rescued a woman from a sinking car July 29.While driving south of Devils Lake, Hooge... MORE

U.S. Army 2nd Lt. David Hooge, 231st Quartermaster Platoon commander, North Dakota National Guard

New Hampshire Guard Crew Rescues Three from Vermont Flooding
July 14, 2023 — BERLIN, Vt. – A New Hampshire Army Guard Black Hawk crew from Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment, rescued three people whose home was surrounded by high water from the flooding on... MORE

One of three people are rescued from their residence by a NHARNG Black Hawk crew July 11 in Berlin, Vermont.

California Guard Conducts Rescue Mission off the Coast of Costa Rica
July 14, 2023 — MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – A dynamic team of service members from the 129th Rescue Wing, Moffett Air National Guard Base, conducted a multi-day medical evacuation mission in response to a boatsman who... MORE

U.S. Air Force pararescuemen with the 131st Rescue Squadron, 129th Rescue Wing, California Air National Guard transfer a patient by hoist down to a Costa Rican Coast Guard vessel, July 11, 2023.

Vermont Guard and Rescue Teams Assist in Flood Response Efforts
July 12, 2023 — CAMBRIDGE, Vt. – The Vermont National Guard Soldiers’ quick reaction force worked with North Carolina and Massachusetts urban search and rescue teams to rescue and relocate 27 people and their pets in... MORE

The Vermont National Guard Soldiers' quick reaction force worked with North Carolina and Massachusetts urban search and rescue teams to rescue and relocate 27 people and their pets in Cambridge.

Tennessee National Guard Rescues Injured Hunter
May 5, 2023 — KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A Tennessee Army National Guard medical flight crew performed an emergency air evacuation mission for a hunter in Tennessee’s Cherokee National Forest on May 4.At approximately 1... MORE

A Tennessee Army National Guard Black Hhawk helicopter locates a distressed hunter in the Cherokee National Forest on May 4.

Alaska National Guard rescues five people in three missions
August 17, 2022 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Alaska Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing rescued five people from three separate incidents Aug. 11 and 12 at different locations throughout... MORE

An airborne 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk conducts rescue operations March 5, 2022, at the Lake Iliamna crash site of a Cessna 206. The scope of the rescue effort was illustrated by an Alaska State Trooper R-44 helicopter.

California Air National Guard Rescues Injured Sailboat Racer
August 9, 2022 — MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – A crew member of a racing yacht who developed a life-threatening infection at sea while returning a racing sailboat from Hawaii to California is safe on land tonight. After... MORE

A helicopter from the 129th Rescue Wing hoists a man from a tanker ship 343 nautical miles west of San Francisco, Aug. 7.

Alaska Army Guard aviation recognized for ‘Rescue of Year’
February 18, 2022 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Four members of the Alaska Army National Guard’s Golf Company, Detachment 1, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, received the... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bradley Jorgensen, Sgt. 1st Class Damion Minchaca, Capt. Cody McKinney, and Staff Sgt. Sonny Cooper, all members of Golf Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, in front of an HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter at Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Feb. 17, 2022. The crew received the DUSTOFF Association 2021 Rescue of the Year award for their efforts in a rescue completed Sept. 15, 2021.

Alaska Airmen rescue pregnant woman in distress
December 28, 2021 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Alaska Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing rescued a pregnant woman in distress Dec. 27 at Kipnuk about 100 miles southwest of Bethel. Alaska Air... MORE

An Alaska Air National Guard 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk transits Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson's Malamute Drop Zone Feb. 10, 2021, during parachute jump operations. The jump preceded the change-of-command ceremony for 212th Rescue Squadron. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by David Bedard/Released)

Massachusetts Guard Soldier saves woman from car fire
December 6, 2021 — STERLING, Mass. – Spc. Ryan Leger finished his drill with Massachusetts National Guard’s 110th Maintenance Company on Nov. 7, and his wife picked him up. As they were driving home, they noticed how... MORE

Spc. Ryan Leger, the 110th Maintenance Company, Massachusetts National Guard generator mechanic, saves women from car fire at the North Dike Wachusett Reservoir in Sterling, Mass., Nov. 7, 2021.

Musher thanks Arctic Guardians for Iditarod rescue
July 1, 2021 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – When veteran Iditarod sled dog musher Aliy Zirkle woke up March 8, she didn’t find herself in a comfy bed. Instead, she awoke to the site of her dog team... MORE

Alaska Air National Guardsmen of 210th Rescue Squadron, Tech. Sgt. Anthony Guedea (left) and Lt. Col. Michael Jordan meet with Iditarod musher Aliy Zirkle June 28, 2021, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Guedea and Jordan were part of the team that rescued Zirkle March 9 at the Iditarod Rohn checkpoint after she suffered a head injury.

Colorado National Guard Aircrew Breaks Record for Hoist Rescue

178th Wing Scores in Top 5% of Total Force in Combat Readiness Inspection

Czech Partners Assist Texas Army Guard During Flood Response Efforts

Pennsylvania Guard Completes Confidence Course

Operation Healthy Tennessee: Where Readiness Meets Relief