Guard News - The National Guard - Tag Washington National Guard

Washington Guard Supports Bulgaria's Stryker Modernization Effort
June 11, 2026 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – As Bulgaria received its first Stryker vehicles this spring, a small team of Washington Army National Guard Soldiers traveled more than 5,000 miles to pass on the knowledge,... MORE

Washington Army National Guard Soldiers work alongside members of the Bulgarian Land Forces' 61st Mechanized Brigade during Stryker familiarization training in Bulgaria in 2026.

Washington Guard Strengthens Readiness Ahead of World Cup 2026
June 4, 2026 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – Representatives from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, multiple National Guards, state defense forces, Washington Emergency Management Division, Civil Air Patrol... MORE

Warrant Officer 1 Gregory Hederich, UAS Operations Tech, 81st Multi-Functional Reconnaissance Company, Washington National Guard, operates an Anduril GhostX drone during the counter-UAS field day demonstration at the Yakima Training Center, Washington, June 2, 2026.

Washington Air Guard Deepens Ties With Thailand at Enduring Partners
June 2, 2026 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – Military leaders from the United States and Thailand officially launched the fourth annual Enduring Partners exchange June 1.The exchange, which runs June 1-12, represents a... MORE

Senior Master Sgt. Naz Brockman, the State Partnership Program Senior Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge with the Washington Air National Guard, wears an Enduring Partners patch at Camp Murray, Wash., on June 1, 2026.

Washington Guard Strengthens Wildfire Readiness
June 2, 2026 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – More than 100 Washington National Guard Soldiers and Airmen sharpened their wildfire response capabilities during the annual Wildland Firefighting Academy at the Washington State... MORE

Soldiers from the Washington Army National Guard dig fire lines during Wildland Firefighting Field Training at the Fire Training Academy, North Bend, Washington, May 28, 2026.

Washington Guard Supports Chemical Spill Response
June 1, 2026 — LONGVIEW, Wash. – Following a tank implosion and chemical spill at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., the Washington National Guard mobilized Soldiers and Airmen to support first responders with air... MORE

U.S. Soldiers and Airmen with the Washington National Guard’s 10th Homeland Response Force decontaminate search and recovery teams following a chemical tank rupture at the Nippon Dynawave pulp and paper mill in Longview, Washington, May 28, 2026.

Washington Guard, Singapore Conclude Exercise Tiger Balm
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... MORE

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.

Washington Guard Strengthens Readiness for Wildfire Season
May 11, 2026 — PUYALLUP, Wash. – In preparation for Washington’s upcoming wildfire season, aviation crews assigned to the Washington Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation Battalion... MORE

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter assigned to 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation Battalion, Washington Army National Guard conducts a water bucket drop during wildfire response training with Central Pierce Fire and Rescue near Puyallup, Washington, May 7, 2026.

Washington Guard, Singapore Start Exercise Tiger Balm
May 6, 2026 — JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – The Washington Army National Guard, alongside U.S. Army Pacific and in partnership with the Singapore Armed Forces, officially opened Exercise Tiger Balm 2026 on May... MORE

U.S. Soldiers with the Washington National Guard and members of the Singaporean Armed Forces form together for the opening ceremony for Exercise Tiger Balm 2026 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, May 4, 2026.

Washington Guard Leaders Engage Troops, Partners in Indo-Pacific Visit
May 4, 2026 — JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, the adjutant general of the Washington National Guard, and Command Chief Master Sgt. Allan Lawson, the senior enlisted for the Washington... MORE

Royal Thai Army Senior Colonel Teeragut Sengrod, commander of the 11th Infantry Division, Royal Thai Army, or RTA, meets with U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, the adjutant general of the Washington National Guard, at an RTA base in Chon Buri, Thailand, April 10, 2026.

HIMARS Unit Fires Simultaneously Across 700 Miles, Three States
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... MORE

M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMAR, crews fire at Camp Orchard, Boise, Idaho, during I Corps’ Courage Lethality exercise April 17, 2026.

Washington Guard Transfers Strykers to Bulgarian Land Forces
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... MORE

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.

Washington Guard Leads Multi-Agency Radiation Response Workshop
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... MORE

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.

Washington Guard Athletes Earn All-Guard Endurance Team Honors
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... MORE

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.

Washington Guard, Thai Partners Expand Disaster Response Capabilities
April 9, 2026 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – Soldiers from the Washington Army National Guard joined Thai partners for a week-long subject matter expert exchange at the Port of Laem Chabang and Sri Racha Hospital, March 2-9,... MORE

Firefighters from the Port of Laem Chabang participate in subject matter expert exchange with Soldiers from the Washington Army National Guard at the Port of Laem Chabang and Sri Racha Hospital, Thailand, March 7, 2026.

Washington Guard Hosts Annual Tribal Police, Counterdrug Conference
March 13, 2026 — TUMWATER, Wash. – With a focus on increasing public safety and reducing the availability of illegal drugs in Washington Tribes, the Washington National Guard’s Counterdrug Program held its annual... MORE

Maj. Andriy Karpenko, UAS/C-UAS officer, Washington National Guard Counterdrug Program, discusses different UAS, or unmanned aerial systems, operating systems with police officers at the 2026 Tribal Police Leadership & Counterdrug Conference March 10, 2026, at the Thurston County Readiness Center, Tumwater, Wash.

Washington Guard, Royal Thai Army Strengthen Ties With Stryker Leader Exchange
March 10, 2026 — CHON BURI PROVINCE, Thailand – Six soldiers from the Washington Army National Guard partnered with members of the Royal Thai Army to conduct a Stryker Leader Course subject matter expert exchange Jan... MORE

Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Mattern, 205th Regimental Training Institute, Washington Army National Guard discusses the rigging techniques of the Winch (Self) Recovery method with soldiers from the Royal Thai Army during a Stryker Leader Exchange on Feb. 2, 2026, in Chon Buri Province, Thailand.

Exercise Cobra Gold Ends for US, Thailand Partners
March 6, 2026 — RAYONG, Thailand – The joint multinational military Exercise Cobra Gold 2026, held annually in Thailand, has successfully concluded after two weeks of intensive training, humanitarian efforts and... MORE

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Taihei Hongo, chief of staff, 10th Homeland Response Force and deputy Command and Control, conducts the Combined Forces Land Component Commanders Update Brief with Thai and Singaporean service members during Exercise Cobra Gold 2026 at Camp Red Horse, Rayong province, Thailand, March 2, 2026.

Washington Guard, Thailand Partners Train Through Cobra Gold 2026
March 2, 2026 — PHANOM SARAKHAM DISTRICT, CHACHOENGSAO, Thailand – When a disaster happens, and lives are in danger, time might be the most critical asset first responders have.“We train together, [so] we can respond... MORE

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Waylon Dashiell, 141st Civil Engineers, Washington Air National Guard, cuts a concrete wall alongside the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department during the humanitarian assistance disaster relief demonstration, part of Exercise Cobra Gold 2026 at the Disaster Relief Training Centre, Phanom Sarakham District, Chachoengsao, Thailand, Feb. 27, 2026.

Washington Air Guard Hosts Cyber Protection Team Conference
March 2, 2026 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – The Washington Guard’s 194th Wing made history by becoming the first Air National Guard wing to host the Cyber Protection Team Conference, a meeting of military and civilian cyber... MORE

U.S. Air Force Col. Jack Johnson, 252nd Cyber Operations Group commander, Washington Air National Guard, speaks during the Cyber Protection Team Conference 2026 at the Pierce County Readiness Center, Camp Murray, Washington, Feb. 23, 2026.

Washington Guard Strengthens Counter-Drone Readiness Before World Cup 2026
February 18, 2026 — JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – With millions of soccer fans set to descend on the Pacific Northwest for the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Washington National Guard and public safety leaders are... MORE

Capt. Ryan Hafley, commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 96th Troop Command, attaches a new target to a unmanned aerial system during the FIFA Field-Ready Range Day at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Feb. 11, 2026.

Idaho Guard Armor Battalion Transitions to Mobile Infantry

Pennsylvania Guard Trains on New Infantry Squad Vehicle

North Carolina Guardsmen, Customs and Border Protection Conduct Rescue

Pennsylvania Modernizing Drone Training Facility

Oklahoma Guardsman Harnesses AI to Save Thousands of Hours of Work