Guard News - The National Guard

Remaining motivated is key for Wisconsin Guard in pandemic
August 4, 2020 — MADISON, Wis. – A new challenge coin and regular fitness challenges are among the ways Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are staying motivated through nearly five months of COVID-19... MORE

The coin that all Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers and Airmen mobilized for the COVID-19 pandemic response will receive for their service. At its peak, the Wisconsin National Guard mobilized more than 1,400 troops to support Wisconsin’s response.

South Carolina National Guard tests mission-critical members
August 4, 2020 — MCENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. – Due to an innovative partnership with Lexington Medical Center, Airmen with the South Carolina Air National Guard's 169th Fighter Wing are being rapidly... MORE

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. James Bosley, program manager for the 169th Fighter Wing's Drug Demand Reduction Program at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., performs a nasopharyngeal swab on a mission-essential Airman with the South Carolina Air National Guard.

Guard, active-duty and reserve forces help Texas hospitals
August 4, 2020 — AUSTIN, Texas – More than 1,200 service members from the Texas National Guard and the active and reserve components of the Army, Navy and Air Force have joined forces to support Texas hospitals during... MORE

Maj. Gen. Tracy Norris, the adjutant general of Texas, left, talks with Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson, U.S. Army North commanding general, at the Texas State Operations Center in Austin, Texas, July 16, 2020. While there, military and civilian leaders strengthened their partnership and discussed the joint military COVID-19 operation in support of federal efforts and the state.

45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducts annual training
August 3, 2020 — NORMAN, Okla. – Soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard's 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) began their annual training at armories and readiness centers across the state last week."As... MORE

Soldiers from Battery B, 1st Battalion, 160th Field Artillery Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, conduct a mock fire mission during crew drill training at their home armory in Holdenville, Oklahoma, July 29, 2020. The Soldiers, along with other units of the 45th IBCT, are taking part in home-station annual training with limited field training exercises while implementing COVID-19 countermeasures like social distancing or wearing masks.

Camp Rosenbaum’s legacy endures through COVID-19 challenges
July 31, 2020 — SALEM, Ore. - Dating back five full decades, "Camp Rosenbaum" has been held at the Camp Rilea Armed Forces Training Center outside of Warrenton, Oregon, alongside the Pacific coastline. The youth... MORE

Camp Rosenbaum staff members Shelly Davison (left) helps Connie Opsal, Camp Rosenbaum Camp Director (right) fill backpacks for Operation Lemonade, in Portland, Ore., June 27, 2020.

Colorado National Guard reaches COVID-19 testing milestone
July 31, 2020 — CENTENNIAL, Colo. – By order of Gov. Jared Polis, Colorado National Guard members reached a testing milestone this week in support of the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment amid... MORE

Colorado National Guard members prepare a COVID-19 testing site in Canon City, Colorado, July 29, 2020.

Michigan-Latvia partnership overcomes COVID-19 challenges
July 30, 2020 — GRAYLING, Mich. – For 27 years, members of the Michigan National Guard and the National Armed Forces of Latvia have cooperated side-by-side under the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program... MORE

A team of Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) from the Latvian National Armed Forces, look over the terrain while conducting close air support training during Northern Strike 20 at Camp Grayling, part of the National All-Domain Warfighting Center in Northern Michigan during Northern Strike 20, July 28, 2020.

NY Army Guard adapts Best Warrior Competition to COVID-19
July 30, 2020 — CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, N.Y. – When they weren't running, they wore masks and temperatures were being taken constantly, and anything they touched was cleaned and disinfected.But nine New York Army... MORE

New York Army National Guard Cpl. Troy Perez, an infantryman assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, and the winner of the enlisted category in the state Best Warrior competition, performs the sprint, drag and carry portion of the Army Combat Fitness Test at Camp Smith Training Site, N.Y., July 25, 2020.

Flexibility is key for California Guard medical strike team
July 30, 2020 — INDIO, Calif. – Capt. Patrick McGar, a drill status Guardsmen and 144th Medical Group Detachment clinical nurse, had to adapt repeatedly as mission requirements changed while he was serving as a... MORE

U.S. Air Force Capt. Patrick McGar, 144th Fighter Wing clinical nurse, administers a COVID-19 test at a drive-thru testing site in Indio, Calif. McGar and his medical strike team administered tests from April 1 to May 20, averaging 600 tests per day.

Texas Air National Guard feeding families in need
July 29, 2020 — ARLINGTON, Texas – In the heat of a Texas summer morning, Tech. Sgt. Brenna Jackson directs vehicles through the exit of the food distribution operations area, noting each driver's face as they pass... MORE

Texas Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Brenna Jackson directs exiting traffic during a food distribution event on July 8, 2020, in Arlington, Texas.

Northern Strike exercise 'on target' for Michigan Army Guard artillery unit
July 28, 2020 — CAMP GRAYLING, Mich. – The pewter-colored clouds hung low in the sky, hinting at the possibility of rain. A quick breeze fluttered past, dancing in the trees that surrounded the open field where... MORE

Soldiers with the Michigan Army National Guard's B Battery, 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery Regiment execute a direct fire mission during exercise Northern Strike at Camp Grayling, Michigan, July 26, 2020.

W.Va. Future Leaders Program prepares for new academic year
July 28, 2020 — CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Instructors and staff members of the West Virginia National Guard's Future Leaders Program (LFP) for high school students recently met in Winfield, West Virginia, to plan and... MORE

Instructors and staff members of the West Virginia National Guard’s Future Leaders Program for high school students pose for a photo following a training session held July 10, 2020 in Winfield, W.Va. The FLP staff recently met to plan and prepare for the upcoming academic school year.

Connecticut Guard assembles 107,000 test kits in five days
July 28, 2020 — HARTFORD, Conn. – Connecticut National Guard members have spearheaded efforts to expand the state’s COVID-19 testing stockpile, assembling 107,000 test kits in five days last week. Teams comprised... MORE

Soldiers from the 1-102nd Infantry Regiment assemble COVID-19 test kits at the Governor William A. O’Neill Hartford State Armory, Hartford, Connecticut, July 27, 2020.

National Guard’s ultimate Joint Fires training opportunity
July 27, 2020 — GRAYLING, Mich. – Summer in Northern Michigan means boating, fishing – and increasingly, premier Joint Fires readiness training. Since 2012, Northern Strike, the National Guard Bureau’s largest joint,... MORE

A U.S. Army Soldier assigned to Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery Regiment, Michigan Army National Guard, uses a collimator sight to ensure a M777 155mm howitzer is on target before firing the gun in a direct fire training exercise during Northern Strike 20, Camp Grayling, Michigan, July 25, 2020.

A vacation for some, testing for all
July 24, 2020 — MUNISING, Mich. – For many Americans, summer means vacations and what better place to vacation at than Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This year, however, tourists bring more than just their swimsuits and... MORE

Tourists and residents alike were able to receive no-cost COVID-19 testing from the comfort of their car in Munising, Michigan, on July 18, 2020.

New Jersey National Guard runs courses simultaneously
July 24, 2020 — JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. – With heat rippling through the pine barrens on the Fort Dix range, the low hum of summer cicadas droned in unison with the buzzing of small unmanned RQ-11B... MORE

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Dana Eustace, a Soldier attending the 254th Regional Training Institute’s RQ-11B Raven course, assembles aircraft parts during their capstone field training exercise on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., July 22, 2020.

NY Airmen mounting critical resupply mission in Greenland
July 24, 2020 — STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. – The 109th Airlift Wing will launch a three-week mission to carry critical supplies to Summit Station, the only year-round science station that operates on the... MORE

An LC-130 assigned to the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing, based at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, N.Y. offloads cargo in Greenland on April 26, 2019.

Michigan Guard Band supports communities during COVID-19
July 23, 2020 — BELMONT, Mich. – The 126th Army Band of the Michigan National Guard, commonly called the "Governor's Own," has been entertaining the residents, service members, and veterans of Michigan for decades... MORE

Michigan Soldiers from the 126th Army Band, Michigan Army National Guard assist Feeding American West Michigan Food Bank by distributing food for families in need during a recent mobile food distribution event as part of the Michigan National Guard's coronavirus 19 disease (COVID-19) response.

164th Security Forces Squadron trains at Northern Strike 20
July 22, 2020 — ROGERS CITY, Mich. – Northern Strike’s purpose is to help prepare warfighters from across all service branches by perfecting joint fire proficiency in a premier all-domain training environment. To... MORE

Airman 1st Class Franklin Simon, a 164th Security Forces Squadron defender, Memphis Tennessee Air National Guard, drives an all-terrain vehicle while acting as the opposition forces in a joint exercise with the Army infantry, Air Force tactical air control party, and joint terminal air controllers during Northern Strike 20 at Rogers City, Mich., July 21, 2020.

189th Airlift Wing installs first UV light system
July 22, 2020 — LITTLE ROCK AFB, Ark - Over the last several months, the world changed dramatically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. American families were crushed with the responsibility of the new "normal" wearing... MORE

PJ Piper, FAR UV Technologies prepares for an ultraviolet installment in one of many facilities across the 189th Airlift Wing, July 16, 2020, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. The wing is the first in the Department of Defense to utilize this technology in the work environment.

Louisiana Guard, Active Component Airmen Complete Air-to-Air Integration Training

Air National Guard Leaders Host 2025 Wing Leader Fly-In

Colorado Army National Guard Conducts Aviation Training for Wildfire Season

Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs Highlights Virginia National Guard Excellence at Military Ball

Oregon Air Guard Participates in Sentry Aloha Exercise