Guard News - The National Guard

Tactical Casualty Care Simulators Boost Air Guard Readiness
March 6, 2025 — BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The constantly evolving battlefield requires service members to adapt through continual training. This is especially true for aerospace medical service technicians — Air Force field... MORE

Nurses and medical technicians from the 117th Medical Group, Alabama Air National Guard, listen for heart sounds and check the pulse on a high-fidelity simulator at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Birmingham, Ala., March 5, 2025. Air National Guard units across the nation received these training simulators to sharpen the skills they need as mission-ready Airmen.

Florida Air National Guard Wing Welcomes F-35A Lightning II
March 4, 2025 — The Florida Air National Guard officially entered the fifth-generation fighter era with the arrival of its first F-35A Lightning II on March 4, 2025. The milestone makes the 125th Fighter Wing, known as ‘the Thunder’, the fourth Air National Guard (ANG) unit to receive the advanced fighter, marking a pivotal moment in the wing’s history and reinforcing the Air Force’s global defense strategy... MORE

An aircraft maintainer assigned to the Florida Air National Guard's 125th Maintenance Group marshals an F-35A Lightning II aircraft arriving at the wing in Jacksonville, Florida, March 4, 2025. The arrival marks the unit’s transition to the fifth-generation fighter aircraft, enhancing the wing’s 24/7 homeland defense mission and strengthening joint-force integration efforts in Florida.

Air Guard, Reserve Medics Help Clear Recruiting Bottleneck
February 26, 2025 — FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Thirty-five Air National Guard and 10 Reserve component Airmen executed a surge initiative to address severe backlogs at military entrance processing stations across the United... MORE

U.S. Air National Guard Lt. Col. Kevin Maskell, a dentist assigned to the Arizona Air National Guard 162nd Wing, examines a patient during Kodiac Arctic Care 24 in Kodiak, Alaska, May 9, 2024. U.S. Uniformed Services personnel joined Kodiak Arctic Care under the Innovative Readiness Training program, which partnered with the Kodiak Area Native Association to deliver free medical, dental optometry, and veterinary services on Alaska's remote Kodiak Island.

Air National Guard Medics Keep Airmen in the Fight
February 21, 2025 — CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. - When 70 Airmen from 37 Air National Guard wings participated in a Cold Weather Operations Course, three aerospace medical technicians, or medics, and a physician assistant... MORE

Airmen conduct a long-distance ruck during the Air National Guard’s Cold Weather Operations Course at Camp Ripley Training Center, Minn., followed by two aerospace medical specialists wearing red hats, assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing, Minnesota Air National Guard, Feb. 6, 2025. Three aerospace medical specialists provided medical education and response to 70 students from 37 Air National Guard Wings attending the course designed to prepare service members for deployments to cold weather regions.

Lankford Center Hosts 1st ALS Commandant Conference
January 15, 2025 — MCGHEE TYSON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Tenn. - The Lankford Enlisted Professional Military Education Center hosted the first Airman Leadership School Commandant Conference last week.The event brought... MORE

U.S. Air Force leaders in enlisted education pose inside of Spruance Hall at the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee, Jan. 8, 2025. Airman Leadership School commandants, senior leaders from the Barnes Center for Enlisted Education and representatives from the Lankford Center for Enlisted Professional Military Education attend the inaugural ALS Commandant's Conference to share strategies and best practices to develop the next generation of Total Force enlisted leaders.

New York Airmen Bring Holiday Cheer to Hurricane Victims While Training
December 6, 2024 — STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. – Airmen from the New York Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing helped out Santa Claus by delivering over 4,000 toys earmarked for North Carolina kids whose... MORE

U.S. service members pose for a group photo after offloading toys on Marine Corps Air Station New River, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Dec. 3, 2024.

Air Guard Hosts Junior Officer Leadership Development Course
August 29, 2024 — ARLINGTON, Va. - The Air National Guard hosted 60 company-grade officers from nine countries for the annual International Junior Officer Leadership Development Course at McGhee Tyson Air National... MORE

Participants in the 30th Annual International Junior Officer Leadership Development course pose for a photo in front of a KC-135R Stratotanker assigned to the 134th Air Refueling Wing, Aug.14, 2024, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. IJOLD is an annual event designed to expand International Air Reserve junior officers to leadership concepts while collaborating with other NATO nations to better understand differing military cultures.

Air Guard Deploys for Toxic Swell Joint Training Exercise
August 28, 2024 — OAHU, Hawaii - The Air National Guard, the U.S. Marine Corps and international partners enhanced chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense capabilities during the two-week Toxic Swell... MORE

Participants in the Toxic Swell exercise train for CBRN warfare Aug. 5, 2024, in Oahu, Hawaii. Toxic Swell 2024 brought together military personnel from across the forces to prepare for any threat in the Indo-Pacific region.

Outstanding Guard Airmen Recognized During Focus on the Force
July 29, 2024 — Joint Base Andrews, MD – Four exemplary Guardsmen were celebrated as Outstanding Airmen of the Year at a ceremony July 26th.Maj. Gen. Duke A. Pirak, acting director of the Air National Guard, and... MORE

From left: U.S. Air Force Gen. Duke Pirak, acting director, Air National Guard; Senior Airman Gavin Woken, 121st Air Refueling Wing, Ohio National Guard; Master Sgt. Haley Rankin of the Western Air Defense Sector, Washington Air National Guard; Senior Master Sgt. Alejandra Rosales, 195th Wing, California Air National Guard; Master Sgt. Diana Nogiec, 110th Wing, Michigan National Guard; and Chief Master Sgt. Lisa Perry, interim command chief, Air National Guard pose for a group photo during the culmination of the Outstanding Airmen of the Year awards ceremony at the Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, July 26, 2024.

Former Colorado TAG Retires as Air National Guard Director
June 11, 2024 — DENVER - U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, director, Air National Guard, bid farewell to his distinguished career with a symbolic final flight, known as the ‘Fini Flight’, aboard an F-16... MORE

Dianne Loh, center, pins a retirement lapel on U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, right, director, Air National Guard, during Loh’s retirement ceremony at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, Denver, Colorado, June 9, 2024. As the 13th director of the ANG, Loh was responsible for overseeing policies, plans and programs affecting more than 108,400 ANG Airmen and civilians across 90 wings through the 54 states, territories and the District of Columbia.

Air National Guard Chaplains Convene for Annual Symposium
May 9, 2024 — JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. - Air National Guard chaplains and religious affairs Airmen from around the country convened at Joint Base Andrews April 30 to May 2 for the 2024 Air National Guard Chaplain... MORE

U.S. Air Force Col. Leah Boling, director, Air National Guard Chaplain Corps, answers questions during a panel session at the ANG Chaplain Corps Religious Support Team Symposium at Joint Base Andrews, Md., May 2, 2024. The annual event brought together religious leaders and support personnel from across the nation to collaborate on religious freedom, accommodation, morale and readiness of chaplains across the force.

Air Guard Leaders Host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
April 29, 2024 — HENDERSON, Nev. – U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, director, Air National Guard, and Chief Master Sgt Maurice L. Williams, command chief Air National Guard, hosted ANG senior leaders and... MORE

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Micheal A. Loh, director, Air National Guard (ANG), speaks about the ANG’s role in implementing changes for Great Power Competition during the 2024 Wing Leader Conference (WLC), Henderson, Nevada, April 24, 2024.

Team Whiteman Demonstrates Readiness During Spirit Vigilance
April 23, 2024 — The 509th and 131st Bomb Wings capped off the most recent iteration of exercise Spirit Vigilance by performing a mass fly-off of 12 B-2 Spirit stealth bombers April 15 at Whiteman AFB... MORE

A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing takes off at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., April 15, 2024. Team Whiteman executed a mass fly-over of 12 B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to cap off the annual Spirit Vigilance exercise.

Heroic Airman Receives Vanguard Award for Life-Saving Actions
February 26, 2024 — FORT SMITH, Ark. – In a remarkable display of courage and quick thinking, Master Sgt. Greggorey Brewer, a readiness and emergency manager with the 188th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES), has been honored... MORE

Maj. Gen. Jonathan M. Stubbs, the Adjutant General of the Arkansas National Guard, and Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory White, senior enlisted leader of the Arkansas National Guard presented the Vanguard award to Master Sgt. Greggorey Brewer, at the Enlisted Association of Arkansas National Guard and the National Guard Association of Arkansas (AANG/NGAA) Joint State conference Saturday, Feb. 24 to acknowledge his extraordinary acts of heroism.

MQ-9 Reaper Lands at Shaw AFB in Historic First
February 26, 2024 — SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. – Airmen from the 50th Attack Squadron and Air National Guardsmen from the 163rd Attack Wing conducted a historic first Feb. 14, by successfully landing an MQ-9... MORE

A man in a uniform has his arms in the air, directing a remotely piloted aircraft.

Wisconsin Airmen Complete First F-35 Training Deployment
February 26, 2024 — TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – More than 150 Airmen assigned to the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 115th Fighter Wing completed the Weapons System Evaluation Program’s Combat Archer exercise Feb. 23... MORE

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christian Fischer, a tactical aircraft maintenance specialist with the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 115th Fighter Wing, assists an F-35A Lightning II pilot with preflight tasks February 13, 2024, during a Weapon System Evaluation Program exercise at Tyndall Air force Base, Florida.

Air Force Announces Winners of William Tell 2023 Competition
September 21, 2023 — SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Air Force wrapped up its first William Tell Air-to-Air Competition in 19 years on Sept. 15, at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia.Airmen from across active and guard... MORE

179th Airlift Wing Becomes First Cyberspace Wing in the Air National Guard
September 13, 2023 — MANSFIELD, Ohio – The 179th Airlift Wing cemented its place in history during a redesignation ceremony renaming the unit as the 179th Cyberspace Wing following two years of preparation on Sept. 9... MORE

The 179th Airlift Wing, an Ohio Air National Guard unit, is redesignated as the 179th Cyberspace Wing during a ceremony

Alabama Air Guard Red Tails Conducts Communication Exercise
September 11, 2023 — MONTGOMERY, Ala. –The 187th Fighter Wing’s 226th Combat Communications Group conducted Exercise Copperhead Beacon 2023 throughout the east coast Sept. 8-10.Exercise Copperhead Beacon 2023 was an... MORE

Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Phillips, a cyber systems operator for the 226th Communications, inspects a satellite during Exercise Copperhead Beacon 23 at the group’s headquarters in Montgomery, Alabama, on September 8, 2023.

Air National Guard Bolsters Recruiting, Retention With First-ever NFL Partnership
September 8, 2023 — ARLINGTON, Va. – For the first time in Air National Guard history, the ANG has partnered with a National Football League team to bolster the Air Force Recruiting Service's Total Force recruiting... MORE

Jartavius Martin, center, defensive back, Washington Commanders football team, speaks to U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Tatiana Collins, left, Air National Guard (ANG) marketing and advertising non-commissioned officer, National Guard Bureau (NGB), and Master Sgt. Jasmine Grant, ANG events NCO, NGB, during an open practice held at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Aug. 25, 2023. As part of a partnership between the Washington Commanders and U.S. Air Force, an Air National Guard patch will be featured on the Commanders defensive players’ practice jerseys this season to help garner exposure for recruiting the next generation of Airmen. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Sarah M. McClanahan)

156th Wing Airmen Train with Disaster Relief Beddown System

Louisiana Guard Hosts All-Hazards Coordination Workshop

Arkansas Air Guard’s 188th Wing Readiness Validated

Puerto Rico Air Guard Wing Conducts Combat Readiness Exercise

Alaska Air Guardsmen Conduct Hoist Rescue at Hatcher Pass