Guard News - The National Guard

Virginia Air Guard, Finnish Partners Sharpen Tactics, Readiness
June 17, 2026 — EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark. – Two F-22 Raptors from the Virginia Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Squadron touched down at Ebbing Air National Guard Base June 16 for a joint-training...

Virginia Guard Tests New Brigade Design in Louisiana
June 8, 2026 — FORT POLK, La. – The Virginia National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team is testing its combat readiness during a Joint Readiness Training Center, or JRTC, rotation May 31-July...

Virginia Guard, Finnish Air Force Strengthen Cyber Partnership
June 4, 2026 — JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. – Members of the 185th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, and the Finnish Air Force gathered this spring for Exercise Smoked...

Louisiana Guard Hosts Interrogation Competition
May 14, 2026 — PINEVILLE, La. – Twenty-three Human Intelligence, or HUMINT, Collector teams from the United States, Australia and Canada competed in the fifth annual Tranquil Storm interrogation competition at the...

Virginia Guard Participates in Finnish Cyber Security Exercise
February 23, 2026 — RIIHIMÄKI, Finland – Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 91st Cyber Brigade and the 185th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, 192nd Wing participated in Elements...

Virginia Guard Participates in Warfighter Exercise in Finland
January 21, 2026 — KOUVOLA, Finland – Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division Headquarters participated in the Finnish training exercise Operation Karelian Spear Nov...

National Guard, Nordic Partnerships Bolster European Defenses
September 29, 2025 — OSLO, Norway — The National Guard Bureau’s top leaders traveled to Finland, Sweden and Norway last week as part of a series of visits to Northern European countries to strengthen the Guard’s security...

Virginia Guard, Finnish Counterparts Train at Arctic Forge 25
March 28, 2025 — KOUVOLA, Finland - A platoon of Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 237th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group, participated in cold-weather...

Red Dragon Snipers Showcase Skill at Finnish Championship
November 8, 2024 — RICHMOND, Va. – For the third consecutive year, snipers from the 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team traveled to Finland to compete against their international...

Virginia National Guard, Finnish Army Expand Relationship
October 25, 2024 — FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Virginia National Guard leaders hosted Lt. Gen. Pasi Välimäki, commander of the Finnish Army, Oct 12 in support of the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership...

Virginia Guard Enlisted Leaders Meet with Finnish Partners
September 12, 2024 — RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia National Guard senior enlisted leadership traveled to Finland Aug. 19-23 to collaborate with members of the Finnish Defence Forces on a plan for joint enlisted training and...

Virginia Guard Tests Cybersecurity Readiness in Exercise
August 16, 2024 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Virginia National Guard and multinational and interagency partners executed Cyber Fortress 3.0, a water management cyber incident response, July 7-20 at the State Military...

Virginia Guard, Tajikistan Conduct Key Leader Exchange
May 28, 2024 — DUSHANBE, Tajikistan – Brig. Gen. Todd H. Hubbard, the Virginia National Guard director of the Joint Staff, conducted key leader engagements with senior leaders from the Republic of Tajikistan April...

Virginia National Guard Formalizes Partnership with Finland
May 2, 2024 — RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia National Guard has been selected as the U.S. partner to the nation of Finland for the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, Gov. Glenn...

Finnish Air Force Commander Meets Virginia Guard Leaders
April 12, 2024 — HAMPTON, Va. - Maj. Gen. Juha-Pekka Keränen, commander of the Finnish Air Force, met with Virginia National Guard leaders April 8 at Joint Base Langley-Eustis.Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the adjutant...

In Finland, Hokanson Sees a Country’s Cold Will to Defend Itself
October 19, 2023 — HELSINKI – The National Guard’s top officer recently visited Finland as part of a larger Northern European itinerary to strengthen the Guard’s security cooperation ties in the region.The Guard has...

Virginia Guardsmen Compete in Finnish Sniper Championship
September 22, 2023 — TAIPALSAARI, Finland - Three Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, competed in the Finnish Sniper Championship...

Finnish Pilots Visit the Virginia Air National Guard
June 13, 2023 — JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. - Finnish Air Force pilots toured the 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, with pilots from the 149th Fighter Squadron May 16.The Virginia National Guard and Finnish...

Virginia Guard Participates in Arctic Forge in Finland
April 21, 2023 — SODANKYLÄ GARRISON, Finland - More than 60 Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, participated in the Arctic Forge...

In Finland, Guard Leaders Look to Enhance Already Strong Ties
February 21, 2023 — HELSINKI, Finland – The National Guard’s most senior general met with Finland’s defense leadership and observed military training during a three-day stop last week.“I was honored to learn more about...

Retired Texas Air National Guard Pilot Recalls Protecting Air Force One on 9/11

Nebraska Guard Strengthens Disaster Response Readiness

Kentucky Guard Strengthens Skills During Patriot 2026

113th Wing Recognized for Air Defense, Combat Performance

Washington Guard Concludes Extended Wildfire Response