Guard News - The National Guard

Four Soldiers are 1st in NYNG to earn Expert Soldier Badge
October 14, 2021 — FORT DRUM, New York - Four Soldiers became the first in the New York Army National Guard to earn the new Expert Soldier Badge Oct. 1, following two weeks of training and testing at Fort Drum. The four... MORE

From left, New York Army National Guard Spcs. William Neumeister and Nicholas Weber, Sgt. Alexander Sonneville and Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Blount at Fort Drum, New York, Oct. 1, 2021, after earning the Expert Soldier Badge. The four are the first New York Army National Guard Soldiers to earn the new skills badge.

COVID-19 adds intensity to Golf Company MEDEVAC mission
August 9, 2021 — CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait – In June, the condition of a Soldier with COVID-19 began rapidly deteriorating. The Soldier was intubated and placed on heavy narcotics. He needed to get from Camp Arifjan,... MORE

A Task Force Phoenix medevac crew from G Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), known as DUSTOFF, at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. The fully vaccinated crew took extra precautions during a medevac mission in which they transported a severe COVID-19 patient to higher care. Clockwise from top left, emergency critical care nurse Maj. Cody McDonald, flight medic Staff Sgt. Jose Bulow, crew chief Sgt. Dena Lee and pilot 1st Lt. James Pettigrew.

Army Guard director visits 100th Missile Defense Brigade
August 4, 2021 — COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – On the final leg of a trip preceded by stops at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and Fort Irwin, California, to visit units on combat training rotations, the director of the Army... MORE

Army Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen, the director of the Army National Guard, speaks with Soldiers in the Missile Defense Element at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, July 26, 2021. Jensen visited the 100th Missile Defense Brigade of the Colorado Army National Guard in Colorado Springs to learn more about the unit and its mission to defend the United States and designated areas from long-range ballistic missile attacks.

National Guard units across the nation complete Cyber Shield
July 26, 2021 — CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah - The National Guard completed its annual cyber defense training exercise July 23, with more than 750 top cyber defense professionals from Soldiers and Airmen to industry partners... MORE

Washington National Guard cyber experts and civilian partners who participated in the Cyber Shield 2021 exercise, shown July 21, 2021, at Camp Murray, Wash.

Colorado National Guard joins ADRIATIC STRIKE 21 in Slovenia
May 20, 2021 — LJUBLJANA, Slovenia – The Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Medical Group has arrived in Slovenia to participate in operation ADRIATIC STRIKE 21. The exercise focuses on processing patients in a... MORE

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Susanna Wohlford, Colorado Air National Guard, 140th Medical Group medic, trains with a defibrillator during exercise ADRIATIC STRIKE 21 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, May 17, 2021. The exercise is part of DEFENDER-EUROPE 21, testing the command’s ability to integrate 30,000 U.S., allied, and partner forces from 26 nations to conduct operations in more than a dozen nations from the Baltics to Africa, to the Black Sea and Balkan regions.

National Guard, partners to conduct ORCA 21 CBRNE exercise
May 14, 2021 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Hundreds of National Guard Civil Support Team units from 11 states will participate in Exercise ORCA 2021 in Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna Valley and Seward... MORE

Members of the Michigan National Guard’s 51st Civil Support Team run through decontamination procedures during Northern Exposure 21, March 16, 2021, at Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Northern Exposure 21 was integrated with another exercise known as Rising Waters 2021. This year's scenario was catastrophic flooding leading to chemical contamination, which was followed by a possible WMD situation.

Task Force Phoenix trains at North Fort Hood for deployment
March 29, 2021 — NORTH FORT HOOD, Texas – Flexibility and adaptability have been key for the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade in the lead-up to a 9-month deployment to the Middle East.The brigade is poised to deploy to... MORE

Staff Sgt. Jose Bulow, a flight medic with Golf Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), is hoisted into a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, March 26, 2021, at North Fort Hood, Texas, as part of training before a 9-month mission to the Middle East. Golf Company is attached to Task Force Phoenix, led by the California Army National Guard's 40th Combat Aviation Brigade.

Guardsmen excel in All Army Marksmanship Championships
March 23, 2021 — FORT BENNING, Ga. - Army and Air National Guardsmen from across the country traveled to Fort Benning to participate in the 2021 U.S. Army "All Army" Small Arms Championships March 14-20. The week-long... MORE

Service Members from across the Army, Army Reserves and National Guard fire M-9 pistols during the 2021 U.S. Army “All Army” Small Arms Championships at Fort Benning, Georgia, March 14-20, 2021. National Guard teams and individuals brought home 23 of 31 top awards including 1st in nine of 11 categories.

1st CONG infantry company since WWII deploys to Middle East
January 29, 2021 — CENTENNIAL, Colo. – Approximately 70 members of the Colorado Army National Guard are heading to the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield in the first deployment for Colorado Infantry... MORE

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with Attack Company, 1st Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, Colorado Army National Guard, spend more than a week in Guernsey, Wyoming, in preparation for a deployment, Oct. 15-25, 2020. Throughout the week the Soldiers ran lanes multiple times, qualified on individual weapon systems and completed situational training exercise lanes that consisted of ambushes.

Missile defense Soldiers receive COVID vaccine
January 22, 2021 — COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Soldiers with the 100th Missile Defense Brigade received the first series of the COVID vaccine at Buckley Air Force Base Jan. 13 and 21.The vaccine was made available to the... MORE

Army Col. Mike Hatfield and Command Sgt. Maj. John Robinson, the command team of the 100th Missile Defense Brigade, after receiving the first round of the COVID-19 vaccine at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, Jan. 13, 2021. Soldiers with the 100th Missile Defense Brigade were among the first wave of Colorado Army National Guard members to receive the vaccines.

Colorado Guard maintains readiness during record year
December 17, 2020 — CENTENNIAL, Colo. – The Colorado National Guard's COVID-19 mission is the largest and longest activation of the National Guard in state history in what has been a record year for CONG domestic... MORE

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Douglas Paul, commanding general of the Colorado Army National Guard, thanks Soldiers for their work and dedication at the Colorado Convention Center, Denver, April 20, 2020. Guard members are serving a multitude of roles at the direction of governor to help combat the coronavirus.

Colorado, California National Guard win sniper championships
December 14, 2020 — BARLING, Ark. – Twenty-three two-person sniper teams from across the National Guard and 12 interservice teams competed in the 50th Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship and the 30th Annual Armed... MORE

Staff Sgt. Jared Ramey, Ohio National Guard, prepares his equipment during the Stalk event Dec. 9, 2020 at the 50th Winston P. Wilson and 30th Armed Forces Skill at Arms Meeting Sniper Championships hosted by the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center, with the help of the U.S. National Guard Sniper School. The competition was held at the Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center Dec. 4-10, 2020.

Army Guard unit wins Omaha Trophy for strategic deterrence
November 20, 2020 — COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In 2020 style, a small formation of socially distanced and masked Soldiers gathered to celebrate the halcyon days of 2019 as the 100th Missile Defense Brigade was presented... MORE

Navy Rear Adm. William W. "Trey" Wheeler III, U.S. Strategic Command chief of staff, right, and Vice Adm. (Ret.) Walter "Ted" Carter, the president of the University of Nebraska, present the Omaha Trophy to Col. Michael Hatfield, commander of the 100th Missile Defense Brigade, during a ceremony at U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., Nov. 19, 2020. This is the first time an Army unit and the first time an Army National Guard unit has been selected for this prestigious honor, which recognizes outstanding support to the USSTRATCOM mission of strategic deterrence.

28th Infantry Division completes warfighter exercise
November 17, 2020 — FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Leaders with the 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, completed a computer-based force-on-force exercise to train commanders, staff officers and their... MORE

Lt. Col. Dorothy Watkins, left, a military information support operations officer, confers with OF-3 Aleksas Paulauskas, her Lithuanian Land Forces counterpart, during a two-week warfighter exercise Nov. 7, 2020, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.

Colorado Guard joins fight against East Troublesome wildfire
October 26, 2020 — CENTENNIAL, Colo. – Gov. Jared Polis activated the Colorado National Guard to assist the State Emergency Operations Center and the incident commander during the East Troublesome Fire near Grand... MORE

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Laura Clellan, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Scott M. Sherman, Lt. Col. Michael J Bruno and other leaders conduct a wildfire situation brief in the Joint Operations Center, Centennial, Colo., Oct 22, 2020. The team was reviewing fire development throughout Colorado.

Colorado Hoist Rescue team, CONG partner to save lives
October 7, 2020 — CENTENNIAL, Colo. – The Colorado Hoist Rescue Team and Colorado National Guard partnered to change how the military performs hoist rescues.This innovation shortens the time required for a helicopter... MORE

A Colorado Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the Army Aviation Support Facility, Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado, approaches a member of the Alpine Rescue Team and an injured climber in Rocky Mountain National Park Aug. 30, 2019. The Colorado Hoist Rescue Team provides hoist extraction capability throughout Colorado by incorporating civilian alpine rescue personnel and military helicopter capabilities.

North Macedonia, U.S. enhance readiness with exercise
September 8, 2020 — KRIVOLAK, North Macedonia – Approximately 120 military members from the United States and North Macedonia participated in the U.S.-led exercise Reinforced Dam Sept. 1-7 at Krivolak Training Area in... MORE

A soldier from the Army of North Macedonia participates in a combat casualty care training scenario Sept. 1, 2020, at Krivolak Training Area, North Macedonia. The training scenario was led by U.S. troops from the NATO-led Kosovo Force mission, who are organic to the Oregon Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment. The two nations participated in a series of training scenarios as part of the multinational training exercise Reinforced Dam Sept. 1-7.

Colorado crew director injured in car crash returns to duty
September 1, 2020 — COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Serving as a 100th Missile Defense Brigade crew director is a difficult job, requiring thousands of hours to learn and years to perfect. Army Lt. Col. George Lambos had... MORE

A group of 100th Missile Defense Brigade Soldiers stand for a photo with Colorado National Guard Lt. Col. George Lambos at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central in Colorado Springs May 28, 2019. The Soldiers came so Lambos could participate in the promotion ceremony of one of his Soldiers.

Colorado National Guard supports wildfire response
August 26, 2020 — CENTENNIAL, Colo. – Gov. Jared Polis authorized the Colorado National Guard to help fight various fires across the state from the air.At the State Emergency Operations Center's (SEOC) request, two... MORE

The Colorado National Guard is helping fight wildfires in the state in August 2020 with a CH-47 Chinook helicopter and two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, like these shown with aerial water buckets July 3, 2018, at Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado.

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.

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

Guard Marksmanship Center to Host Rifle, Pistol Championships