Guard News - The National Guard

Louisiana National Guard's Task Force Voodoo returns to Iraq
August 14, 2008 — JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - It's technically the battalion's second deployment in the past five years. The first began in December, 2003 - in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. During that stint they... MORE

Alabama National Guard holds first Yellow Ribbon program
August 14, 2008 — MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Alabama National Guard held its first Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP) last weekend here at the Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center.The YRRP is designed to provide... MORE

Company focuses on families to support military employees
August 13, 2008 — WASHINGTON - Kim Robinson knows that when military members deploy, they face a lot of stress overseas on top of worrying about their families at home. To help alleviate that stress, Robinson has... MORE

Study spurs reassessment of alcohol awareness programs
August 13, 2008 — WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials are assessing ways to better prepare servicemembers, particularly members of the reserve and National Guard, for the stresses of combat so they're better able... MORE

National Guard detachment trains at NFL preseason game
August 13, 2008 — JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Reporting from the sidelines of an NFL preseason game is not typical duty for military journalists, but for 15 members of the Florida Army National Guard it was good training for... MORE

Spc. James Cornwell (left) and Staff Sgt. Blair Heusdens of the 107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment videotape and shoot photos of the Jacksonville Jaguars pre-season NFL game at the Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., Aug. 9, 2008.

Alaska National Guard Rescues Injured Climber
August 12, 2008 — CAMP DENALI, Alaska - The Alaska Air National Guard rescued an injured climber off Root Glacier in the Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park Wednesday.An Alaska Wilderness guide called the National Park... MORE

Official travelers can claim reimbursement for excess baggage fees
August 12, 2008 — WASHINGTON - Servicemembers traveling for official business, including deployments, will continue to receive full reimbursement for reasonable, authorized excess baggage fees, defense officials said.A... MORE

Pilots provide emergency close air support
August 12, 2008 — BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - For F-15E Strike Eagle and A-10 Thunderbolt pilots deployed here, joint terminal attack controllers, or JTACs, play a vital role in the close air support... MORE

Two A-10 Thunderbolt II jets taxi out to the runway July 26 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The jets are experts at close air support missions and have proven to be invaluable despite being well past their expected useful lifespan.

New York National Guard and British Soldiers Aid Afghans
August 12, 2008 — UD KHEIL VILLAGE, KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (08/12/2008) - More than 1000 residents of Ud Kheil village were treated by Afghan medical staff and received medicine, vitamins and personal items through a joint... MORE

Captain Joseph Merrill from Binghamton, NY and commander of SECFOR Delta works with a translator to direct a father seeking medical attention for his son.

Leapfest: Rhode Island's international adventure
August 11, 2008 — KINGSTON, R.I. - Capt. Roy Hatch, who is closing in on 60 years old, is a member of the United Kingdom's Territorial Army who still believes that airborne soldiers are something special.Their... MORE

Two Soldiers from Fort Campbell, Ky., landed safely in Kingston, R.I., on Aug. 9 after their main parachutes became tangled while participating in Leapfest, the National Guard's international military parachute competition. Sergeants 1st Class Christopher O'Malley and Kurt Merrell resorted to their training and deployed their reserve parachutes.

Former Army shooter enters U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame
August 8, 2008 — WASHINGTON - Retired Army Lt. Col. Lones W. Wigger Jr., 70, a three-time Olympic military marksman himself, starts a new job with the beginning of the 2008 Olympics as narrator for MSNBC's Web video... MORE

New travel card distribution to begin this month
August 8, 2008 — WASHINGTON - Citibank officials will mail out new government travel charge cards Aug. 13 through Sept. 19. Initial distribution will begin with cardholders at overseas locations and migrate from the... MORE

Airmen are being issued the new Citibank government travel card, which will look like this example. Distribution will begin Aug. 13.

Higher learning: ESGR advocates sample Leapfest adventure
August 8, 2008 — KINGSTON, R.I. - No, they did not jump out of a perfectly good helicopter.But 16 civilians involved with Rhode Island's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) program did get an idea of what... MORE

Brown University graduate research manager Tom Alarie checks out the terrain for Leapfest 2008 during a flight in an Army National Guard helicopter arranged by the Rhode Island Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve on Aug. 7. Sixteen people participated in the morning's event for civilian employers and supervisors of members of the National Guard.

Syracuse Guard unit returns with fighters for last time
August 8, 2008 — SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Two-hundred New York Air National Guard members with 14 fighter aircraft from the 174th Fighter Wing finished two missions at once here Aug. 5 after returning from a two month's... MORE

Maj. Gen. Robert A. Knauff, commander of the New York Air National Guard and Air Guard assistant to the commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Command Chief Master Sgt. David Heckman of the 174th Fighter Wing welcome home Lt. Col. David Brenton and Chief Master Sgt. Michael Will at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, N.Y., Aug. 5. The 174th deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom in early June. It was the last overseas deployment for the wing's F-16 Fighting Falcons. The wing is transitioning into its new MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle mission.

National Guard analysts help police disrupt drug trafficking
August 7, 2008 — GREENBELT, Md. - The National Guard Counterdrug Program has employed criminal analysts in Title 32 status since 1994 in support of local, state and federal agencies' ongoing efforts to combat drug... MORE

129th Airmen transport helicopter crash survivors to Redding hospital
August 6, 2008 — MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. - Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing rescued two survivors of a civilian helicopter crash last night near Junction City, Calif.The Sikorsky S-61... MORE

Air and Army units provide bare base communications for Patriot 2008 exercise
August 6, 2008 — Providing and maintaining communications during a major exercise was the challenge taken on recently by National Guard units participating in exercise Patriot 2008.Split between three locations - Camp... MORE

Soldiers of the 48th Infantry Brigade Special Troops Battalion operate a Secure Mobile Anti-Jam Reliable Tactical-Terminal (SMART-T)-equipped Humvee July 23 as part of Patriot '08 in preparation for an upcoming overseas deployment. Split between three locations - Camp Ripley, Minn., Fort McCoy and Volk Airfield, Wis., - Patriot '08 was a 21-day, large-scale exercise featuring more than 45 units from as many states. Additionally, the participation of Canadian, United Kingdom, and Dutch forces increased combined effectiveness.

Father follows daughter into Ohio National Guard
August 6, 2008 — GREEN, Ohio - When military recruits speak of their reasons for enlisting, many cite family pride and tradition as their strongest motivation. The desire to follow in a parent's footsteps has prompted... MORE

Army Pvt. Larry Gravius (right) was inspired to join the Ohio Army National Guard as a result of the February enlistment of his 18-year-old daughter, Army Pfc. Gwendolyn Gravius (left).

Guardmembers compete in international pentathlon in Turkey
August 6, 2008 — Nevada Guardsman places 2nd in eventA Nevada Guardsman finished second in an international military pentathlon event in Istanbul, Turkey, held July 4-13.Teamed with a British and a German soldier,... MORE

International military members tackle the land obstacle course at the 2008 Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR) Military Pentathlon Competition held in Istanbul, Turkey, July 4-13.

Airmen return from fighting the Telegraph Fire near Yosemite National Park
August 6, 2008 — MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. - Twenty-eight Airmen of Task Force Bucket who were supporting Operation Lightning Strike returned here today after nearly two weeks of training and fighting the... MORE

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