Guard News - The National Guard

New Jersey Airmen spend day at Panamanian school
July 26, 2010 — METETI, Panama - More than a dozen Airmen and Marines from Task Force New Horizons spent a day with local children building rubber-band airplanes and playing games July 12 at the elementary school in... MORE

Tech. Sgt. Dorothy Lanthier, a personnel specialist deployed from 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard, and Staff Sgt. Josh Lazarski help children assemble rubber-band airplanes at the Sansonsito School in Panama July 12, 2010. Lanthier and Lazarski are assigned to 820th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron.

Spouse jobs program to relaunch in October
July 26, 2010 — WASHINGTON, - The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program will resume Oct. 25, but with some significant changes to the popular spouse employment program, a defense official announced... MORE

Guard, Reserve children need help in school
July 26, 2010 — WASHINGTON, - Over the past year, I've spoken with many military families about the challenges they face, and a common issue is education for children from Guard and reserve families. These children... MORE

Alaska trains with Kyrgyzstan search and rescue team
July 23, 2010 — CAMP DENALI, Alaska - The Alaska National Guard teamed up with a Kyrgyzstan Search and Rescue Team to train on procedures and techniques in mountain rescue this May on Mt. McKinley.The opportunity to... MORE

Senior Master Sgt. Johnny Davis, 212th Rescue Squadron, Alaska Air National Guard (right) trains members of Kyrgyzstan search and rescue team in glacier travel techniques. Davis also provided rope work, risk assessment, ice climbing and crevasse rescue training.

Mississippi Guard complete air quality tests along coastline
July 23, 2010 — BILOXI, Miss., - The Mississippi National Guard on Friday found no abnormal readings after it completed monitoring the air quality this week at 20 different locations along the coastline in... MORE

South Carolina National Guard unit builds relationships, infrastructure for Afghan people
July 22, 2010 — CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan - Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery are winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people by improving infrastructure in Kabul.Members of the civil... MORE

Sgt. 1st Class Kristopher Alvey, civil military operations (CMO) noncommissioned officer of the 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, South Carolina Army National Guard, plays with local Afghan children June 27, 2010, outside of Walayatee school in Afghanistan. Alvey and other members of the CMO are building bonds with Afghan citizens while managing the construction processes of schools and other building infrastructure around the Kabul area.

Army, Air Guard adjust recruiting goals
July 22, 2010 — ARLINGTON, Va. - Both the Army and Air National Guard missed their recruiting goals for June, however, recruiting activities were adjusted and those goals were intentionally missed as a way to keep... MORE

Louisiana engineers reinforce land bridge at Thunder Bayou
July 21, 2010 — GRAND ISLE, La., - The Louisiana National Guard’s 527th Engineer Battalion, 225th Engineer Brigade, completes reinforcement work on a land bridge on Elmer’s Island, La., in support of the Deepwater... MORE

Staff Sgt. Jimmy Lynch of the Louisiana Army National Guard’s, 844th Horizontal Engineer Company, 527th Engineer Battalion, operates a John Deere 650J Bulldozer to level sand on a land bridge behind a rock wall on Elmer's Island, La., July 14, 2010. Soldiers use the smaller dozer, rather than their larger, heavier dozers, because of the increased mobility.

Guardmembers help wounded warriors through turbulent water
July 20, 2010 — ARLINGTON, Va., - With some trepidation, Douglass Rink rolls his kayak over and disappears under the water. He frees himself, emerges a short time later and assures his instructor, “I was a scuba... MORE

Ashley Crandall was serving in Iraq last year as a Blackhawk helicopter mechanic with the Utah National Guard’s 2-211th Aviation Regiment, when she was wounded and medically evacuated. While recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, she got involved with the non-profit Team River Runner and used kayaking to rehabilitate. Now she is helping other wounded warriors find therapy on the water.

Guard Soldiers, spouses discuss reintegration programs
July 19, 2010 — TUCSON, Ariz. - Guard and Reserve members, much like their active duty counterparts, deploy routinely in service to their country. When they do, spouses remain to take care of the household. For... MORE

Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Burch gives an overview of “The Senior Enlisted and Spouses Reintegration Professional Development Workshop” to fellow Soldiers and Army Guard spouses at the Westin La Paloma resort in Tucson, Ariz., July 13. The week-long conference highlighted several family support and professional development programs available to Guardsmen and families.

Chief, governors visit Guardsmen in Middle East
July 19, 2010 — CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan, - Gen. Craig McKinley, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, and governors from five states visited National Guard Soldiers and Airmen throughout the Middle East last... MORE

Alan Bersin, commissioner of Customs and Border Protection; John Morton, assistant secretary of homeland security for
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, announce the deployment of 1,200 National Guard troops along the international border in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California at the Pentagon on July 19, 2010.

Seven miles of barrier guard Cameron Parish
July 16, 2010 — HOLLY BEACH, La., - Soldiers from Louisiana National Guard’s 225th Engineer Brigade finished emplacing the first phase of a more than seven mile long Hesco barrier wall along the coast near Cameron,... MORE

Louisiana Guard tops Myrtle Grove’s levees with 22,000 sandbags
July 16, 2010 — PINEVILLE, La., - Soldiers of the Louisiana Army National Guard's 528th Engineer Battalion, 225th Engineer Brigade, finished emplacing more than 22,000 sandbags in Myrtle Grove, La., July 16.The... MORE

More than 22,000 sandbags were laid by the Louisiana National Guard's 528th Engineer Battalion, 225th Engineer Brigade, to reinforce the back levee between La Reussite and West Pointe à la Hache, in Myrtle Grove, La., over the last three weeks. "It was a joint operation between the parish and National Guard,” said Blair Rittiner, Plaquemines Parish land department superintendent. “We filled and delivered the sandbags, and the Guard unloaded and placed the bags. We couldn't have done it without the help of the National Guard."

Air Guard invades Times Square today
July 15, 2010 — ARLINGTON, Va., - Beginning today, the Air National Guard will be featured prominently at the crossroads of the world.Capt. Rondal Perry, the chief of ANG’s marketing and advertising branch, said two,... MORE

Oklahoma Guard transports firewood to reservation
July 15, 2010 — RAPID CITY, S.D., - As quickly as the U.S. Forest Service felled trees here in the Custer National Forest of South Dakota, Soldiers of Oklahoma National Guard’s 1245th and 1345th Transportation... MORE

Sgt. 1st Class Bradley MacEntire, a member of the Oklahoma Army National Guard's 1245th Transportation Company of 90th Troop Command secures a load of felled trees and brush during training exercises in Custer National Forest near Rapid City, S.D. The 1245th and its sister unit, the 1345th Transportation Company, moved cut bush and trees from the Custer National Forest to the Oglala Sioux reservation for use as firewood.

Illinois Guardsman retires after 56 years
July 15, 2010 — SPRINGFIELD, Ill., - A young man working on a farm in Illinois decided to enlist in the National Guard in March 1953 after he received a challenge from his friend and employer. The Korean War's... MORE

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Nelson "Gene" Blakey retired in June after 56 years of service with the Illinois Army National Guard.

No more C-17s, defense officials tell Congress
July 15, 2010 — WASHINGTON, - The military has more than enough large transport planes, and the appropriation of any more in the next budget year will force some into premature retirement, Defense Department... MORE

Iowa, Missouri ADTs link up for training
July 15, 2010 — CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind., - The Iowa National Guard’s 734th Agri-Business Development Team and the Missouri National Guard’s ADT IV are joining forces here to prepare for their deployment to adjacent... MORE

Col. Michael Fortune, commander of the Missouri National Guard's ADT IV, left, and Col. Craig Bargfrede, commander of the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team, conduct a meeting of key leaders from the two ADTs at Camp Atterbury, Ind. The two ADTs are deploying to adjacent provinces in Afghanistan later this summer.

Air Guard to sponsor NASCAR race in Richmond
July 15, 2010 — ARLINGTON, Va., - Better known for its airpower than its horsepower, the Air Guard is picking up speed in an effort to increase its public awareness. At Richmond International Speedway on Sept. 11,... MORE

Oregon Guard supports state's first responders
July 14, 2010 — SALEM, Ore., - The Department of Defense announced Oregon will be amongst several states to establish a National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High Yield Explosives Enhanced... 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