Guard News - The National Guard

Innovation shaping future battle space
February 4, 2021 — LANSING, Mich. – Through collaboration with industry, academia and other government organizations, the Michigan National Guard helps facilitate the development and integration of innovative... MORE

The RCV-L can be equipped with a Tethered Unmanned Aerial System, a small drone that can be deployed to conduct aerial reconnaissance while the vehicle is at a safe distance. Other equipment to be tested on the RCV-L experimental prototype includes the M153 Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station II (CROWS II), the .50-caliber M2 machine gun, and the 40 mm MK19 Mod 3 automatic grenade launcher.

Michigan National Guard expands COVID-19 efforts statewide
February 4, 2021 — LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan National Guard (MING) expanded its COVID-19 vaccination and testing efforts Jan. 24, deploying three additional task forces to assist state and local health departments... MORE

Army Capt. Ronald Smith, a physician’s assistant with the Michigan National Guard’s 1119th Field Artillery Regiment, administers a COVID-19 vaccination at the Lansing Mall clinic.

Morale efforts sustain Guard members during DC mission
February 4, 2021 — WASHINGTON – Behind a serving line inside the District of Columbia National Guard’s armory, empty boxes that once contained warm meals quickly stacked up, forming a small hill of cardboard and ripped... MORE

From left: U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Jeremy Wesloh, Sgt. 1st Class Justin Valenti, Sgt. Lucas Zabka, and Staff Sgt. Jessica Fetsch, all with the 191st Military Police Company, North Dakota National Guard, play cards near the U.S. Capitol in Washington Jan. 19, 2021. More than 25,000 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from throughout the country traveled to Washington to support federal and local authorities for the presidential inauguration. About 7,900 remain in February.

KFOR conducts radio tower maintenance
February 3, 2021 — CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – U.S. Soldiers assigned to Regional Command-East, Kosovo Force 28, and radio systems contractors conducted radio tower maintenance visits in Kosovo Jan. 28.Sgt. 1st Class Rod... MORE

Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Finken, a contracting officer representative with Regional Command-East, Kosovo Force, inspects contractors performing maintenance during a radio systems inspection at Mount Golesh in Kosovo Jan. 28, 2021. During the inspection, the contractors check voltage on batteries, test transmitting power and perform other maintenance checks to ensure radio communication can be maintained.

Industry day hosted at Winter Strike 21
February 3, 2021 — CAMP GRAYLING, Mich.- Working with industry to test, develop and implement new technologies on the battlefield is one of the main ways the National Guard and Department of Defense will meet the... MORE

U.S. Army Pfc. Robert McKay, 120th Field Artillery Regiment, Wisconsin National Guard, learns how to use an anti-drone device during Northern Strike 21-1/”Winter Strike 21” at Camp Grayling, Michigan, Jan. 27, 2021. The National All-Domain Warfighting Center in northern Michigan offers defense industry partners a location to test and implement their technology.

Washington National Guard supports 4 vaccination sites
February 2, 2021 — CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – As demand for the COVID-19 vaccine climbs, more than 150 Washington National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are helping the state ensure Washingtonians receive their first dose.“We are... MORE

Staff Sgt. Melinda Grounds, a medic with the 141st Medical Group and a registered nurse in Idaho, goes through a questionnaire with a visitor to the mass vaccination site at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Ridgefield, Wash., Jan. 28, 2021. The Washington National Guard is helping at four vaccination sites.

Motor City Medics hone skills to support readiness
February 2, 2021 — AUGUSTA, Mich. – The Michigan Army National Guard's (MIARNG) sole medical detachment based in Detroit's Light Guard Armory oversees medical preparedness for Michigan Soldiers."The role of the medical... MORE

Medics with the Michigan Army National Guard attend a National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) certification course, Fort Custer Training Center, Augusta, Mich., Jan 27, 2021. These medical professionals are required to complete sustainment training every 24 months.

South Carolina National Guard tops 250,000 COVID-19 tests
February 2, 2021 — COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina National Guard has conducted more than a quarter of a million COVID-19 tests at over 829 mobile testing sites since May 2.The more than 268,095 COVID-19 tests... MORE

U.S. Army Spc. Tyasia Cobb, 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Carolina National Guard, places a number on a patient’s vehicle at a COVID-19 mobile testing site in Lexington, South Carolina, Jan. 26, 2021. The South Carolina National Guard remains ready to support counties, state and local agencies and first responders as long as needed in support of COVID-19 response efforts.

103rd Airlift Wing increases COVID-19 response
February 2, 2021 — EAST GRANBY, Conn. – As Connecticut increases its number of COVID-19 vaccination sites throughout the state, 150 Airmen from the 103rd Airlift Wing have volunteered to help the Connecticut National... MORE

Airman 1st Class Crisbel Burgos, 103rd Force Support Squadron services specialist, collects a swab sample at a COVID-19 testing site at Yale New Haven Hospital Saint Raphael Campus in New Haven, Connecticut, Dec. 4, 2020. Over 100 Connecticut National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are supporting 25 COVID-19 testing sites at hospitals and federally qualified health centers around the state.

US, Italian troops train to recover downed aircraft
February 1, 2021 — IRAQ – Elements of the U.S. and Italian armed forces, currently serving in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, recently trained together in a downed aircraft recovery exercise in northern Iraq... MORE

U.S. Soldiers with Task Force Gambler and Italian soldiers with Airmobile Task Group Griffon respond to a downed aircraft scenario during an aerial reaction force exercise in Iraq. The exercise ensured the coalition partners’ cohesiveness in responding to downed aircraft emergencies in hostile environments.

Michigan National Guard remains on duty in DC
February 1, 2021 — WASHINGTON – Soldiers with the Michigan Army National Guard’s 177th Military Police Brigade have been on duty in the nation’s capital since the presidential inauguration and remain in support of... MORE

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III speaks with U.S. Army Col. Chris McKinney, Michigan Army National Guard, the deputy commander for Task Force Capitol Response, near the U.S. Capitol in Washington Jan. 29, 2021. The National Guard is supporting federal law enforcement agencies in the nation's capital through mid-March.

125th Fighter Wing Airmen assist with COVID-19 vaccinations
February 1, 2021 — JACKSONVILLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Fla. – Sixty Airmen from the 125th Fighter Wing activated Feb. 1 to support increased COVID-19 testing and vaccination administration at a Jacksonville mall.The... MORE

About half of the 60 Florida National Guard Airmen activated to support the COVID-19 vaccination mission at Regency Mall outprocess at the 125th Fighter Wing in Jacksonville, Florida, Feb. 1, 2021.

After 100 years, Harlem Hellfighters nickname is official
February 1, 2021 — NEW YORK — The Harlem Hellfighters are now officially the Harlem Hellfighters.One-hundred years after the New York National Guard's 369th Infantry Regiment earned the nickname in World War I, the Army... MORE

In this National Guard historic painting by H. Charles McBarron, Soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment, the Harlem Hellfighters, go into action near Sechault, France, on Sept. 29, 1918, during the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Originally the 15th New York from Harlem, the center of African American culture in the early 20th century, the unit earned the nickname Hellfighters from its German enemies. While the nickname has been used for more than 100 years – currently by the 369th Sustainment Brigade – it was only officially recognized by the Army in September 2020.

123rd Airlift Wing members receive COVID-19 vaccinations
February 1, 2021 — LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As health officials across the country continue to report record infections from COVID-19, more options for vaccine inoculation are rolling out across the commonwealth, including at... MORE

Master Sgt. Natasha Perry, a medic with the 123rd Medical Group, prepares to administer a COVID-19 vaccination to members of the 123rd Airlift Wing at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville Ky., Jan. 9, 2021.

Innovative partnership brings space domain to MING missions
February 1, 2021 — LANSING, Mich.—The Michigan National Guard (MING) is expanding its technological capabilities, partnering with a Michigan company focusing on space domain integration by linking deep space technology... MORE

Clyde Stanfield, vice president of radar processes, Orbital Effects, and U.S. Army Sgt. Joshua McKee, fire control noncommissioned officer, 1st Battalion, 182nd Field Artillery Regiment, Michigan Army National Guard, work in the Orbital Effects office during Northern Strike/”Winter Strike 21” at Camp Grayling Maneuver Training Center, Michigan Jan. 28, 2021. Orbital Effects used satellites during the exercise to assist troops on the ground with targeting and mission planning.

Connecticut Guardsmen start receiving COVID-19 vaccine
January 29, 2021 — EAST GRANBY, Conn. – Soldiers and Airmen from the Connecticut National Guard who have been serving on the front line of the pandemic response began receiving the COVID-19 vaccine at Bradley Air... MORE

U.S. Air Force Capt. Greg Flis, 103rd Medical Group nurse practitioner, draws Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from a vial into a syringe at Bradley Air National Guard Base in East Granby, Connecticut, Dec. 30, 2020. The Connecticut National Guard began administering the vaccine in accordance with the Department of Defense COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, with doses voluntarily administered to Soldiers and Airmen on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Erbil Air Base among 1st in CENTCOM to receive COVID vaccine
January 29, 2021 — ERBIL AIR BASE, Iraq – Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) received its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines and distributed them throughout the Combined Joint Operations... MORE

U.S. Army Col. Scott Desormeaux, brigade commander of the Louisiana National Guard’s 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, receives the COVID-19 vaccine at Erbil Air Base, Iraq, Jan.18, 2021. Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) received 300 vaccines for the Combined Joint Operations Area, 110 of those were administered at EAB.

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.

Kentucky Guard to augment security in DC
January 29, 2021 — FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky National Guard will send approximately 150 Soldiers to the nation's capital next week to assist civilian law enforcement with security through March. Volunteers from the... MORE

Lt. Col. Jason Penn, 1-149th Infantry commander, promotes Spc. Dakota Colwell with Alpha Company, 1-149th Infantry, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Jan. 22, 2021. At least 25,000 National Guard men and women assisted local and federal authorities for the inauguration. About 150 Kentucky National Guard Soldiers will assist in Washington through March.

WVNG helps state increase COVID-19 vaccinations
January 28, 2021 — CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia, with the help of the National Guard, set a new benchmark this past week by administering 106% of the federally allotted COVID-19 vaccine.The state's Joint... MORE

Members of the West Virginia National Guard conduct and participate in a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Joint Forces Headquarters, Charleston, West Virginia, Jan. 13, 2021. West Virginia maintains one of the highest percentages of vaccine allocation use in the United States and is rapidly expanding capacity to inoculate the population.

Maryland, Pennsylvania Guard Soldiers Emerge as Region II’s Best Warriors

National Guard Spouse Highlights Strength of Family Support During Maine Visit

Virginia National Guard Team Trains for Disaster Response

D.C. Air Guard Makes Improvements at Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy

Maine Guard Airmen Exercise Rapid-Response Communications Skills