Guard News - The National Guard

U.S., Saudi Arabia Strengthen Ties Through State Partnership Program
August 22, 2025 — RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expanded its strategic ties with the United States by formally joining the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, or... MORE

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, joins Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, chief of general staff, Saudi Arabian Armed Forces; Army Maj. Gen. Thomas Mancino, Oklahoma’s adjutant general; Army Brig. Gen. Lawrence Muennich, Indiana’s adjutant general, and senior enlisted leaders for a ceremony to formalize the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s entry into the 115-nation Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 21, 2025.

Wildfire Response During Training Proves Oklahoma Guard Ready to Fight Fires
August 22, 2025 — FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Twelve Oklahoma National Guard members training in Arizona proved the Oklahoma National Guard’s wildland firefighting program is ready to respond to wildfires when they were called... MORE

Staff Sgt. Hannah Bentley, member of the Oklahoma National Guard wildland firefighting program, digs a handline during an operational readiness exercise at Camp Navajo, Arizona, Aug. 14, 2025. The operational readiness exercise tests the OKNG WLFF program members’ ability to activate, deploy and conduct wildland firefighting operations. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)

D.C. National Guard Supports Law Enforcement at Nationals Park
August 22, 2025 — WASHINGTON – Soldiers and Airmen assigned to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia walked the concourse of Nationals Park Aug. 19 as part of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force with an ongoing... MORE

U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Harry Siegel and Sgt. 1st Class Nikolay Bashko talk with Metropolitan Police Department officers near Nationals Park, Aug. 19, 2025.

Montana Army Guard Rescues Three Hikers From Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
August 22, 2025 — BILLINGS, Mont. - A HH60M Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopter from the Montana Army National Guard’s 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion rescued three hikers from the Princess Lake area of... MORE

A HH60M Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopter of the Montana Army National Guard’s 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion rescues three hikers from the Princess Lake area of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness on Aug 17, 2025.

Florida Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing Receives First Permanently Assigned F-35
August 21, 2025 — JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The 500th F-35A Lightning II built for the U.S. Air Force has arrived at the Florida Air National Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing as one of the unit’s first three permanently assigned... MORE

The first F-35A Lightning II aircraft permanently assigned to the Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing taxi on the flight line after landing at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, Florida, July 9, 2025.

More than 400 Indiana Guard Soldiers Return from Middle East Deployment
August 21, 2025 — INDIANAPOLIS — More than 400 Indiana National Guard troops with the 38th Infantry Division are back home in the Hoosier State after a successful, nearly year-long mission supporting Operation Spartan... MORE

Indiana National Guard soldiers with the 38th Infantry Division celebrate with their family and loved ones at the Indianapolis International Airport, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025.

California Air Guard Spearheads Joint MQ-9 Operations in Exercise Resolute Forces Pacific 2025
August 21, 2025 — MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. – In a significant demonstration of enterprise leadership in advanced capabilities, the California Air National Guard’s 163rd Attack Wing spearheaded MQ-9 operations... MORE

An MQ-9A Reaper assigned to the 163d Attack Wing, California Air National Guard, lands at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Hawaii, while en route to integrated coalition training with Indo-Pacific partners to practice and evaluate shared security objectives on July 16, 2025.

D.C. National Guard Members Alert Police to Man Brandishing Knife at Waterfront Metro Station
August 20, 2025 — Washington – Two Members of the District of Columbia National Guard alerted local law enforcement to a potentially life-threatening situation involving a man brandishing a knife and threatening... MORE

U.S. Army Soldiers from the Joint Task Force Headquarters unit from the D.C. National Guard provide security to commuters around the Smithsonian Metro Station in Washington, D.C., Aug. 19, 2025.

National Guard State Partnership Program: A Cornerstone of Global Security
August 20, 2025 — ARLINGTON, Va. – In a mostly virtual gathering, National Guard members and security cooperation leaders convened earlier this month for a Defense Department National Guard Bureau State Partnership... MORE

Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the West Point-based 237th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group train on multiple techniques for both the hasty and deliberate emplacement of anti-tank mines with trainers from the Finnish Army’s Karelia Brigade during Exercise Arctic Forge 25, Feb. 22, 2025, near Kouvola, Finland.

Military Firefighters Hone Skills at Northern Strike
August 20, 2025 — CAMP GRAYLING, Mich. — Sirens echoed across the Grayling Army Airfield as firefighters sprinted toward a simulated UH-60 Black Hawk crash site. Smoke drifted through the pine trees as U.S. Army... MORE

U.S. Army National Guard firefighters of the 1049th Engineer Detachment, Montana Army National Guard, respond to a nighttime fire training scenario during Northern Strike 25-2 at Grayling Army Airfield, Michigan, Aug. 4, 2025.

Alaska Guard Engineers Rebuild Observation Posts During Annual Training
August 20, 2025 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — More than 70 Soldiers with the Alaska Army National Guard’s 910th Engineer Support Company rebuilt two critical training sites, Observation Post Cole and... MORE

Enduring Partners 2025 Fosters Interoperability, Readiness for Washington Guard, Thailand
August 19, 2025 — KORAT AIR BASE, THAILAND - Washington National Guard and Thai service members launched the third annual Enduring Partners exchange Aug. 17 at Wing 1 in Lopburi, Thailand.The event, built on year-round... MORE

U.S. and Thai service members launched the third annual Enduring Partners exchange on August 17, 2025 at Korat Air Force Base, Wing 1 in Lopburi, Thailand.

Delaware National Guard Surgeon Leads Multinational Medical Operations in Kosovo
August 19, 2025 — CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – Delaware Army National Guard’s general surgeon Lt. Col. Gayle Ryan is at the heart of Kosovo Forces Regional Command-East, or KFOR RC-E, medical operations, overseeing medical... MORE

Lt. Col. Gayle Ryan, a general surgeon with the Delaware Army National Guard, is currently assigned to the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as the Medical Director for KFOR Regional Command-East.

Nevada National Guard Aerial Firefighters Mark Busy August
August 19, 2025 — RENO, Nev. – Nevada National Guard aerial firefighting efforts have intensified this month as temperatures rise.Nevada Army National Guard aviators activated 22 Soldiers on Aug. 3, operating one CH-47... MORE

A UH-60 Black Hawk picks up water from a pond near the Rancho Fire about 30 miles north of Reno on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. Nevada Army National Guard aviators activated 22 Soldiers on Aug. 3 operating one CH-47 Chinook and one UH-60 Black Hawk from the Army Aviation Support Facility at Stead to support the Nevada Division of Forestry in Elko County. Days after coming off orders for that fire, Army aviators were called for the Rancho Fire. Orders ended this weekend after the fire's forward progression was halted.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialists from Kentucky Air Guard Recognized for Excellence
August 18, 2025 — LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Three Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal, or EOD, Flight have been recognized for excellence by the National Guard Bureau.Staff Sgt... MORE

Staff Sgt. Austin Duck, a team lead in the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight, leads his team during a training exercise at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Butlerville, Ind., July 26, 2025. Duck was recently awarded the 2024 EOD Master Blaster award in the non-commissioned officer Category. (U.S. Air national Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Angelee Barnett)

Maryland Army Guard Cyber Soldiers Lead Certification Exercise
August 18, 2025 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Maryland Army National Guard’s Cyber Protection Team 169 led a certification exercise for other Army Guard cyber protection teams at the Virginia National Guard’s State... MORE

Maryland Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 1 Samantha Carrera, a cyber warfare technician for Cyber Protection Team 169 and a white cell local network defender, reviews how Louisiana Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Scott Heard from Cyber Protection Team 178, plans to clear a malicious cyber activity from the simulated coalition network during Cyber Velocity at the Virginia National Guard’s State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia, August 13, 2025.

Georgia Army Guard Soldiers Return from Central Europe Deployment
August 18, 2025 — WARNER ROBINS, Ga. – More than 55 Soldiers of the Georgia Army National Guard’s 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, or CSSB, returned home Aug. 16 after a nine-month deployment to Poland in... MORE

Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion return to their home state of Georgia at Robins Air Force Base on August 16, 2025, following a nine-month deployment to Poland in support of U.S. Army Europe operations.

New Jersey Air Guard 177th Civil Engineer Squadron Trains for World Cup Security
August 18, 2025 — ATLANTIC CITY AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.J. - Airmen from the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 177th Civil Engineer Squadron participated in a recent training exercise with the 21st Weapons of Mass... MORE

U.S. Army Spc. Gordon Trotman, member of the New Jersey National Guard’s 21st Weapons of Mass Destruction–Civil Support Team, left, observes as Spc. Andrew DeJesus, also with the 21st WMD-CST, uses his phone to communicate with team members during a joint training exercise at Mercer County Park, West Windsor Township, New Jersey, July 31, 2025.

Kentucky Air Guard Civil Engineers Strengthen Operational Readiness in the Azores
August 18, 2025 — AZORES, Portugal - Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Civil Engineer Squadron joined with the Portuguese military to strengthen operational readiness and assist with base repairs... MORE

Fire protection specialists from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Civil Engineer Squadron extinguish flames from a simulated engine burn during an exercise at Lajes Field, Azores, June 23, 2025. The exercise was staged by the Portuguese military to help prepare Guardsmen for fire crisis scenarios. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Angelee Barnett)

Medical Care MAINEiacs Conduct Vital Training
August 18, 2025 — BANGOR, Maine – Airmen from the 101st Air Refueling Wing Medical Group conducted a rigorous combat-casualty-care exercise Aug. 14 at Bangor Air National Guard Base, Maine, to enhance their readiness... MORE

A team of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) students conducts medical training during an exercise Aug. 14, 2025, at the Bangor Air National Guard Base, Bangor, ME.