Guard News - The National Guard

NY Army Guard Serves as Opposing Force at Training Center
July 15, 2025 — LATHAM, N.Y. – Two hundred forty-six New York Army National Guard Soldiers will go to Fort Irwin, California, the home of the Army’s National Training Center in the Mojave Desert, starting July... MORE

A UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter assigned to the New York National Guard's A Company, 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation, prepares to lift an M-117 howitzer belonging to the 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery during a training exercise at Fort Drum, New York on June 8, 2025.

Army Guard’s 2025 National Best Warrior Competition Begins
July 15, 2025 — BALTIMORE — The Army National Guard’s 2025 National Best Warrior Competition officially kicked off this week in Maryland, bringing together 14 elite Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from seven... MORE

Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines III, SEA to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, Maj. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, the Adjutant General of Maryland and Command Sgt. Maj. David C. Harry, senior enlisted leader of the Maryland Army National Guard, pose for a photo with competitors in the Army National Guard’s 2025 Best Warrior Competition on July 12, 2025, at Under Armour Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland.

Oregon Guard Responds to Multiple Search and Rescue Missions
July 15, 2025 — SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Army National Guard’s 641st Aviation Regiment worked with several agency partners to respond to multiple search and rescue operations in one day across the state during its... MORE

An Oregon Army National Guard HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, assigned to the 641st Aviation Regiment, conducts a search and rescue mission on July 13, 2025

Indiana Guard Airman Honored for Lifesaving Efforts
July 14, 2025 — TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Indiana National Guard Technical Sgt. Bram Sanders, a medic from the 181st Medical Group, was honored July 10 for his lifesaving response to a plane crash at the Terre Haute... MORE

Air Force Staff Sgt. Bram Sanders, a medic with the 181st Medical Group Search and Extraction element assigned to the 19th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high-yield Explosives Enhanced Response Force Package, Indiana National Guard participates in training at a simulated disaster site during a pre-external evaluation sustainment year collective training event at Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center, Ind., Aug. 10, 2022.

North Carolina Guard Creating Shared Experiences
July 14, 2025 — RALEIGH, N.C. – What does the Republic of Botswana, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, have in common with North Carolina, an American state bordered by the Atlantic Ocean? Initially, one may... MORE

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Todd Hunt, the Adjutant General of North Carolina and His Excellency Mpho Churchill O. Mophuting, the Republic of Botswana’s Ambassador to the United States, greet each other during an official state visit to the Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, May 22, 2025.

Kentucky National Guard Helps Fight Wildfire Threatening Historic Kosovo Monastery
July 14, 2025 — CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - Kentucky National Guard’s Task Force Aviation helped fight a wildfire July 8 that was threatening the Dević Monastery, a centuries-old Serbian Orthodox religious site in the... MORE

Task Force Aviation, of Kentucky National Guard, assigned to 256th IBCT and KFOR RC-E drops water over a wildfire threatening the Devic Monastery in Kosovo, July 8, 2025.

A Career of Service: Illinois Army Guard Soldier Reflects on Time in Active Component, Army Guard, and Army Reserve
July 11, 2025 — TORUŃ, Poland — Sgt. 1st Class Hussein Mashal, an Illinois Army National Guard Soldier with nearly two decades of service, has checked a lot of Army boxes – service in all three components – active,... MORE

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Hussein Mashal, an infantryman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, Illinois Army National Guard, listens to questions from troops about sniper training at a range near Toruń, Poland, June 7, 2025.

District of Columbia Guard, Jamaican Defence Force Partner at Cyber Exercise
July 10, 2025 — VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Members of the District of Columbia Air National Guard’s 113th Communications Squadron joined more than 900 participants from across the U.S. military and allied nations for... MORE

Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard II, the Adjutant General (TAG) for the D.C. National Guard, recognizes members of the 113th Wing D.C. Air National Guard and members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) during Cyber Shield 2025 at the Virginia National Guard's State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, VA, on June 11, 2025.

Colorado Soldier Receives the Soldier’s Medal for Heroism
July 10, 2025 — CENTENNIAL, Colo. — U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Robert F. Cruz, 8th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, Colorado Army National Guard, was awarded the Soldier’s Medal for heroism July 9 in an... MORE

Sgt. 1st Class Robert F. Cruz receives the Soldier’s Medal for Heroism after rescuing an unconscious driver from a burning vehicle without regard for his own safety.

Idaho Guard Conducts Two Rescues in Nine Days
July 10, 2025 — SAWTOOTH RANGE, Idaho - Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers recently conducted two successful search and rescue missions just nine days apart. “Our Citizen-Soldiers stand ready to move out at moment’s... MORE

Idaho Army National Guard HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter crew conduct a rescue operation July 7, 2025, to assist an injured hiker and her companion near Decker Peak in Idaho. (Photo from video by Mike Freeman)

Connecticut Guard Soldier Aids Rollover Crash Victim in Dramatic Highway Rescue
July 9, 2025 — CROMWELL, Conn. – The Connecticut National Guard has recognized one of its Soldiers for her outstanding leadership, bravery and selfless service for springing into action after witnessing a dramatic... MORE

Always Ready, Always There: Quick-Thinking CT Guardsman Aids Rollover Crash Victim in Dramatic Highway Rescue

Arkansas Air Guard Participates in REFORPAC 25 Exercise
July 9, 2025 — EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark. – The Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Wing is playing a pivotal role in Resolute Force Pacific 25, the Pacific Air Forces’ most comprehensive contingency... MORE

The 188th Wing is playing a pivotal role in Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC) 25, the Pacific Air Force’s most comprehensive contingency response exercise, running from July 10 to August 8, 2025.

Fox EMBER Sharpens Airmen’s Skills in Joint Environment
July 9, 2025 — McCRADY TRAINING CENTER, S.C. – Traditionally focused on air base preparedness and recovery, emergency managers are stepping beyond the base fence line to train for new battlefield missions.Fox EMBER,... MORE

From left, U.S. Air Force Senior Airmen Matthew Yu and Josh Miller, assigned to 146 Airlift Wing and 123rd Airlift Wing, practice stretcher carrying during an emergency management battlefield expeditionary response deployment for training at McCrady Training Center, Eastover, South Carolina, June 26, 2025.

Puerto Rico Air Guard Conducts Deployment for Training at Aviano
July 7, 2025 — AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy — U.S. Airmen with the Puerto Rico Air National Guard 156th Civil Engineer Squadron conducted a Deployment for Training June 16-27 in Italy to develop their skills proficiency... MORE

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Anthony Gonzalez, fire protection craftsman assigned to the 156th Civil Engineer Squadron, Puerto Rico Air National Guard, extinguishes a fire during a Deployment for Training (DFT) at Aviano Air Base, Italy, June 25, 2025.

Alaska Air Guard 168th Medical Group Trains for High-Stakes Missions
July 7, 2025 — ALPENA COMBAT READINESS TRAINING CENTER, Mich. — The Alaska Air National Guard 168th Wing Medical Group continues to strengthen its operational edge, proving lethality in today’s battlespace isn’t... MORE

Airmen from the 168th Wing Medical Group, along with their counterparts from other Air National Guard units, conduct radiation monitoring during field training at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Michigan

Civic Leaders Fly With Alaska Air Guard During Red Flag Alaska 25-2
July 3, 2025 — EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – The Alaska Air National Guard’s 168th Wing hosted a civic leader flight June 24 that offered local leaders an opportunity to view an aerial refueling mission over the... MORE

Civic leaders and newly commissioned U.S. Air Force pilot trainees gather with the 168th Wing KC-135 Stratotanker aircrew following an aerial refueling mission during Red Flag-Alaska 25-2, June 24, 2025.

Ohio Guard Attends Exercise Platinum Wolf in Serbia
July 3, 2025 — RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Several high-ranking officials from U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa, or USAFE-AFAFRICA, and the Ohio National Guard participated in the June 26 Distinguished... MORE

Washington Army Guard Trains in Water Bucket Operations
July 2, 2025 — PUYALLUP, Wash. - To prepare for wildfire season, aviation crews from the Washington Army National Guard have been working to become certified in water bucket operations, completing as many... MORE

A UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 140th Aviation, 96th Troop Command, Washington Army National Guard conducts water bucket training with Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, June 30, 2025, near Puyallup, Wash.

Maryland Air Guard Provides Pilot Experience for Children Fighting Cancer
July 2, 2025 — MIDDLE RIVER, Md. – The Maryland Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Squadron hosted two children as honorary pilots June 7 as part of the Pilot for a Day program at Warfield Air National Guard Base at... MORE

Maryland Air National Guard Capt. Carson Miller (middle-left), an A-10C Thunderbolt ll pilot assigned to the 104th Fighter Squadron, Master Sgt. Jonathan Lorenz (middle-right), avionics technician for the 175th Maintenance Squadron, and Elena LeMoine (left) and Maverick Bell (right), pose for a group photo in front of an A-10C Thunderbolt II static display at Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport, Maryland, June 7, 2025. LeMoine and Bell, as well as their families, attended "Pilot For a Day," facilitated by the Gold in Fight Foundation, which invites children and families from the local community who have catastrophic illnesses to spend the day with pilots. (U.S. Air National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Laura Virtue)

Alaska Army Guard Rescues Family Stranded on River During Storm
July 2, 2025 — BETHEL, Alaska — Alaska Army National Guard aviators assigned to the 207th Aviation Battalion rescued a family of six June 30 near Tuntutuliak on the Kuskokwim River.The Alaska Rescue Coordination... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nick Lime, an aviator assigned to 207th Aviation Battalion, assists six distressed people stranded on the Kuskokwim River during a rescue mission June 30, 2025.