National Guard

Louisiana Governor Jindal commends Guard Soldiers, farmers

CAMP BEAUREGARD, La. – “Before this week is done, I hope every one of us finds one of these soldiers and thanks them for what they do,” said Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. “You know, a farmer put it best to me, he said, ‘freedom’s not free.’”

Army National Guard soldiers assist farmers in the effort to save their crops from possible flooding by the Mississippi: (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Rebekah Malone)    » read more »

CAMP BUCCA, Iraq (03/18/2008) - Sewers, water, electricity, trash and fuel are services vital to any city in the United States, and urban populations simply cannot function effectively without proper city management.

Members of the Oklahoma National Guard face the challenge of bringing these same services to the middle of a desert in southern Iraq.

Army Servicemembers with Iraqi construction supervisor, Camp Bucca, Iraq, March 2008: Army Staff Sgt. Russell Hale, left, Ali Jihad, an Iraqi construction supervisor, and Army Sgt. 1st Class Rafe Cummings stand in front of a construction site at Camp Bucca, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Rhonda McGuire    » read more »

March 18, 2008 -- JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signed two State of Emergency Executive Orders for the severe weather and flooding that has struck Missouri.

The executive orders activate the State Emergency Operations Center allowing state agency resources to assist local jurisdictions with their emergency response, and activate the Missouri National Guard to assist with protective action.    » read more »

Asks Defense Secretary for Plan to Ensure National Guard has Necessary Equipment

February 27, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today wrote to Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressing concern that the California National Guard is ill-equipped to respond to natural disasters like wild fires and earthquakes, partially due to the war in Iraq. The letter also requests an overview of what additional resources are needed to properly equip the California Guard and an estimate of the timeframe for completion.

The text of the letter follows:    » read more »

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet to victory in the 30th Budweiser Shootout at the Daytona International Speedway Saturday night, Feb. 9. The 70-lap prelude to the 2008 NASCAR season was Dale Jr.’s first race for the Hendrick Motorsports team and in the new car.

IN THE BEGINNING:    » read more »

ARLINGTON, Va. (02/06/2008) - More than 160 National Guardmembers turned out Wednesday to support tornado recovery missions in three of the states hit by a violent string of twisters Tuesday night, Feb. 5.

The National Guard Bureau reported that Guardmembers were called out to perform search and rescue missions, provide security at traffic control points, and to support civilian authorities in other ways in Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee.    » read more »

02/02/2008 -- WASHINGTON DC – Senator John Kerry wrote to the President, demanding immediate action to bolster the readiness of the Massachusetts National Guard. According to a new study of the preparedness of the Guard, Massachusetts units only have 46 percent of the Humvees, helicopters, and weapons needed to respond to an emergency. Only 40 percent of “dual-use” equipment used for warfighting or civilian emergencies are available to the Commonwealth. Kerry cited the stress on Guard members fighting in two simultaneous wars as the reason for the shortfall.    » read more »

Nebraska Sen. Hagel Co-Sponsored Measure

January 31, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Legislation authored by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) to prevent increases to enrollment fees, premiums, and pharmacy co-payments for TRICARE, the military community’s health plan, was signed into law recently by President Bush. The measure was included in the final conference version of the FY 2008 Department of Defense Authorization bill.    » read more »

1,600 arrive safely, start training at Fort Hood

The Soldiers were stoic, the thousands of well-wishers, supportive, and the VIPs' comments, laudatory, but the mood was bittersweet at the recent deployment ceremonies for the 1,600 Citizen-Soldiers of the Ohio Army National Guard's 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) who left recently for a historic yearlong deployment in support the Global War on Terrorism.    » read more »

01/10/2008 - CAMP MABRY, Texas - Years of interstate coordination and diligent planning paid off as the Texas Army National Guard proudly unveiled its own Special Forces unit recently.

Maj. Gen. John T. Furlow, Assistant Adjutant General-Army and Texas Army National Guard commander, was pleased to stand up Charlie Company, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group, at a small ceremony in front of the Texas National Guard headquarters building here in Austin, Texas.    » read more »

RENO, Nev. - Nevada Sen. Harry Reid inspected the flooded town of Fernely, Nev., in a Nevada Army Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter Monday and requested President George Bush declare the Fernley flood a disaster, making home and business owners and the town eligible for federal aid.

Reid said he would make it his priority to get the town’s residents back into their homes as quickly as possible during a post-flight news conference at the Nevada Air National Guard base in Reno.    » read more »

01/07/2008 - INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The RCA Dome has crowned five NCAA championships and stood home to the Indianapolis Colts, but on Jan. 2, the dome hosted the largest going away party in Indiana's history.

"I've heard this place referred to as the 'Hall of Heroes' before," said Colts President Bill Polian, "but those heroes don't wear the numbered sports jerseys; instead, they choose to wear the uniforms and insignia of Indiana's finest, the American Soldier."    » read more »

ARLINGTON, Va. (12/17/2007) - Tech. Sgt. Dianna Bowen understands and embraces the challenges of recruiting people into a transforming Air National Guard.

Bowen became one of the Air Guard's top recruiters in the nation this year by enlisting members into an integrated Air Force wing, co-operated by Guard and active duty Airmen: the 116th Air Control Wing at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., which flies the JSTARS aircraft (Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System).

"Out of 409 [Air Guard] recruiters, I'm number four," said Bowen.    » read more »

Give Guard A Voice In Key Decisions On Equipment, Missions And Manpower; Leahy Also Wins Repeal Of Year-Old Law That Made It Easier For President To Take Over Guard And Declare Martial Law

WASHINGTON (Friday, Dec. 14) – The U.S. Senate Friday passed and sent to the President’s desk a defense policy bill that includes key victories for the National Guard, including giving the Guard more bureaucratic muscle at the Pentagon in decision making about the Guard’s missions, equipment and staffing.    » read more »

Nebraska Sen. Hagel Co-Sponsored Measure

December 14, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate today approved legislation authored by Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) to prevent increases to enrollment fees, premiums, and pharmacy co-payments for TRICARE, the military community’s health plan. The legislation was included in the final conference version of the FY 2008 Department of Defense Authorization bill. The bill passed the House on Wednesday by a vote of 370 to 49 and now goes to President Bush for his signature.    » read more »