National Guard

Salt Lake City - After the Apache helicopter crash Monday evening, Utah Governor Jon Huntsman called for a mandatory stand-down of the Utah Army National Guard aircraft. The stand-down, with necessary exception, will continue through a preliminary review of the incident and any appropriate inspection of all helicopters.

He issued the following statement:

Mary Kaye and I are saddened by the terrible loss of the two Army National Guard pilots. We extend our deepest sympathies to the families on behalf of a grieving State.    » read more »

ARLINGTON, Va. – About 4,700 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, most of them from Texas, were making final preparations Monday for a rapid response should Hurricane Dean strike the Texas coast later this week.

Another 5,000 Texas Soldiers and Airmen are poised for activation should Texas Gov. Rick Perry deem it necessary.

As of 8 a.m., today, Hurricane Dean was about 440 miles east of Belize City over the Caribbean and was moving west at about 21 mph with maximum sustained winds near 150 mph.    » read more »

08/20/2007 - WASHINGTON - U.S. troops serving in Iraq will have a little more protection soon, as two of the military's newest armored vehicles are on their way to the theater.

Two Buffalo Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, known as "MRAPs," were loaded onto C-5 Galaxy aircraft Thursday night at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., to be shipped to Iraq. This latest shipment is part of the Defense Department's push to get as many of the new vehicles to troops in combat as quickly as possible.    » read more »

Authorizes Activation of Wisconsin National Guard

August 20, 2007 -- MADISON - Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today declared a state of emergency for three counties in southwestern Wisconsin in response to thunderstorms that dropped 10 to 12 inches of rain in Crawford, Richland, and Vernon counties Saturday and Sunday producing widespread flooding in the area.    » read more »

75 soldiers, two helicopters responding to emergency in southeast Minnesota

August 19, 2007 -- St. Paul - Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty ordered 75 soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard to Winona County at 2:00 a.m. today to help in emergency response efforts required because of extensive flooding in the area.

The soldiers, members of the Quick Response Force, are currently assisting the Winona County sheriff’s department in providing security for the evacuated towns of Elba, Stockton, and Pickwick.    » read more »

August 20, 2007 -- ATLANTA - Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that more than 40 Georgia National Guard members will deploy this week to Texas to provide emergency relief efforts for citizens affected by Hurricane Dean, should the storm's course move northward. Georgia is also preparing for the possible deployment of several aircraft, including Dobbins-based Black Hawk helicopters and heavy lift CH-47 Chinook helicopters from Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, if they are needed.    » read more »

08/15/2007 -- BOSTON - Senator John Kerry today issued the following statement on Governor Deval Patrick's selection of Brigadier General Joseph C. Carter to lead the Massachusetts National Guard.

"At a time when our nation's Guard and Reserve soldiers and families are bearing an incredible burden, I am confident that General Carter will do a remarkable job in continuing Massachusetts' history of strong, forward-thinking leadership," said Senator Kerry.    » read more »

August 15, 2007 -- This week, the Army announced a decrease, while the Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force numbers increased. The Coast Guard number remained the same. The net collective result is 288 more reservists mobilized than last week.    » read more »

BOSTON—Wednesday, August 15, 2007 — Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick today announced the selection of Brigadier General Joseph C. Carter as the next Adjutant General (TAG) of the Massachusetts National Guard.    » read more »

JACKSON, Miss. (8/13/2007) – It was a routine day at the 172nd Airlift Wing in Jackson, Miss., until the phone rang around 1:50 pm. The call was an emergency airlift request to transport equipment to the stranded miners in Utah. Immediately, wing personnel organized an effort to get a C-17 Globemaster III in the air to get the needed equipment to the miners as quickly as possible.    » read more »

8/10/2007 - SALT LAKE CITY (AFPN) -- Air National Guard members airlifted a critical piece of equipment Aug. 9 in Salt Lake City to assist with rescue operations for six Utah miners, who have been trapped deep inside the earth since the Crandall Canyon Coal Mine collapsed Aug. 6.

Within hours of receiving the request for help from Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, an airlift operation was coordinated between Air National Guard units in Mississippi, Kansas and Utah for the vital piece of underground video equipment to use in the rescue efforts.    » read more »

KANGERLUSSUAQ, Greenland (8/9/2007) - They have deployed and airlifted cargo around the world, but never above the Arctic Circle. This was the farthest north they had ever flown, they said.

Airmen from the Missouri Air National Guard's 139th Airlift Wing deployed to the world's largest island – Greenland – from July 23 to 27 to support airlift missions for the National Science Foundation and the New York Air Guard's 109th Airlift Wing.    » read more »

Governor To Visit Separately With Nevada Guard Troops At US-Mexico Border, Mexican Government Officials And Arizona Governor Napolitano

August 8, 2007 -- Carson City – Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons will make three trips in the month of August to receive briefings and discuss important border issues.    » read more »

August 08, 2007 -- This week, the Marine Corps and Coast Guard announced a decrease, while the Army, Navy and Air Force numbers increased. The net collective result is 493 more reservists mobilized than last week.    » read more »

Governor asks Kansans to honor fallen Guardsman

August 7, 2007 -- Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius has directed flags to be flown at half-staff throughout Kansas from sunup to sundown on Saturday, August 11, 2007, in honor of Staff Sgt. Travis S. Bachman of the Kansas National Guard who was killed in Iraq last week.

“Sgt. Bachman has made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of his country. We honor that sacrifice and send our thoughts and prayers to his family,” Sebelius said.    » read more »