News

168th Wing Maintenance Squadron hangs refueling boom in Colorado Springs
October 24, 2022 — In a sleepy aviation complex on the west side of the Colorado Springs Airport, lies a retired KC-97 Stratofreighter (an Ariel Refueling aircraft reminiscent of the Korean war) that has been repurposed as part of an aviation-themed restaurant... MORE

Members of the 168th Wing stand next to the KC-97 Stratofreighter for a photo after installing the refueling boom. The members volunteered to attach the refueling boom as a community service project to honor the aircraft's legacy while attending a leadership course in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Courtesy photo)

211th Rescue Squadron deploys to Southwest Asia
October 18, 2022 — 211th Rescue Squadron deploys to Southwest Asia... MORE

ESGR recognizes Alaska business with their highest award
October 11, 2022 — ESGR recognizes Alaska business with their highest award... MORE

Wellness Camp renews Soldiers' confidence with Army H2F concept
October 6, 2022 — For decades, the Army physical fitness program has been based on two things: passing the Army Physical Fitness Test and meeting height and weight standards. If Soldiers struggled with either of those, their free time was spent on the treadmill at the gym or crash dieting to drop weight quickly before the next test. However, if they needed an extra... MORE

Sgt. Terry Proud, an infantryman with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regt., rows as part of the baseline physical fitness test for the wellness camp held at Camp Carroll, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 29, 2022. The annual wellness camp focuses on the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness concept and prepares Soldiers to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. (Alaska National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Katie Mazos-Vega)

Alaska National Guard, Mongolian agencies cultivate enduring relationship through State Partnership Program
October 4, 2022 — The State Partnership Program facilitates international cooperation through operational exercises and training events. Since 2003, the AKNG and Mongolian agencies have cooperated in peacekeeping exercises and disaster simulations... MORE

A Mongolia National Emergency Management Agency team lowers from a helicopter to hoist a basket stretcher during a simulated search and rescue scenario as part of Gobi Wolf 2022 in Bayankhongor, Mongolia, Sept. 8. Gobi Wolf is a disaster response exercise conducted as a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief engagement. The field training exercise focuses on hazardous material response, mass medical care, and search and rescue. (Alaska National Guard photo by Victoria Granado)

Alaska National Guard greets newest Command Senior Enlisted Leader
October 3, 2022 — Command Sgt. Maj. Julie Small assumed responsibility as the new command senior enlisted leader of the Alaska National Guard Oct. 1. As the newest CSEL, she will work closely with the Alaska Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe to advise and be a voice for all enlisted personnel... MORE

Command Sgt. Maj. Julie Small assumed responsibility as the new command senior enlisted leader of the Alaska National Guard Oct. 1. As the newest CSEL, she will serves as a voice for all enlisted personnel and plans to make her presence well-known. (Alaska National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Katie Mazos-Vega)

Firebirds transport critically infected patient from Okinawa to Hawaii
September 30, 2022 — Firebirds transport critically infected patient from Okinawa to Hawaii... MORE

Personnel assigned to the 735th Air Mobility Squadron transport a Negative Pressure Conex-Lite from an Alaska Air National Guard 144th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III with a Tunner 60K loader at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Sept. 21, 2022. The AK ANG transported a patient from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, to Hickam, where the 535th Airlift Squadron aircrew continued the transport to California. Airmen from the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and 18th Medical Group provided patient care on the aircraft, while the 15th Medical Group provided an En Route Patient Staging System during the aircraft swap. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Alan Ricker)

State of Alaska ships 14,000 pounds of relief supplies to Merbok-impacted region
September 30, 2022 — The Alaska State Emergency Operations Center is working closely with state, federal and private-sector partners to coordinate the shipment and distribution of thousands of pounds of humanitarian supplies to Western Alaska communities hardest hit by Typhoon Merbok... MORE

Alaska Air National Guardsmen of 144th Airlift Squadron and 176th Logistics Readiness Squadron load relief supplies bound for Nome Sept. 30, 2022, on a C-17 Globemaster III. More than 130 members of the Alaska Organized Militia, which includes members of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia, were activated following a disaster declaration issued Sept. 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline. (Alaska National Guard photo by Dana Rosso)

Alaska service members continue to assist Merbok storm recovery, remove 125,000 pounds of debris
September 26, 2022 — As of Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, Joint Task Force Alaska, consisting of 164 service members from the Alaska National Guard, the Alaska Naval Militia and the Alaska State Defense Force, have logged more than 2,000 work hours and removed more than 125,000 pounds of debris across 16 communities along the Western Alaska coastline... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard Spc. Tristan John, right, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment from Kwigillingok, and Alaska Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Kua Xiong, a services technician with the 176th Force Support Squadron from Anchorage, discuss options as they repair a damaged porch as part of Operation Merbok Response in Toksook Bay, Alaska, Sept. 24, 2022. More than 130 members of the Alaska Organized Militia, which includes members of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia, were activated following a disaster declaration issued Sept. 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline. (Alaska National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Balinda O'Neal)

Alaska National Guardsmen, Naval Militia and State Defense Force deploy across Western Alaska for Operation Merbok Response
September 21, 2022 — More than 100 members of Joint Task Force Alaska deployed to the hub communities of Bethel and Nome today, as part of Operation Merbok Response, to support recovery efforts across Western Alaska. The task force includes members of the Alaska Air and Army National Guard, the Alaska Naval Militia and the Alaska State Defense Force... MORE

Alaska Army National Spc. Mark Ibay, a petroleum supply specialist with E Company, 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation, left, and Sgt. Maj. Arturo Bautista, operations sergeant major with 38th Troop Command and noncommissioned officer in charge of Joint Task Force – Bethel, exit an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft from the 176th Wing’s 211th Rescue Squadron after arriving in Bethel for disaster relief response Sept. 21, 2022. Approximately 100 service members from the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia were activated following a disaster declaration issued Sept. 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline. A JTF in Nome is standing up concurrently as part of Operation Merbok Response. (Alaska National Guard photo by Dana Rosso)