News

Anchorage Fire Department receives DOD’s highest award for outstanding employer support
September 5, 2025 — The Anchorage Fire Department received the 2025 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award at a ceremony at the Anchorage Fire Training Center, Sept. 4. The AFD was only the third Alaska employer to receive this award since its inception in 1996... MORE

Air National Guard Medics Train Under Pressure for Real-World Combat Casualty Care
August 29, 2025 — Airmen from the 168th Wing Medical Group engaged in an advanced, rigorous combat-casualty-care exercise at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, designed to sharpen their skills in delivering lifesaving care under hostile conditions, Aug 5, 2025. The training, conducted in coordination with the U.S. Army Aviation Black Hawk unit at Fort Wainwright, 1st Battalion, General Support Aviation Battalion, pushed medics to operate with precision and speed in the face of simulated battlefield chaos... MORE

Alaska Air National Guard conducts multiple hoist rescue of stranded rafters on Kichatna River
August 28, 2025 — Alaska Air National Guardsmen with the 176th Wing rescued three rafters Aug. 28, after their raft flipped over on the Kichatna River. The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center opened the mission in response to a request for assistance from the Alaska State Troopers... MORE

Alaska Air National Guard rescues individual with facial laceration near Knik Glacier
August 26, 2025 — Alaska Air National Guardsmen with the 176th Wing rescued an individual with a facial laceration Aug. 25, approximately 40 miles northeast of Anchorage in the vicinity of Knik Glacier. ... MORE

Leveling Up: Alaska Army Guard engineers rebuild observation posts during annual training 25'
August 19, 2025 — More than 70 Soldiers with the Alaska Army National Guard’s 910th Engineer Support Company completed a project during their annual training Aug. 2-17 on JBER to rebuild two critical training sites, Observation Post Cole and Observation Post Fagan. The project provided the U.S. Army’s 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 11th Airborne Division with improved facilities to support future training and readiness... MORE

268th Security Forces Squadron welcomes new Commander
August 14, 2025 — CLEAR SPACE FORCE STATION, Alaska – The 268th Security Forces Squadron marked a significant milestone with a formal Assumption of Command ceremony, welcoming their new commander, who brings a deep appreciation for the unit’s mission and dedication. U.S. Air National Guard Col. Randy Saldivar, 168th Mission Support Group commander, presided over the ceremony and passed the squadron guidon to Maj. Jeffrey L. Gebhardt, officially appointing him as a commander of the 268th SFS... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard aviators accomplish two rescue missions at the start of Alaska sheep hunting season
August 13, 2025 — Alaska Army National Guards Soldiers assigned to G Co. 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion conducted two separate rescues of hunters with leg injuries on Aug. 10, at the start of the Alaska sheep hunting season. Both rescues launched from JBER using an HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter with external fuel tanks to provide additional fuel capacity for extended flights. ... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard hosts multi-agency hoist symposium, expands partnerships, improves SAR coordination
July 29, 2025 — Alaska Army National Guard aviators assigned to Golf Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, hosted mission partners for a multi-agency hoist symposium at Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, July 20-22. The event brought together search and rescue professionals from across Alaska including Alaska Army National Guard aviators; U.S. Coast Guard crews from Air Stations Kodiak and Sitka; Alaska Air National Guard Airmen from the 176th Wing’s rescue units; U.S. Army aviators from Fort Wainwright’s 1-52nd General Support Aviation Battalion; Alaska State Troopers; volunteers from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group; and personnel from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center. ... MORE

The symposium, hosted by Alaska Army National Guard aviators assigned to Golf Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, included U.S. Coast Guard crews assigned to Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic out of Air Stations Kodiak and Sitka, Alaska Air National Guardsmen with the 176th Wing rescue squadrons, U.S. Army aviators from Fort Wainwright’s 1-52nd General Support Aviation Battalion, Alaska State Troopers, and civilian search and rescue professional volunteers from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group.

Alaska Air National Guard rescues climber trapped on cliff near Seward
July 28, 2025 — Alaska Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing rescued a climber who was trapped and unable to climb down a steep cliff July 27 in the vicinity of Seward... MORE

AKARNG aviation maintenance Soldiers conduct HH-60M Black Hawk repairs
July 23, 2025 — Alaska Army National Guard helicopter maintenance personnel with the 207th Aviation Troop Command conducted repairs on an HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter swash plate assembly and mounted it back onto the aircraft July 21, 2025, in Hangar 6 on Bryant Army Airfield at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson... MORE