News

From McCarthy to McArthur: Alaska National Guard rescues 10 during the Independence Day weekend
July 6, 2023 — JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Rescue crews from the Alaska Air and Army National Guard navigated across 1,850 miles of southcentral, southwest and northeast Alaska, saving 10 people in four civil search and rescue missions and one medical evacuation mission. The first call for assistance came to the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center from Alaska State Troopers Friday, June 30. A hiker had used a satellite communication device to call for help after experiencing a significant leg injury on Winner Creek Trail near Girdwood... MORE

An HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter from Golf Co., 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion

Alaska National Guard rapidly deploys to Nome for Exercise ORCA 23
June 28, 2023 — Approximately 530 miles northwest of Anchorage, two survey team members from the Alaska National Guard’s 103rd Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team monitor handheld detectors scanning for radiation and nerve, blister, and blood agents as they prepare to enter a notional biological weapons lab at the Nome Fire Training Center as part of Exercise ORCA 2023... MORE

An Alaska National Guard 103rd Civil Support Team reconnaissance vehicle is unloaded from a C-17 Globemaster III from the 144th Airlift Squadron, 176th Wing, in Nome, Alaska, June 12, during exercise ORCA 2023. The aircraft deployed members of the Alaska National Guard’s 103rd Weapons of Mass Destruction - Civil Support Team as part of the interagency, comprehensive disaster drill taking place in Nome, Kotzebue, Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, June 12-15, 2023.

Alaska Military Youth Academy Graduates 72 Cadets
June 16, 2023 — The Alaska Military Youth Academy celebrated its 60th class of cadets and more than 29 years of service to the State of Alaska as Class 2023-1 graduated 72 youth leaders from its ChalleNGe program on Thursday, June 15, 2023. During their 22-week residential phase at the AMYA ChalleNGe program, the corps of cadets focused on academic excellence, leadership and followership, physical fitness, life-coping techniques, job skills, responsible citizenship, health and hygiene, and service to the community. ... MORE

Alaska Military Youth Academy Career Work Experience program gives cadets a head start with job training and skills
June 8, 2023 — Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson — The cooperative work experience program is an integral part of the 22-week Alaska Military Youth Academy Challenge Program. The program provides cadets the opportunity to learn job skills, earn different job certifications and increase their chances of becoming employed upon graduation from AMYA. “The Goal of the cadet to work program is to give our students a leg up on becoming employed once they leave and graduate our program,” said Deborah Morton, Recruiting, Placement, Mentoring Supervisor for AMYA. “They will leave here with transferable skills and some type of certification from the program they choose. They can take that to any employer and say, ‘here you go.’”... MORE

Alaska Military Youth Academy cadet Jackie Tinker uses a hand torch to solder a piece of copper pipe during a Career Work Experience program class at Alaska Works Partnership in Anchorage June 01, 2023.

Adjutant General’s Match brings state’s top marksman to Fort Wainwright
June 8, 2023 — Alaska Air and Army National Guardsmen from across the state and 11th Airborne Division Soldiers from Fort Wainwright trained and competed against each other at the Alaska National Guard’s Adjutant General Match at the Fort Wainwright Range Complex June 1- 4, 2023... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Travis Hall, 49th Missile Defense Battalion (GMD), fires a M110 A1 Marksman Rifle as AKARNG Maj. James Goddard, officer in charge of the TAG Match, acts as a range safety at the Fort Wainwright Range Complex June 4, 2023. The TAG Match is an annual marksmanship competition designed to challenge and test basic shooting fundamentals.

USAACE tactics instructors and Alaska Army National Guardsmen look to build bridging solution for Army Aviation initiative
June 6, 2023 — Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson — Aviation tactics instructors with Fort Novosel, Ala., U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE) 110th Brigade and guardsmen with the Alaska Army National Guard 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion recently joined together on an Army Aviation initiative to transform the USAACE Instructor Pilot Course (IPC) into an Aviation Tactics Instructor Course (ATIC). According to Chief Warrant Officer 5 Dave Currier, Fort Novosel’s Tactics Chief with the 110th Aviation Brigade, part of the USAACE Commanding General tactics initiative in aviation is revamping the existing IPC to the newly envisioned ATIC. ... MORE

Alaska Air Guardsmen assist National Park Service rescue of Denali climber
May 24, 2023 — Alaska Air Guardsmen assist National Park Service rescue of Denali climber... MORE

Alaska National Guardsmen, State Defense Force deploy to Bethel, Circle to assist with flood recovery
May 23, 2023 — Nine members of the Alaska Organized Militia deployed to Bethel and Circle May 22 and 23 respectively to support flood recovery efforts in Western and Interior Alaska... MORE

Senior Airman Sean Lake, 168th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, loads gear at Eielson Air Force Base in preparation to help with debris-clearing operations in Circle, Alaska, May 23, 2023. Four Guardsmen and one member of the Alaska State Defense Force will assist with cleanup and flood recovery efforts at the request of the Alaska State Emergency Operations Center. (Alaska Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey)

Alaska's Best Warrior Competition Award Ceremony
May 21, 2023 — Alaska Army National Guard State Command Sgt. Maj. John Phlegar, announced the winners of the 2023 Alaska Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition during an awards ceremony at Camp Carroll on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson May 21... MORE

Command Sgt. Maj. John Phlegar, left, the state command sergeant major of the Alaska Army National Guard, pins the Army Commendation Medal on the 2023 Soldier of the Year, Spc. Adam Macro, a military police Soldier from Alpha Company, 49th Missile Defense Battalion during the Best Warrior Competition awards ceremony held at Camp Carroll, Alaska, May 21, 2023. Throughout the week of May 16, 2023, the Best Warrior Competition tested Soldiers on their physical and mental readiness as well as their knowledge of Army doctrine and common warrior tasks.

Alaska Army National Guard HH-60 hoists injured backcountry skier off Girdwood mountainside
April 20, 2023 — The Alaska Army National Guard conducted a mid-mountain, hoist rescue of an injured backcountry skier near Girdwood, April 19, 2023, after receiving the mission request from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center. Air crew assigned to Golf Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion accepted the mission and departed from Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in a hoist-capable HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter specially designed for medical evacuations. ... MORE

On April 19, 2023, an avalanche broke loose at the top of a mountain near Girdwood, Alaska, pulling a backcountry skier 800 to 1000 feet down the face. The red box indicates the injured skier and rescue team. The Alaska Army National Guard’s Golf Company, 2-211th General Aviation Support Battalion received mission request from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center and rescued the skier with a hoist-capable HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter specially designed for medical evacuations.