News

Commander of Alaska Army National Guard relinquishes command, retires after 35 years of service
April 12, 2022 — Brig. Gen. Charles Lee Knowles relinquished command of the Alaska Army National Guard to Col. James Palembas during a change of command ceremony April 9. Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, presided over the ceremony... MORE

Brig. Gen. Charles Lee Knowles retired after 35 years of service in the Alaska Army National Guard during a ceremony on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, April 10, 2022. A born and raised Alaskan, Knowles joined in 1987 and received his commission as an infantry officer in 1995. He served many years in the 297th Infantry Battalion, and went on to serve as the chief of staff for the AKARNG, commander of the Alaska Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion and commander of the 297th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Grace Nechanicky)

The Spirit of Cooperation
March 31, 2022 — When delegates of the National Guard Arctic Interest Council representing six states visited the arctic city of Kotzebue March 29, they witnessed a still-frozen landscape showing few signs of spring besides the sun still hanging in the sky at 9 p.m., previewing the coming summer’s midnight sun... MORE

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- National Guard Arctic Interest Council delegates representing the Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire and North Dakota National Guards, and the National Guard Bureau stand March 29, 2022, at the Kotzebue, Alaska, sea wall overlooking the frozen Chukchi Sea. The $34 million sea wall was constructed to address soil erosion stemming from climate change. (Alaska National Guard photo by Capt. David Bedard)

Alaska National Guard raises awareness through Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
March 31, 2022 — The Alaska National Guard kicked off April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month March 30 with a proclamation signing and remarks by Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, adjutant general and commissioner for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs... MORE

Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, adjutant general and commissioner for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, signs a proclamation for Sexual Assualt Awareness and Preventation Month on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, March 30. The Alaska National Guard recognizes SAAPM as part of a Department of Defense-wide focus on raising awareness of sexual harassment and sexual assault, prevention methods, and appropriate care and responses. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Victoria Granado)

Alaska National Guard conducts multiagency CBRNE exercise in Juneau
March 28, 2022 — Alaska National Guard’s 103rd Civil Support Team, National Guard CST units from other states, and local and federal agencies participated in Van Winkle 2022, a biannual, all-hazards response exercise in Juneau, March 22-23... MORE

Alaska National Guard Sgt. Anthony Luiken, 103rd Civil Support Team, (left) and Montana National Guard Sgt. Donald Swan, 83rd CST, inspect a simulated plane crash for radioactive contamination during exercise Van Winkle 2022 in Juneau, Alaska, March 23. Van Winkle 2022 is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive response exercise designed to enhance interoperability between state, federal and local first responders with complex training scenarios. Exercise participants included CST units from the Alaska National Guard, Montana National Guard, Connecticut National Guard, Mississippi National Guard and North Carolina National Guard. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Victoria Granado)

Arctic Guardians conduct operations on arctic sea ice
March 26, 2022 — Arctic Guardians conduct operations on arctic sea ice... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard rescues injured skier, snowmachiner in Hatcher Pass
March 15, 2022 — The Alaska Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment conducted two separate rescues with a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter in Hatcher Pass, March 12... MORE

(File photo) Alaska Army National Guardsmen from 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, conduct an aerial site survey via a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter Dec. 3, 2018, following a magnitude 7.0 earthquake seven miles from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Nov. 30 caused significant infrastructure damage in a number of areas. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Balinda O’Neal)

Alaska Air National Guard Airmen partner with Alaska State Troopers, Coast Guard to rescue 5 plane crash victims at Lake Iliamna
March 8, 2022 — Alaska Air National Guard Airmen partner with Alaska State Troopers, Coast Guard to rescue 5 plane crash victims at Lake Iliamna... MORE

Alaska National Guardsmen take first place at Annual Chief of the National Guard Biathlon Race
March 3, 2022 — Four Alaska National Guard biathletes took first place in the women’s overall category at the Annual Chief of the National Guard Biathlon Championships hosted at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, Feb. 12-17, 2022, where more than 120 competitors from 30 different states competed for the championship... MORE

Alaska National Guard 1st Sgt. Angela Horn, Staff Sgt. Anna Knopes, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Tracy Dooley, and Sgt. 1st Class Heather Percy competed in the Annual Chief of the National Guard Biathlon Race on Camp Ripley, Minnesota, from Feb. 12-15, 2022. The AKNG team took first place overall in the women's division during this year's competition. (Courtesy photo)

70 years of 176th Wing: Former Arctic Guardians commander was Alaskan, aviation pioneer
February 22, 2022 — Former Arctic Guardians commander was Alaskan, aviation pioneer... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard aviation wins DUSTOFF Association Rescue of the Year
February 17, 2022 — Four members of the Alaska Army National Guard’s Golf Company, Detachment 1, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, received the 2021 Rescue of the Year award from DUSTOFF Association in early February for their efforts in a rescue last fall... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bradley Jorgensen, Sgt. 1st Class Damion Minchaca, Capt. Cody McKinney, and Staff Sgt. Sonny Cooper, all members of Golf Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, pose for a photo in front of an HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter at Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Feb. 17, 2022. The crew received the DUSTOFF Association 2021 Rescue of the Year award for their efforts in a rescue completed Sept. 15, 2021. DUSTOFF is a nonprofit organization for veterans and service members involved with Army aeromedical evacuation programs. The team will officially be presented the award in San Antonio, Texas, May 21. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Grace Nechanicky)