News

Tangirnaq Native, local hero memorialized at Kodiak Readiness Center
August 1, 2023 — The Kodiak Readiness Center in Kodiak, Alaska, was filled with somber reverence on July 27, 2023, as family, friends, and fellow service members gathered to pay tribute to the late Specialist Four Daniel Lee Harmon while memorializing the readiness center in his name... MORE

Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, adjutant general of
the Alaska National Guard and commissioner
of the Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs, stands with friends and brothers in
arms of Specialist Four Harmon in front of the
new Kodiak Reediness Center sign July 27,
2023, in Kodiak, Alaska.

Alaska National Guard kicks off IRT project in support of Shepard Point oil spill response site
July 27, 2023 — Shepard Point, Alaska – When the Exxon Valdez grounded on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound on March 24, 1989, more than 11 million gallons of heavy crude oil spilled into the sound. The spill spread over a vast area, impacting around 1,300 miles of coastline. Response efforts did not arrive onsite until 14 hours after the spill, and it took another 21 hours to place booms around the oil. The incident prompted changes in oil spill prevention, response regulations and practices. It led to the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 in the United States, spurred advancements in spill response technology and techniques and helped pass the Alyeska Consent Decree, which mandated the construction of three oil response facilities around the Prince William Sound: Chenega, Tatitlek, and Cordova. Of the three facilities, Cordova is the last to be built. ... MORE

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 Air and Army National Guardsmen from across the state and 11th Airborne Division Soldiers from Fort Wainwright, Alaska, 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. 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)