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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)

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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)

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Col. James M. Palembas speaks to an audience of Alaska National Guardsmen and distinguished guests during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, April 9, 2022. Palembas most recently served as the chief of staff for the Alaska Army National Guard, and was chosen by Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe for the responsibility of being the Alaska Army National Guard’s top leader. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Marc Marmeto)

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Vietnam War veteran Walter Sampson speaks with Air National Guard Chief Master Sgt. Clinton Miller, National Guard Bureau, at a potluck in Kotzebue, Alaska, following a March 29, 2022, National Guard Arctic Interest Council meeting there. The council met in the arctic community to understand issues facing communities in the region. (Alaska National Guard photo by Capt. David Bedard)

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Azara Mohammadi, Alaska National Guard tribal liaison, photographs Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber and Col. Brock Larson National Guard Arctic Interest Council delegates representing the North Dakota National Guard March 29, 2022, at the Kotzebue, Alaska, sea wall overlooking the frozen Chukchi Sea. The NG-AIC provides a forum of representatives and subject matter experts from States with Arctic interests, capabilities and resources. (Alaska National Guard photo by Capt. David Bedard)

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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)

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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)

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Alaska Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Jonathan Ramos, section team leader for the 103rd Civil Support Team, gives an exercise brief prior to down-range operations during Van Winkle 2022 in Juneau, Alaska, March 22. 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)

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Alaska Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Jonathan Ramos, section team leader for the 103rd Civil Support Team, gives an exercise brief prior to down-range operations during Van Winkle 2022 in Juneau, Alaska, March 22. 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)

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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)

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Civil Support Team members from the Alaska and Montana National Guard inspect wreckage from 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)

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Civil Support Team members from the Alaska and Montana National Guard approach a simulated plane crash to inspect 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)

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Civil Support Team members from the Alaska and Montana National Guard approach a simulated plane crash to inspect 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)

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Civil Support Team members from the Alaska and Montana National Guard coordinate before inspecting 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)

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Guardsmen from the Alaska and Montana National Guard prepare for down-range operations during exercise Van Winkle 2022 in Juneau, Alaska, March 22. 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)

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Alaska National Guard Sgt. Andrew Hunt, 103rd Civil Support Team, conducts a site characterization sweep of a simulated chemical weapons lab during exercise Van Winkle 2022 in Juneau, Alaska, March 22. Van Winkle 2022 is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, 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)

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Alaska National Guardsmen Staff Sgt. Fabiana Kirtley (left) and Sgt. Andrew Hunt, 103rd Civil Support Team, conduct a site characterization sweep of a simulated chemical weapons lab during exercise Van Winkle 2022 in Juneau, Alaska, March 22. 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)

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Arctic Guardians conduct operations on arctic sea ice

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Arctic Guardians conduct operations on arctic sea ice

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Arctic Guardians conduct operations on arctic sea ice

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