JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Alaska Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Scott Howard was promoted at a ceremony Sept. 18 in the National Guard armory on JBER, after holding the rank of colonel for three years.
Howard is commander of the Alaska Air National Guard and assistant adjutant general-Air for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Brig. Gen. Torrence Saxe, the Alaska National Guard adjutant general, presided over the promotion of Col. Matthew Komatsu, incoming director of plans and strategy on the Joint Staff, during a ceremony here Sept. 4.
The ceremony marked the first time an Alaska Air National Guard combat rescue officer donned the silver eagle insignia.
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Airmen with the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons rescued the pilot of a PA-18 aircraft and a passenger Sept. 1 after the plane crashed in vicinity of the Beluga bench about 28 miles northwest of Tyonek.
According to Alaska Air National Guard Capt. Wes Ladd, Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, the mission was opened following a receipt of the 406 Emergency Locator Transmitter beacon signal from a previously destroyed Cessna 207. Despite the confusion, the AKRCC tasked the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons to respond.
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — For several months, a dank 6.5-by-7-foot cell at the Hanoi Hilton served as a crucible that tested the limits of human endurance for retired Air Force Col. Leon Ellis and three of his fellow prisoners.
If it wasn't too cold at night to sleep, if he wasn't too hungry from slurping watery pumpkin soup, or wasn't worried about his parents who didn't know he was shot down over North Vietnam Nov. 7, 1967, Ellis was suffering torture at the hands of his captors.
AUSTIN, Texas — The National Guard Counterdrug Program celebrates 30 years of support to more than 300 federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies across all 54 states and territories, this year.
The program's history is marked by parks that are built in the place of demolished drug houses, record multi-billion dollar drug seizures, positively impacted at-risk youth, and has enhanced law enforcement agency's capabilities to combat illicit drug activities.
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — The Alaska Army and Air National Guard have been assisting the Division of Forestry with fire suppression and additional support on the McKinley and Swan Lake Fires since August 18.
The Division of Forestry submitted a request for resources through the State Emergency Operations Center on Sunday, August 18, requesting support for the McKinley Fire. In response, the National Guard dispatched 10 Guardsmen who are currently regulating traffic within the area at four traffic control points. Eight additional Guardsmen are scheduled to join the effort this week.
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Airmen with the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons rescued an injured boater on Twenty Mile River north of Portage Aug. 18.
According to Alaska Air National Guard Capt. Daniel Dickman, Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, the mission was opened following a request for assistance from the Alaska State Troopers.
People with the injured boater called 911 dispatch with a cell phone.
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Airmen with the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th, 211th and 212th Rescue Squadrons rescued an injured sheep hunter last night in the Terra Cotta Mountains about three miles south of the Rohn Roadhouse Safety Cabin, an Iditarod Trail checkpoint.
According to Alaska Air National Guard Maj. Andrew Williams, Alaska Rescue Coordination Center deputy director, the mission was opened following a request for assistance from the Alaska State Troopers after the Troopers were contacted via the hunting party's GPS satellite communication device.
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — A groundbreaking ceremony will be held Aug. 15 for construction that begins this month for a new Alaska National Guard facility on JBER.
The new $24-million, 46-thousand square-foot building will modernize capabilities for the National Guard's United States Property and Fiscal Office, which currently operates out of three separate buildings. The consolidation of staff and operations into one building will increase productivity, and allow for more efficient and effective tracking of Guard resources and property within the state.
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — The Alaska Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment is conducting annual training through August 7 at Alcantra Armory in Wasilla, Arctic Valley and Mount Susitna.
Citizens may notice an increase in military aviation activity in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley over the next week as Alaska's Citizen-Soldiers train. Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the Guard's 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment will transport about 50 Soldiers from Wasilla Airport to Arctic Valley and back on Aug. 1, and will transport them to Mount Susitna next week.
