Soldiers from the Lexington, Kentucky-based 138th Operational Fires Command (OFC), Kentucky Army National Guard, recently participated in a corps-level Command Post Exercise (CPX) with U.S. Army V Corps, held in early May 2025 at both Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Camp Kosciusko in Poland.

Col. Eddie Simpson and 1st Lt. Erik Thomas, both members of the Kentucky Army National Guard, qualified for the 2025 CrossFit Games. Competing in August in Columbus, Ohio, they credit their success to years of dedication and the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program.

The Kentucky National Guard Marathon Team claimed their first championship title at the All-Guard Marathon Time Trials, held in conjunction with the 48th annual Lincoln Marathon, May 4, 2025. More than 180 National Guard runners from 47 states, three U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia competed in the prestigious event, vying for a coveted spot on the elite All-Guard Marathon Team.

A portion of U.S. Highway 127 in Frankfort has been officially designated the Kentucky National Guard Memorial Highway. The dedication coincided with the 233rd anniversary of the founding of the Kentucky militia. The designation was approved by the Kentucky General Assembly through a joint resolution earlier this year. The mile-long stretch between Louisville Road and Devil’s Hollow Road was renamed during a ceremony at Boone National Guard Center, where new signage was unveiled, June 24, 2025.

Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery got back to the basics, mastering artillery fundamentals and training for evolving threats posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS) during their annual training, June 6-21, 2025.

Soldiers of the Kentucky National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry conducted annual training to sustain mission-essential task proficiency at the Exportable Combat Training Center in Fort Pickett, Va., June 19, 2025.

Chief Master Sgt. Blair Baerny accepted the guidon of the 123rd Airlift Wing during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Kentucky, April 13, signifying his appointment as the unit’s new command chief and highest-raking enlisted Airman.

Chief Master Sgt. Steven Best officially assumed the post of state command chief for the Kentucky Air National Guard during a ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, April 13.

Chief Master Sgt. James Tongate concluded 28 years of service to the Kentucky National Guard with a retirement ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, April 13.

The Kentucky National Guard paid tribute to its spiritual leaders during a ceremony held at the Wellman Armory auditorium June 25, celebrating decades of service, compassion, and commitment.

Kentucky Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Daniel Jarillo-Gutierrez and over 900 Soldiers, Sailors, Guardians and civilian experts participated in Cyber Shield 2025, a cybersecurity exercise held in Virginia from May 30 to June 13. They collaborated to share best practices and build a unified defense against cyber threats. Using his trilingual skills – English, Spanish, and cyber expertise – Jarillo-Gutierrez worked with Ecuadorian participants to strengthen Kentucky’s partnership with Ecuador by enhancing both nations’ cybersecurity capabilities during this exercise.