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Lt. Col. Lauren Lwanga, left, a public health officer in the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Medical Group, and Capt. Leigha Bowyer-Jones, a nurse practitioner from the same unit, have been named top performers in the 2025 Air National Guard Medical Service Awards. Lwanga was selected as ANG biomedical specialist officer of the year, and Bowyer-Jones was named ANG privileged advanced practice nurse of the year. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Angelee Barnett)
123rd Medical Group and Kentucky Guard Airmen honored for national excellence
July 29, 2026
The Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Medical Group has been named Air National Guard Medical Unit of the Year, and two of its officers have been recognized for individual excellence in the 2025 Air National Guard Medical Service Awards.

Soldiers assigned to Kentucky's Charlie Battery, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery, fire an artillery round from an M109A7 Paladin during annual training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, June 14, 2026. Training focused heavily on Artillery Table VI live-fire qualifications with self-propelled howitzers, ensuring crew proficiency in delivering timely and accurate indirect fire support on the battlefield. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane)
Kentucky National Guard Artillery Battalion Trains for Northern Strike 2027
July 29, 2026
Soldiers assigned to the Kentucky Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery, conducted annual training June 7–19, sharpening their warfighting skills and validating unit readiness for multi-domain operations.

Col. Ash Groves, center, chief of the Air staff at Joint Force Headquarters-Kentucky, is pinned with the rank of brigadier general by family members during a promotion ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., June 7, 2026. Groves previously served as headquarters’ director of Air staff. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Chloe Ochs)
Groves appointed chief of staff, promoted to brigadier general
July 27, 2026
Ash Groves was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and formally assumed responsibility as chief of staff for the Air Component at Joint Force Headquarters, Kentucky National Guard, during a ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, June 7, 2026.

Recent News

U.S. Army Lt. Col. John Barger speaks in front of the Kentucky Constitution at the Kentucky Historical Society prior to a promotion ceremony in Frankfort, Kentucky, Aug. 10. Barger was promoted to the rank of colonel during the ceremony. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Milt Spalding)
Full Circle: Kentucky engineer pinned with the eagle
Aug. 26, 2026
U.S. Army Col. John Barger was promoted during a ceremony at the Kentucky Historical Society on Aug. 10, 2026. Prior to his pinning, Barger stood before Kentucky’s original constitution to take the state Oath of Office, marking a full-circle milestone in his three-decade engineering career.

A U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant throws sandbags during the Combat Field Test (CFT) at the Kentucky National Guard’s pre-command course, held at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Kentucky, Aug. 15, 2026. The CFT was part of a four-day course that prepared new and incoming command teams to take on senior leadership roles in their units. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane)
Kentucky Guard prepares incoming command teams during four-day course
Aug. 26, 2026
The Kentucky National Guard hosted a four-day pre-command course at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Ky., Aug. 13-16, 2026. The course prepared the incoming leaders for the responsibilities of command through guidance from senior leadership and interactive relationship-building exercises.

More than 70 Kentucky National Guard majors attended the inaugural Iron Major Leader Development Day at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Kentucky, Aug. 14-15. The two-day event focused on strengthening strategic and operational leadership, career development and key development opportunities. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane)
Kentucky Guard hosts inaugural Iron Major Leader Weekend
Aug. 26, 2026
More than 70 Kentucky National Guard majors attended the inaugural Iron Major Leader Development Day at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Ky., Aug. 14-15. The two-day event focused on strengthening strategic and operational leadership, career development and key development opportunities.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Landon Smith provides instructions prior to a training scenario at Jim Beam Distillery Booker Noe Plant in Boston, Kentucky, Aug. 11, 2026. The Kentucky National Guard’s 41st Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team (CST) along with North Carolina National Guard’s 42nd CST conducted a joint training exercise designed to test how teams integrate and communicate during a complex incident. During the exercise, teams conducted survey operations in separate buildings while coordinating communications and sharing critical information across the incident site. The realistic scenarios provided an opportunity to strengthen interoperability, coordination and decision-making in a controlled training environment. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Milt Spalding)
Kentucky, North Carolina Civil Support Teams strengthen interstate response capabilities
Aug. 26, 2026
Members of the KYNG’s 41st Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team trained alongside North Carolina National Guard’s 42nd CST at the Jim Beam Booker Noe Plant in Boston, Aug. 11, 2026. The joint exercise tested how the teams integrate during a complex chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive (CBRNE) incident.

Newly promoted Brig. Gen. Michael Armstrong delivers remarks following his promotion ceremony at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Aug. 23, 2026. Armstrong addressed attendees on the responsibilities of general officer leadership, his decades of service as an Army aviator, and the personal significance of returning to his alma mater. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Georgia Napier)
Col. Michael Armstrong Promoted to Brigadier General at Western Kentucky University
Aug. 26, 2026
Surrounded by family, friends, and fellow Service members atop the Hill at Western Kentucky University, Col. Michael Armstrong was promoted to the rank of brigadier general Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026.

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Allan M. Pepin, United States Army North’s commanding general, speaks to Maj. Miles Miller, the project officer with Task Force 46, and other distinguished leaders from the 63rd Theater Aviation Brigade during Vibrant Response 2026 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, Apr. 24, 2026. Pepin was there to oversee VR-26, which is a large-scale U.S. military exercise designed to prepare forces to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents within the homeland held April 13-29, 2026. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane)
Kentucky Guard aviation unit supports national CBRN response exercise
Aug. 19, 2026
Soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 63rd Theater Aviation Brigade, played a critical role in Vibrant Response 2026, a large-scale U.S. military exercise designed to prepare forces to respond to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents within the homeland, April 13-29.

U.S. Army Sgt. Colin Daniel, the youngest Soldier in attendance, and Brig. Gen. Brian Wertzler participate in a ceremonial cake-cutting during a birthday celebration at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, June 24. The tradition symbolizes the passing of knowledge, experience and service from one generation of Guardsmen to the next while commemorating the Kentucky National Guard's history of service to the Commonwealth and nation. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Milt Spalding)
Kentucky Guard marks 234th birthday with a challenge to the ranks
Aug. 14, 2026
Kentucky National Guard Soldiers and senior leaders gathered at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Kentucky, to celebrate the organization’s 234th birthday, June 24, 2026. While the event highlighted the Kentucky Guard’s enduring commitment to the commonwealth, the state’s senior enlisted leader challenged Guardsmen to continue improving themselves and the organization.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Eric Honeycutt is pinned with his new rank by his father, Bill Honeycutt, during a ceremony at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, June 24. Family, friends and fellow Soldiers gathered for the ceremony. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Milt Spalding)
Kentucky chaplain rises in rank, inspired by Korean War-era Veteran grandfather to continue service
Aug. 14, 2026
U.S. Army Maj. Eric Honeycutt, senior state support chaplain for the Kentucky Army National Guard, is promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel during a ceremony at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky., June 25, 2026. Honeycutt, who celebrated the milestone with family, friends and fellow service members, credited his grandfather, a Korean War veteran, with encouraging him to continue his nearly 19-year military career.