Kentucky Guard

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Category: Joint Force Headquarters

Kentucky Army National Guard command chief warrant officer changes hands
May 3, 2025 — Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jennifer Ritchie was appointed as the Kentucky Army National Guard command chief warrant officer during the ceremony, held previously by Chief Warrant Officer 5 Rickey Skelton, at the State Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort, Ky. on April 29, 2025... MORE

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jennifer Ritchie smiles as Maj. Gen. Haldane Lamberton, Kentucky’s adjutant general, places the command chief warrant officer insignia on Ritchie's uniform at the command chief warrant officer change of responsibility at the State Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort, Ky. on April 29, 2025. Ritchie was appointed as the Kentucky Army National Guard command chief warrant officer during the ceremony, held previously by Chief Warrant Officer 5 Rickey Skelton. (U.S. Army photo by Andy Dickson)

New Kentucky State Chaplain Promoted
February 18, 2025 — Chaplain Angela White was promoted to colonel; pinned by her husband, son and daughter, and officially recognized as the next State Chaplain by the Adjutant General during the ceremony... MORE

Maj. Gen. Haldane B. Lamberton, Kentucky Adjutant General speaks about Chaplain (Col.) Angela White, Kentucky's new state chaplain, during her promotion ceremony at the Wellman Armory auditorium on Boone National Guard Center Jan. 26.

Jones Promoted to Colonel
October 7, 2024 — Kentucky Army National Guard's Kevin Jones was promoted to the rank of colonel in a ceremony held at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Oct. 7... MORE

Col. Kevin Jones is promoted by his daughters, Samantha and Sandra.

Chief Information Officer retires after 30 years
September 27, 2024 — Col. John B. Blackburn retired after more than 30 years of service during a ceremony held in his honor at the Wellman Auditorium on Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Sept. 27, 2024... MORE

Maj. Gen. Haldane Lamberton, Adjutant General-Kentucky, awards Col. John B. Blackburn, the Silver Order of Mercury during his retirement ceremony

Kentucky National Guard connects regions in natural disaster prep
August 28, 2024 — Soldiers from the Kentucky Army National Guard’s communication/IT support section’s (G6) Mission Command shop mobilized to western Kentucky to conduct an emergency deployment readiness exercise, Aug. 12-16, 2024... MORE

Emergency management officials from across the state attended a road show event at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort on August 12. Soldiers from the Kentucky Army National Guard’s Communication/Information Technology Mission Command mobilized through parts of western Kentucky August 12-16 for a natural disaster response exercise alongside local emergency management officials. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Milt Spalding)

Kentucky National Guard hosts Ecuadorians for interagency operations exchange
August 23, 2024 — The Kentucky National Guard hosted Ecuadorian military and civilian officials for a subject matter expert exchange focusing on interagency operations and communications in a domestic operational environment Aug. 5-9... MORE

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Carolyn Peabody, a member of the 123rd Airlift Wing’s Fatality Search and Recovery Team, discusses the unit’s personal protective equipment with a group of Ecuadorian military and civilian emergency management officials during a tour of the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., Aug. 6, 2024. The Ecuadorians were visiting as part of the State Partnership Program to learn more about the Kentucky Guard’s emergency response capabilities and interagency cooperation across the state. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Dale Greer)

New headquarters building promises enhanced capability for Kentucky Guard
August 16, 2024 — The Kentucky National Guard dedicated a state-of-the-art office building in Frankfort, Kentucky, Aug. 13, 2024, to serve as home to Joint Force Headquarters, marking a new era of increased operational capability, officials said... MORE

Officials cut the ceremonial ribbon to dedicate a new Kentucky National Guard Joint Force Headquarters building at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky., Aug. 13, 2024. The 63,000 square-foot, $15.9 million facility marks a new era of increased operational efficiency, with the top command elements of both the Kentucky Army and Air National Guard being located at the same site for the first time. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Dale Greer)

Kentucky National Guard Hosts Ecuadorian Military for Interagency Operations Exchange
August 10, 2024 — The Kentucky National Guard hosted a subject matter expert exchange with members of the Ecuadorian military, focusing on interagency operations and communications in a domestic operational environment. This engagement, scheduled from August 5-9, 2024, included various activities and site visits across central Kentucky, including the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, the 123rd Airlift Wing in Louisville, and the Lexington Fire Department... MORE

The KYNG hosted leaders from Ecuador during a subject matter expert exchange on the topic of collaboration between military and civilian agencies during disaster or civil response

Maj. Gen. Howay bids farewell as Brig. Gen. Simmering assumes command of Division East
July 31, 2024 — FORT KNOX, Ky. - First Army Division East bid farewell to Maj. Gen. Bryan M. Howay, the outgoing commander of Division East, and welcomed Brig. Gen. Michael J. Simmering, the incoming commander, in a change of command ceremony at Brooks Field on July 25... MORE

Final Formation for Departing Soldiers
April 22, 2024 — In a poignant display of respect and camaraderie, the Kentucky National Guard held its Final Formation ceremony Saturday at the Boone National Guard Center, bidding farewell to Soldiers of various ranks who are concluding their service. The Final Formation Program, overseen by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Adriane Graf, Joint Forces Headquarters retirement and discharge officer, assists Soldiers with out-processing from the Kentucky National Guard whether the Soldier’s term of service is expiring (ETS) or the Soldier is retiring... MORE

Spc. Jochell Palacio, processing pay at Final Formation on April 20th, 2024 at the Kentucky National Guard Boone Center ( U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Lauren Kirk)

Army Lt. Col. Todd Reed was honored during a retirement ceremony
March 7, 2024 — Army Lt. Col. Todd Reed was recognized for his distinguished military career during his retirement ceremony held at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, March 1, 2024. Reed served in the Army for 37 years, where he spent the past five years as the inspector general (IG) for the Kentucky National Guard... MORE

Army Lt. Col. Todd Reed was honored during a retirement ceremony at the Wellman Armory auditorium on Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort March 1, 2024. He has served in the military for 37 years. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st. Class Benjamin Crane)

Bridging Two Worlds: Kentucky ESGR hosts civic leaders to improve lives of citizen-Soldiers
January 10, 2024 — Maj. Gen. Haldane B. Lamberton, Kentucky's adjutant general, and retired Brig. Gen. Mike Richie, the Kentucky ESGR committee’s state chairman, addressed business and civic leaders during the 2023 Leadership KY Conference hosted in Frankfort, Dec. 14, 2023. Their dual purpose was to highlight the Kentucky National Guard's roles and importance of supporting troops... MORE

Kentucky National Guard Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Haldane Lamberton speaks with local business owners at the Wellman Auditorium on Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Kentucky on Dec. 14, 2023.

Kentucky’s Adoption Assistance Program expands growing Guard family
January 4, 2024 — The Military Family Assistance Trust (MFAST) Funds enables Guardsmen like Army Master Sgt. Michael Meredith, the senior human resources noncommissioned officer for the 63rd Theater Aviation Brigade, to overcome challenges faced when adopting a new member into their family... MORE

Kentucky aviators take part in simulated post-nuclear response exercise
December 14, 2023 — The Kentucky Guard worked with federal, state, and local agencies while simulating post-nuclear forensics missions across Northern Kentucky and exploring emergency response tactics... MORE

Kentucky Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is loaded with radiological detection equipment during Prominent Hunt 24-1 interagency exercise in Frankfort, Kentucky, Oct. 8, 2023.

Honoring a legacy: a tribute to LTC Jeff Cole
November 20, 2023 — Leaders of the Kentucky National Guard, joined by over 100 attendees, dedicated the Middlesboro armory to Lt. Col. Jeff Cole, on Nov. 17, 2023. The ceremony in Middlesboro honored Cole's legacy as an exemplary Soldier, leader, family man, and man of faith... MORE

Christi Cole Pope speaks to attendees at an armory naming ceremony in Middlesboro, Kentucky, on Nov. 17, 2023.

Kentucky Honor Guard helps put to rest forgotten Medal of Honor recipient
November 6, 2023 — Honor Guard Soldiers from the Kentucky National Guard were on hand to help honor a Medal of Honor recipient whose grave had gone unmarked and almost forgotten for the past 148 years at Highland Cemetery Nov. 4... MORE

Rowalt had served during the American Indian War before contracting smallpox and dying around the age of 28 in Cincinnati and buried at the nearby Kentucky cemetery. His grave site was previously unmarked for the last 148 years.

Adoption benefits through Kentucky's Military Family Assistance Trust (MFAST)
October 16, 2023 — Lt. Col. John Harvey and his wife, Miranda, explain the benefits they received through Kentucky's Military Family Assistance Trust (MFAST) program, a program to help military families in emergencies and other needs at their home in Lexington, Kentucky on June 13, 2023. The MFAST program was created by Kentucky law to assist Kentucky service members in need of emergencies such as natural disasters and can also be used to help families in need of financial assistance. (U.S. Army National Guard video by Andy Dickson)... MORE

Guardsman assumes command, embarking on new active-duty leadership role
August 8, 2023 — History was made when Kentucky Army National Guard’s Maj. Gen. Bryan Howay took command of the active component’s First Army Division East at a ceremony held at Fort Knox, June 14. Prior to the change of command and change of responsibilities dual ceremony, Howay has been serving as acting commander of Division East since February 2023 while dual-hatted as the KYNG's director of the joint staff. ... MORE

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Bryan M. Howay takes command of First Army Division East from Maj. Gen. Mark H. Landes during a ceremony held at Fort Knox, Kentucky, June 14, 2023.

Kentucky National Guard honors U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers in armory renaming
August 3, 2023 — The Kentucky National Guard held a ceremony at the armory in Monticello, Kentucky, to honor U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers by renaming the armory in his honor on July 24, 2023. Speakers during the ceremony included Maj. Gen. Hal Lamberton, Mr. Rocky Adkins, and U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers... MORE

U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers and Rocky Adkins, the senior advisor to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, meet with Kentucky Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Hal Lamberton during a ceremony at the Kentucky National Guard armory in Monticello, Kentucky, July 24, 2023.

First KYNG Signal Chief Warrant Officer 5 signs off the net
May 23, 2023 — Chief Warrant Officer 5 David Barker retired during a ceremony at the Boone National Guard Center, in Frankfort, Kentucky on April 27, 2023, culminating a distinguished 39-year-long military career. Barker joined the Army in 1984 as an enlisted Soldier and in 1993 commissioned as a warrant officer, specializing in electronic maintenance. His career at Boone National Guard Center began before he enlisted into the Kentucky National Guard as a groundskeeper... MORE

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jennifer Ritchie, Recruiting and Retention Battalion officer strength manager, presents a retirement gift to Chief Warrant Officer 5 David Barker, Joint Forces Headquarters, Kentucky National Guard, during his retirement ceremony in Frankfort, Ky, April 27, 2023. Barker is retiring after 39 years of service. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Lt. Col. Carla Raisler Kentucky National Guard)

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