Eight senior ranking officials representing Ecuador’s Army, Navy and Air Force got to hear and see what the Kentucky National Guard was about and build bonds between the two countries that are beneficial to both countries.

Approximately 80 children of Kentucky military service members were recognized by the Kentucky General Assembly for Kentucky Military Kids Day at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex in Frankfort, Kentucky on Feb. 27, 2024. Children of servicemembers from almost all branches were first introduced to the House Committee for Veterans, Military, and Public Protection (VMAPP). They also participated in demonstrations from the Aviation Museum of Kentucky, scavenger hunts in the Capitol, and ended with serving as a page to their senator or representative from their home counties in a legislative session.

Soldiers from Kentucky and Tennessee earned top honors in the 2024 Army National Guard Region III Best Warrior Competition in Greenville, April 14-19, 2024. Hosted by the Kentucky National Guard, the event put Soldiers from ten states and territories through a week of grueling challenges to see which Soldier and which NCO would finish with the most points. Spc. Noah Green, a combat engineer assigned to 890th Sapper Company, Tennessee Army National Guard, earned the top honor as Region III Soldier of the Year, while Sgt. Robert Buck, a horizontal construction engineer assigned to 130th Engineer Support Company, Kentucky Army National Guard, was named NCO of the Year.

Cadets from Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan gathered at Fort Knox recently to take part in the Tri-State Challenge hosted by the Bluegrass ChalleNGe Academy. The students competed in a variety of events including basketball, softball, chess, and a spelling bee among other events.

In green initiative that blends military readiness with environmental stewardship, the Kentucky National Guard’s environmental team planted over 77,000 trees at its state training facility, Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center, in Greenville, Kentucky on March 14, 2024.

One Kentucky National Guard family was invited to represent the Kentucky National Guard at the White House for a special tour and honorary showing of personal artwork during the White House Easter Egg Roll, April 1. This year's annual event, hosted by the First Lady and celebrating the theme of National Guard families, invited children in National Guard families to submit colored drawings of Easter eggs that would be recreated on actual eggs and displayed in the White House East Colonnade.

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.

Kentucky infantry soldiers and Ecuadorian military special forces exchanged urban operations tactics in Latacunga, Ecuador, from March 18-22, 2024, enhancing interagency relations and military readiness through the Kentucky National Guard State Partnership Program.

Members of the Ecuadorian military visited the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, February 24-28, 2024, for a leadership exchange focused on military officer development. This engagement, part of a long-term strategy to foster relationships and share tactical insights, underscored the commitment of both nations to continue building a strong partnership through shared experiences and learning, with a focus on officer development, cultural exchange, and overcoming operational challenges.

Kentucky Guard’s top leader visited the deployed Soldiers of the 2113th Transportation Company currently stationed in Poland and Romania Feb 23-28.