Kentucky Guard

Kentucky Air Guard joins dozens of groups to honor veterans at city parade
November 11, 2024 — The Kentucky Air National Guard was among more than 50 military and civic organizations that participated in the annual Veterans Day Parade and massing of the Colors in Louisville, Kentucky, Nov. 9, 2024... MORE

The Kentucky Air National Guard’s Mini C-130 taxies along Jefferson Street in downtown Louisville, Ky., Nov. 9, 2024, as part of the city’s annual Veterans Day Parade. The non-flying scale replica of a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft was fabricated by Airmen from the unit’s 123rd Maintenance Group.

Quenichet takes command of 123rd Airlift Wing
October 13, 2024 — Col. Matthew Quenichet took charge of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing during a change-of-command ceremony in Louisville, Oct. 11, 2024... MORE

Col. Matthew Quenichet (right), incoming commander for the 123rd Airlift Wing, accepts the wing guidon from Brig. Gen. David Mounkes, the Kentucky National Guard’s assistant adjutant general for Air, as Quenichet assumes command of the wing during a change-of-command ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., Oct. 11, 2024. Quenichet replaces Col. Bruce Bancroft, who has led the unit since 2021 and will be moving into a new leadership role at Joint Force Headquarters—Kentucky. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Joshua Horton)

Zamora takes command of 123rd Contingency Response Group
September 30, 2024 — Lt. Col. Aaron Zamora assumed command of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group in a change-of-ceremony Aug. 26, 2024, replacing Col. Ryan Adams, who led the unit since 2021... MORE

Lt. Col. Aaron Zamora, right, incoming commander of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group, accepts the group guidon from Col. Bruce Bancroft, 123rd Airlift Wing commander, during a change-of-command ceremony at Amedee Army Airfield, Calif., Aug. 26, 2024. The ceremony took place at the end of a week-long exercise that tested the 123rd CRG’s capability to conduct a Joint Task Force-Port Opening, an operation designed to safely and effectively distribute cargo and supplies to austere areas affected by catastrophic events or conflict. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Joshua Horton)

Wing completes Readiness Exercise Validation
September 23, 2024 — The 123rd Airlift Wing successfully completed its first major graded inspection in four years during the August Unit Training Assembly, capping a multi-day evaluation that rated its ability to deploy and operate in a contested environment... MORE

Members of the 123rd Airlift Wing’s security forces and civil engineer squadrons respond to a simulated drone crash during a Readiness Exercise Validation inspection conducted at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., Aug. 23, 2024. The multi-day exercise tested the wing’s ability to operate in a degraded environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Chloe Ochs)

Simms retires after 27 years of service in Air Force, Air National Guard
September 21, 2024 — Chief Master Sgt. Bradley W. Simms, a loadmaster and senior enlisted leader for the 165th Airlift Squadron, retired from military service during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard base in Louisville, Kentucky, July 20, 2024, concluding a career of more than 27 years... MORE

Lt. Col. Josh Ketterer, right, commander of the 165th Airlift Squadron, presents a Certificate of Retirement to Chief Master Sgt. Bradley Simms, a loadmaster and the squadron’s senior enlisted leader, during Simms’ retirement ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., July 20, 2024. Simms retired from the 123rd Airlift Wing after more than 27 years in the military. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Annaliese Billings)

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)

Schmidt draws 37-year career of service to a close
August 23, 2024 — Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Schmidt, fire chief for the 123rd Civil Engineer Squadron’s Fire and Emergency Flight, officially retired from military service during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Kentucky, July 19, closing out a career spanning more than 37 years... MORE

Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Schmidt, right, fire chief for the 123rd Civil Engineer Squadron’s Fire and Emergency Flight, receives a certificate of retirement from Lt. Col. Jarret Goddard, commander of the 123rd Civil Engineer Squadron, during Schmidt’s retirement ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., July 19, 2024. Schmidt is retiring after more than 37 years of service to the Kentucky Air National Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Joshua Horton)

Kentucky Guard Airman earns Navy commendation for EOD excellence
July 30, 2024 — Airman 1st Class Barrett Darlington earned the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for outstanding performance while attending the U.S. Navy’s explosive ordnance disposal school... MORE

Airman 1st Class Barrett Darlington, an explosive ordnance disposal specialist with the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Civil Engineer Squadron, achieved Distinguished Graduate and earned the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal after graduating the Air Force EOD preliminary course and the U.S. Navy’s eight-month explosive ordnance disposal school. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Phil Speck)

Maintenance event represents 3,000 years of experience at Kentucky Air Guard
July 17, 2024 — More than 200 current and former members of the 123rd Maintenance Group gathered at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Kentucky, for a cookout and fellowship June 28, 2024... MORE

More than 200 current and former members of the Kentucky Air National Guard pose in front of a 123rd Airlift Wing C-130J Super Hercules aircraft at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base on June 28, 2024, during a luncheon to celebrate the unit’s heritage. The event represented more than 3,000 years of aircraft maintenance experience. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Phil Speck)

Peake retires after 36 years of service
June 24, 2024 — Chief Master Sgt. Alan M. Peake, maintenance production superintendent for the 123rd Maintenance Squadron, retired from military service during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base on April 21, 2024, ending a career spanning 36 years... MORE

Chief Master Sgt. Alan Peake speaks to an audience of fellow Airmen, family and friends during his retirement ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., Apr. 21, 2024. Peake retired as the maintenance production superintendent for the 123rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron after more than 36 years of service. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Chloe Ochs)

Ky. Air Guard to fly D-Day observance in France with unique aircraft
June 4, 2024 — A crew of Kentucky Air National Guardsmen departed for France in May aboard an aircraft emblazoned with distinctive World War II “Invasion Stripes” to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The aircraft, a Kentucky Air Guard C-130J Super Hercules, will fly over France June 6 as part of scheduled D-Day observances,... MORE

A C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 123rd Airlift Wing takes off from the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., May 22, 2024, bearing the distinctive livery displayed on U.S. aircraft during World War II. The plane will fly over France on June 6 as part of observances for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, when Allied forces invaded Normandy to turn the tide of the war in Europe. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Phil Speck)

123rd Communications Flight re-designated as squadron
May 21, 2024 — The Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Communications Flight was re-designated a squadron during a ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, Feb. 11, following it’s official re-classification in October... MORE

Lt. Col. Bryan Keating, right, 123rd Communications Squadron commander, unfurls the squadron’s new guidon as Chief Master Sgt. Brian Henry, superintendent, retires the unit’s previous colors during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., Feb. 11, 2024. The event marked the unit’s re-designation from flight to squadron. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Chloe Ochs)

Kentucky Air Guard airlifts building materials for housing in the Arctic Circle
May 15, 2024 — More than 20 Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard deployed to Alaska in April, 2024, to airlift 15 tons of home-building materials for housing in the Arctic Circle... MORE

Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing unload pallets of cargo under blizzard conditions during an engine-running offload from a Kentucky C-130J Super Hercules aircraft in Deadhorse, Alaska, on April 26, 2024. The cargo consists of construction materials to build homes for civilians as part of Innovative Readiness Training, a Defense Department program that provides service members with real-world deployment experience while offering lasting benefits to civilian populations. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Phil Speck)

Ecuador-Kentucky Guard partnership welcomes C-130 to Ecuadorian Air Force
May 6, 2024 — The Ecuadorian Air Force welcomed a C-130H Hercules into its inventory March 25, 2024, during a ceremony attended by leadership from the Kentucky Air National Guard, who were on hand to congratulate their State Partnership Program colleagues on the new capability... MORE

Members of the Ecuadorian Air Force salute during a ceremony welcoming the arrival of a C-130H Hercules to the Ecuadorian Air Force in Latacunga, Ecuador, March 25, 2024. The ceremony, which included top Ecuadorian military and civilian leaders, marked a new milestone in Ecuador’s participation in the National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, which has paired Ecuador and the Kentucky National Guard for mutual military cooperation. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Phil Speck)

Kentucky Air Guard helps stage Thunder Over Louisville
April 22, 2024 — Spectators lined the banks of the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky, and Southern Indiana on April 20, 2024, for the annual Thunder Over Louisville air show, made possible with support from the Kentucky Air National Guard... MORE

A C-130J Super Hercules from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing deploys flares as part of an aerial demonstration during the Thunder Over Louisville air show and fireworks display in Louisville, Ky., April 20, 2024. This year’s event drew hundreds of thousands of spectators to the banks of the Ohio River and featured more than two-dozen aircraft. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Dale Greer)

Kentucky National Guard supports 35th Thunder Over Louisville
April 20, 2024 — Kentucky National Guard Supports 35th Thunder Over Louisville event in Louisville, Kentucky, April 20, 2024... MORE

Soldiers of the 2-147th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 63rd Theater Aviation Brigade, perform a helocast demonstration as part of the Thunder Over Louisville’s Air Show in Louisville, Kentucky, April 20, 2024.

Aircraft arrive at Kentucky Air National Guard for Thunder air show
April 18, 2024 — Military aircraft began arriving at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Kentucky, April 18, 2024, in preparation for the Thunder Over Louisville air show... MORE

Lt. Col. Jim Roy, a U.S. Air Force pilot with the 47th Fighter Wing, climbs out of an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., April 18, 2024, after landing in preparation for this weekend’s Thunder Over Louisville air show. The aircraft is one of more than two-dozen military and civilian planes slated to appear at Thunder, including the Kentucky Air Guard’s C-130J Super Hercules. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Phil Speck)

Kentucky Air Guard supports European allies with Silver Arrow
April 4, 2024 — Fifty-three members of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing supported their European allies Oct. 25 to Nov. 17 as part of the Silver Arrow program, headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany... MORE

Master Sgt. Jerome Noltemeyer of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing positions a cargo pallet for weighing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 16, 2023 in support of Silver Arrow. The program, administered by U.S. Air Forces in Europe, provides funding and mission requirements to build readiness and validate C-130 elements throughout the Force Generation deployment cycle. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Lt. Col. Jennifer Nash)

Kentucky Air Guard assists with storm recovery
April 3, 2024 — Fourteen members of the Kentucky Air National Guard cleared roadways in Prospect, Kentucky, April 3, 2024, after tornados touched down across the region... MORE

Fourteen members of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Civil Engineer Squadron and 123rd Logistics Readiness Squadron clear roadways in Prospect, Ky., April 3, 2024, after multiple tornados touched down in the region. The Airmen removed multiple fallen trees that blocked access to about 100 homes. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Brandon Hall)

Four Kentucky Guard Airmen honored at NGAKY Conference
February 29, 2024 — Four Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard were honored for outstanding achievement during the National Guard Association of Kentucky’s annual conference in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Feb. 3, 2024... MORE

2nd Lt. Audrey Parios, right, of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Maintenance Group, receives the National Guard Association of Kentucky’s Service Award from Col. George Imorde, association president, during the organization’s annual conference in Bowling Green, Ky., Feb. 3, 2024. During the Kentucky National Guard’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Parios worked seamlessly with military and civilian counterparts to provide more than 53,000 hours of non-clinical services, freeing medical providers to execute crucial patient care. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. Michael Reinersman)

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