Kentucky Guard

Letters from Bataan: A Kentucky POW’s letters found after 75 years
April 13, 2023 — This month marks 81 years since the Bataan Death March in the Bataan Peninsula during World War II. Almost every member of the military can tell you the power of receiving mail during times of training; it’s hard to remember but many years ago, letter writing was the only form of communication while in basic training and overseas deployments for centuries before the days of cell phones and the internet. Finding the letters, as a historian, is also very vital to putting together the story of how our troops lived while at training. The author tends to write a detailed picture of their day-to-day life, how they spent their training, who was with them, and how they spent their off time... MORE

Kentucky Army National Guard Sgt. Jennings Bryan Scanlon from the Service Record, World War I and II in an undated photo album. Scanlon mobilized to the Philippine Islands with the 192nd Tank Battalion shortly before World War II began in the Pacific and was captured as part of the Bataan Death March. Scanlon died shortly after in a POW Camp. (Photo courtesy of the Harrodsburg, Ky. veterans' community).

Kentucky Guardsman and ROTC Cadet Blake Embry sets powerlifting record, qualifies for USPA National Championships
April 11, 2023 — Army Cadet Blake Embry, a Kentucky Army National Guard Soldier and University of Kentucky ROTC Cadet, made history by setting the Mississippi bench-press record in February 2023. This feat was accomplished by lifting 343 pounds, which also earned him a victory in the HQ Fitness Show of Strength competition. As a result, he secured a spot in the United States Powerlifting Association National Championships in Las Vegas... MORE

Army Cadet Blake Embry, a Kentucky Army National Guard Soldier and University of Kentucky ROTC Cadet, made history by setting the Mississippi bench-press record in February 2023.

238th Regiment Change of Command
April 3, 2023 — U.S. Army National Guard Lt. Col. Philip Robinson assumed command of the 238th Regiment from Col. L. Allen Joiner during a change-of-command ceremony held at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center, Greenville, Ky., March 31, 2023. Joiner will travel to Scott Airforce Base, Ill. as the FORSCOM Liaison Officer for the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC). Joiner took command of the 238th Regiment in April 2021, but he has served as a member of the 238th Regiment for nine years... MORE

U.S. Army Col. L. Allen Joiner, outgoing commander of the 238th Regiment passes the regimental guidon to Brig. Gen Brian Wertzler, Kentucky National Guard deputy adjutant general, symbolizing the relinquishing of his command of the unit at the 238th Regiment’s Change of Command ceremony held at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center, Greenville, Ky., March 25, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard by Lt. Col. Carla Raisler)

Time capsule left by decorated Kentucky Guard MP unit found in Fort McCoy barracks nearly two decades after unit left for Operation Iraqi Freedom
March 20, 2023 — In November 2004, the 617th Military Police Company of the Kentucky National Guard was one of many military units completing their mobilization at Fort McCoy for deployment. It was in that month the unit wrapped up their training at Wisconsin’s only Army installation and prepared to head off to Iraq for a year deployment for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Before they left, however, some members of the unit decided they'd put together a “time capsule” of sorts in a plastic drawer they got from the Fort McCoy Exchange, put some mementos in it, and stash it away in the walls of one of the hundreds of barracks on the installation’s cantonment area... MORE

Soldiers with the Kentucky National Guard’s 617th Military Police Company are shown ikn November 2004 at Fort McCoy, Wis. The unit, before they were deployed to Iraq, were mobilized at Fort McCoy and had left a time capsule in a barracks at McCoy that was discovered in late 2022 by contractors working on Fort McCoy barracks. The company placed the makeshift time capsule in the walls of the barracks thinking they’d come back to it after their deployment completed in 2005 but they forgot about it. The 617th completed their mobilization at Fort McCoy from October to November 2004 and then their demobilization a year later. The unit also is one of the most decorated combat National Guard military police units after completing that deployment. (Contributed photo)

Warrant officer applicants attend new National Guard course
March 8, 2023 — The Army warrant officer is a technical and tactical leader who is critical to today’s operational environment and is a subject matter expert for both enlisted and commissioned officers in their branch. The Kentucky National Guard’s Warrant Officer Candidate Accession Program (WOCAP) is a streamlined process to help Soldiers achieve their goals of becoming a warrant officer. The path to becoming a warrant officer is not an easy task for many of the branches and depends on the Soldier’s experiences in both their military and civilian careers and education... MORE

Army Warrant Officer Tucker Huff (center) talks to warrant officer applicants during the Warrant Officer Candidate Accession Program (WOCAP) at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky. on Oct. 15, 2022. Huff recently graduated Warrant Officer Candidate School and is giving advice to Soldiers applying to become warrant officers. (U.S. Army photo by Andy Dickson)

20th Special Forces Group Military Intelligence Company conducts Water Jump
February 13, 2023 — Soldiers of the 20th Special Forces Group Military Intelligence Company (MICO) conducted a water jump at Green River Lake near Campbellsville, KY, Aug. 6, 2022. The jump was conducted to enhance the company’s proficiency in conducting airborne operations that require a water landing... MORE

Soldiers of the 20th Special Forces Group Military Intelligence Company (MICO) conducted a water jump at Green River Lake near Campbellsville, KY, Aug. 6, 2022. The jump was conducted to enhance the company’s proficiency in conducting airborne operations that require a water landing. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Caleb Sooter)

First female Kentucky Army National Guard master sergeant honored
January 12, 2023 — Retired Army Master Sgt. Wilma J. Ross, 81, was laid to rest with military honors at Grove Hill Cemetery in Shelbyville, Ky., on Dec. 3, 2022. Ross, from Shelbyville, served more than 24 years in the military and was the first female to be promoted to the rank of master sergeant in the Kentucky Army National Guard... MORE

Army 1st Sgt. Naarah Stallard presents a folded flag to Paulette Ross, daughter of Master Sgt. Wilma Ross, a retiree of the Kentucky Army National Guard at the Grove Hill Cemetery in Shelbyville, Ky. on Dec. 9, 2022. Wilma Ross retired after 24 years of service and passed away at the age of 81. (U.S. Army photo by Andy Dickson)

Resiliency leads to the Kentucky National Guard’s first female infantry officer
January 4, 2023 — In January 2022, the Kentucky Army National Guard welcomed the commonwealth’s first female infantry officer to the team... MORE

Senior enlisted advisor visits Kentucky soldiers
December 13, 2022 — The National Guard Senior Enlisted Advisor visited Kentucky to meet Soldiers and answer questions in Lexington, Frankfort, and Louisville, Ky. on Dec. 4, 2022. Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) Tony Whitehead visited Soldiers with the 138th Field Artillery Brigade (FAB); 63rd Theater Aviation Brigade (TAB); Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD), 75th Troop Command (TC); the 223rd Military Police Company; and the 202nd Army Band before the holiday season to take questions about the senior enlisted advisor to the Chief, National Guard Bureau position... MORE

Command Sgt. Maj. David Page (left) introduces Army Spc. Garner Offutt (center) to Senior Enlisted Advisor Tony Whitehead (right) as the Kentucky National Guard's Soldier of the Year for 2023 in Lexington, Ky. on Dec. 3, 2023. Whitehead is visiting Kentucky National Guard soldiers and airmen before the holidays. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Dickson)

National Guard SEA visits Kentucky ROTC program
December 12, 2022 — The National Guard’s senior enlisted advisor visited the University of Kentucky (UK) and Kentucky State University (KSU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets at their respective campuses in Lexington and Frankfort, Ky. on Dec. 5, 2022. Senior Enlisted Advisor Tony Whitehead, SEA to the chief, National Guard Bureau, visited both universities to talk to cadets on the importance of building strong relationships and communication between the officer and enlisted corps early in their careers and how essential their leadership training is to the future of the force... MORE

Senior Enlisted Advisor Tony Whitehead addresses the University of Kentucky Air and Army Reserves Officer Training Corp (ROTC) at the University of Kentucky's Seaton Center in Lexington, Ky. on Dec. 5, 2022. Whitehead is visiting Kentucky to recognize soldiers and airmen for their accomplishments throughout the year and meet with local ROTC cadets. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Dickson)

Kentucky National Guard celebrates its newest officers
September 26, 2022 — Seven Kentucky National Guard Soldiers were commissioned to second lieutenant in a ceremony in the rotunda at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky. on Sept. 24, 2022. Officer Candidate class 64-22 received their commissions with family and friends present after attending the 18-month Officer Candidate School held by the 238th Regional Training Institute (RTI) in Greenville, Ky... MORE

Army Maj. Jack Rachau introduces the newly commissioned officers in a ceremony at the Kentucky State Capitol Rotundra in Frankfort, Ky. on Sept. 24, 2022. The new officers will be pinned by family and friends at the ceremony as part of commissioning tradition. (U.S. Army photo by Andy Dickson)

Kentucky Guard signal leaders swap knowledge, build relationships with counterparts in partner nation Djibouti
September 12, 2022 — Although the early-morning sun was still low in the sky, temperatures were already hovering near 100 degrees, as a small group of Kentucky National Guard signal leaders made their way in utility vehicles across the rugged, barren terrain of sunbaked Djibouti, a small country in East Africa... MORE

Kentucky National Guard Soldier helps neighbors during flooding
August 29, 2022 — One of those Soldiers was Staff Sgt. David Hall, a wheeled vehicle mechanic for the 207th Engineers. Hall watched rushing flood waters rise and destroy the first story of his house from a hill behind his home which sits about 20 yards from Troublesome Creek... MORE

Hall watched rushing flood waters rise and destroy the first story of his house from a hill behind his home which sits about 20 yards from Troublesome Creek.

National Guard Army Aviation rescue operations in Eastern Kentucky floods
August 3, 2022 — As rain continues to hit most of the eastern part of the state, Kentucky Army Aviation crews carry on their mission of search and rescue and move on to air dropping supplies to Kentuckians in need. Pilots and crews from the 63rd Theater Aviation Brigade have worked non-stop since July 28, 2022 to support communities using a combination of UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and UH-72 Lakota helicopters. ... MORE

Kentucky Army National Guard's Detachment 1, Charlie Company 2/238th Aviation Regiment, MEDEVAC, conduct hoist and land rescue mission for victims of flooding in eastern Kentucky on July 28, 2022. Pilots and crew with the MEDEVAC have been working constantly for days to rescue victims trapped on house roofs, trees, and other high points to avoid floodwaters. (Courtesy photos by Detachment 1, Charlie Company 2/238th Aviation Regiment, MEDEVAC)

Kentucky National Guard Youth and Child Camp 2022
July 22, 2022 — Summer camp fun meets military tradition as children of Kentucky’s National Guard (KYNG) attend the week long Child and Youth Camp at Lake Cumberland 4-H Camp in Nancy, Ky. on July 18-22. At the camp, kids ages 9-15 meet and relate to kids with similar experiences, learn about basic fundamentals in the military, and are inspired by their mentors... MORE

Campers attend the Kentucky National Guard (KYNG) Child and Youth Camp at the Lake Cumberland 4-H Camp in Nancy, Ky. on July 18-22, 2022. The Child and Youth Camp is a KYNG sponsored, 4-H supported weeklong camp for children who have ties to the KYNG. (U.S. Army phot by Pfc. Georgia Napier)

Churchill Downs honors fallen Kentucky Guard Special Tactics Airman
July 4, 2022 — Churchill Downs honored a fallen Kentucky Air National Guardsman in Louisville, Ky., June 12, 2022, staging a thoroughbred horse race in his name as part of military appreciation day... MORE

More than 150 Airmen, friends and family members attend Military Appreciation Day at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., June 12, 2022, to honor Tech. Sgt. Travis Brown, a pararescueman from the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Special Tactics Squadron who died Feb. 16. One of the races on the day's card was named in honor of Brown and concluded with eight of his fellow 123rd STS Airmen presenting the trophy. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Joshua Horton)

Kentucky Army National Guard instructors meet with Ecuadorian instructors
June 30, 2022 — Kentucky Army National Guard instructors met with six Ecuadorian enlisted instructors at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Ky. on June 27-30, 2022. Senior noncommissioned officer instructors from the 238th Regional Training Institute (RTI) met with senior noncommissioned officer instructors from Ecuador’s Army and Air Force in an engagement to share ideas on how to train their servicemembers. ... MORE

Kentucky Army National Guard and Ecuadorian enlisted instructors pose for a group photo at the rappel tower at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Ky. on June 29, 2022. Ecuadorian enlisted servicemembers visited the 238th RTI to exchange instructor techniques and procedures in part of the State Partnership Program. (U.S. Army photo by Andy Dickson)

KYARNG engineer company receives outstanding engineer award
June 27, 2022 — For the fifth straight year, a Kentucky Army National Guard engineer unit was named the best in the Guard... MORE

For the fifth straight year, a Kentucky Army National Guard engineer unit was named the best in the Guard.

Kentucky National Guard celebrates 230th birthday
June 27, 2022 — Airmen and Soldiers from across the Commonwealth gathered in Louisville, Kentucky, June 24, 2022, to celebrate the 230th birthday of the Kentucky National Guard, one of the nation’s oldest state militias... MORE

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Wilkinson, left, the Kentucky National Guard’s assistant adjutant general for Air; Airman 1st Class Maryah Bridges, center left; Spc. John Stark, center right; and Col. Joe Gardner, the Kentucky Guard’s Chief of Staff for Army, cut a ceremonial cake during a celebration honoring the 230th birthday of the Kentucky Guard in Louisville, Ky., June 24, 2022. The organization was established in 1792 by Gov. Isaac Shelby, 19 days after the Commonwealth became the 15th state of the Union. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Dale Greer)

Guarding Pride: An Inside Perspective of Serving During the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy
June 22, 2022 — Have you ever been grocery shopping and found yourself jolting your hand away when your significant other goes to hold your hand out of fear of being seen? If you pass all the military standards to qualify as a Soldier but had to hide who you are, would you leave or continue to serve? These are just a few operational norms service members in our LGBTQ+ community have experienced in the past and, at times, are still confronted by today. Eleven years after the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy has been redacted, now married Kentucky National Guard Soldier’s Staff Sgt. Claudia Rector and Jane Roth-Rothstein, KYNG prior service, discuss the many hardships they faced when they fell in love in Afghanistan in 2007. Many of the habits they established early in their relationship still affect how they approach their lives today. The fear of unacceptance still lingers. This is their story. ... MORE

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