Kentucky Guard

Kentucky National Guard community recognized during Heroes Day at Keeneland
April 30, 2026 — Volunteers, youth leaders and family support staff with the Kentucky National Guard were recognized during Heroes Day at Keeneland Race Course April 12... MORE

Pictured here is the winner’s circle after Race 1, featuring our dedicated Volunteers, Kentucky Teen Council members, and Family Programs staff—all of whom play a vital role in supporting our Soldiers and their families.

Kentucky welcomes newest officers
April 29, 2026 — Kentucky Officer Candidate School Class 68-26 commissioned in Frankfort, April 18, 2026, following 12 months of rigorous training. Kentucky's newest officers have been tested and are mission-ready leaders, prepared to serve the Commonwealth at home and the nation abroad... MORE

Officer Candidate School Class 68-26 poses for a group photograph following their graduation ceremony at Kentucky State University’s David H. Bradford Hall Auditorium in Frankfort, Kentucky, April 18, 2026.

Kentucky Native Col. Franklin (Shaune) Jones Promoted to Brigadier General
April 28, 2026 — Brig. Gen. Franklin “Shaune” Jones, a native of Owingsville, Kentucky, was promoted by Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, in a ceremony at the National Guard Memorial Museum, April 3, 2026... MORE

Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, administers the oath of office to Brig. Gen. Franklin “Shaune” Jones during a promotion ceremony at the National Guard Memorial Museum in Washington, April 3, 2026.

Mayor, city council recognize Air Guard firefighters for plane crash response
April 24, 2026 — Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and members of the Metro Council paid tribute April 20 to firefighters from the Kentucky Air National Guard and emergency responders from more than 40 other agencies for their coordinated efforts to extinguish a massive blaze after a cargo plane crashed near Grade Lane on Nov. 4... MORE

Members of the Louisville Metro Council present Master Sgt. Ty Allen, left, fire chief for the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing, and Assistant Chief William Weinstein, right, with a proclamation in Louisville, Ky., April 20, 2026, on behalf of eight Guard firefighters who responded to a deadly cargo plane crash last year. The firefighters were among the first emergency responders to arrive at the crash site and worked with dozens of others to bring a raging fire under control. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Phil Speck)

Kentucky welcomes its newest targeting officer
April 21, 2026 — Friends and family gathered to celebrate U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Elijah Johnson’s appointment to warrant officer during a ceremony in Lexington, Feb. 10, 2026. Johnson is Kentucky’s newest field artillery targeting technician, assigned to the 138th Operational Fires Command... MORE

U.S. Army Warrant Officer Elijah Johnson with his wife, Samijo, and daughter, Mallory after his appointment, Feb. 10, 2026, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Aircraft arrive at Kentucky Air National Guard Base for Thunder air show
April 16, 2026 — Military aircraft began arriving at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base on April 16 in preparation for this weekend’s Thunder Over Louisville air show... MORE

A U.S. Air Force F-16 from the Viper Demonstration Team at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., flies over the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., April 16, 2026 in advance of this weekend’s Thunder Over Louisville air show. The Kentucky Air Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing is serving as the base of operations for military aircraft participating in the show. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Dale Greer)

Ecuadorian military team visits Kentucky Guard to share disaster-response techniques
April 14, 2026 — Seven members of the Ecuadorian armed services visited Kentucky recently to learn more about how the Kentucky National Guard responds to emergencies and to share their own techniques for disaster operations... MORE

Members of the Ecuadorian military examine a forward-looking infrared radiation isotope detector while observing an emergency-response training scenario involving airmen and soldiers from the Kentucky National Guard’s 41st Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team and civilian emergency responders at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Ky., March 10, 2026. The Ecuadorians were visiting as part of the National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program to learn more about the Kentucky Guard’s emergency-response capabilities and interagency cooperation across the state, and to share their own techniques for responding to emergency contingencies. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Phil Speck)

Kentucky Air Guard firefighters honored for civilian plane-crash response
April 10, 2026 — Eight firefighters from the Kentucky Air National Guard were honored here recently for their role in subduing a massive fire after a United Parcel Service cargo jet crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in 2025... MORE

Eight firefighters from the 123rd Fire and Emergency Services Department are honored with Kentucky Distinguished Service Medals during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., Dec. 14, 2026, for their efforts in subduing a massive fire after a United Parcel Service cargo jet crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in November. Receiving the medal were (left to right) Assistant Fire Chiefs William Weinstein and Kyle Miller; Firefighter Ethan Howay; Crew Chief Logan Ramsey; and Firefighters Mark Shultz, William Daniels, Alan Smith and Robert Holmes (not pictured). Joining the firefighters for the ceremony were Fire Chief Ty Allen and Kentucky’s assistant adjutant general for Air, Birg. Gen. Bruce Bancroft. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Josh Horton)

White House Honors National Guard-Supported Counterdrug Operations
April 9, 2026 — The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy recognized National Guard counterdrug programs for support to 10 award-winning law enforcement investigations during the National Drug Control Awards Ceremony, April 2... MORE

National Guard members stand alongside law enforcement and community partners during the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, or HIDTA, National Awards Ceremony hosted by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, April 2, 2026.

Kentucky National Guard Soldiers Support Army Reserve Best Squad Competition at Fort Knox
April 8, 2026 — Approximately ten Soldiers from the Kentucky National Guard’s 2061st Multi-Role Bridge Company (MRBC) supported the 2026 U.S. Army Reserve Combined Best Squad Competition at Fort Knox March 26, while simultaneously conducting their own annual training... MORE

They assisted with the the Salt River Live Fire Exercise that challenged the Reserves Soldiers to shoot while in a moving Zodiac boat.

Kentucky National Guard hosts job shadow event in Bardstown
March 31, 2026 — The Kentucky National Guard hosted a job shadow event for ten local high school students at the National Guard Armory in Bardstown on March 24. Organized by the Recruiting and Retention Battalion and Charlie Battery, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery, the event provided students with a firsthand look at military careers such as combat medicine, field artillery, signal support, and equipment maintenance through interactive stations... MORE

Students don protective masks during a timed event to apply Mission-Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear during a cumulative skills challenge at a job shadow event in Bardstown, Kentucky, March 24.

Weapons qualifications and leadership evaluations completed at WHFRTC
March 31, 2026 — The 103rd Brigade Support Battalion conducted training in Greenville, Ky., March 20-21. Soldiers qualified on various weapons, leaders were evaluated, and the battalion's logistical capabilities were tested to ensure the unit remains a prepared and effective force... MORE

U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Collin Sissom of the 103rd Brigade Support Battalion, 38th Infantry Division Artillery, completes M4 rifle qualification at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, March 20, 2026.

Guard Airmen earn Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal for life-saving actions
March 31, 2026 — Master Sgt. Sarah Cobb and Lt. Col. Daniel Dierfeldt were awarded the Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base on Dec. 14 for their role in saving the life of an Airman undergoing cardiac arrest... MORE

Master Sgt. Sarah Cobb (right), aerospace flight and operational medical technician for the 123rd Medical Group, and Lt. Col. Daniel Dierfeldt, chief of aerospace medicine for the 123rd Medical Group, saved the life of an Airman who suffered a cardiac arrest in August 2025, quickly assessing the situation and employing CPR at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville Ky. Both were awarded the Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal for their actions. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Joshua Horton)

Kentucky names 2026 ‘Best Warriors’
March 25, 2026 — Twenty Kentucky Army National Guard Soldiers representing major commands across the commonwealth competed in the 2026 Best Warrior Competition at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center, March 20-22... MORE

his competition shows the adaptiveness, resilience, and lethality of our forces, affirming the readiness of National Guard citizen-Soldiers to meet the nation's challenges.

Kentucky Air Guard honors top Airmen
March 25, 2026 — The Kentucky Air National Guard recognized the 123rd Airlift Wing’s top Airmen for 2026 during the Airman’s Gala in Louisville on March 14... MORE

The Kentucky Air National Guard recognizes the 123rd Airlift Wing’s top Airmen for 2026 during the Airman’s Gala at Wildwood Country Club in Louisville, Ky., March 14, 2026. Senior Airman Ethan Greco, Staff Sgt. Lucas Bradshaw and Senior Master Sgt. Dallas Stoll were honored in the Airman, NCO and Senior NCO categories, while Master Sgt. Josh Pence was named First Sergeant of the Year. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Joshua Horton)

Kentucky Guard medics sharpen lifesaving skills
March 24, 2026 — Kentucky Army National Guard medics from around the state sharpened their lifesaving skills during a two-week annual recertification course at Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center, Feb. 21- March 6. The course brought together combat medics, combat paramedics and critical care flight paramedics–all military occupational specialty 68W–to refresh critical medical knowledge and ensure they remain fully qualified to provide care in combat environments... MORE

Kentucky Army National Guard combat medics from the 201st Headquarters company conducts medical refresher training to ensure readiness for upcoming missions, at Wendell H. Ford regional training center, March 2, 2026.

Kentucky surpasses expectations through ‘KEEP’, a non-traditional National Guard recruiting program
March 18, 2026 — In response to nationwide recruiting struggles, the Kentucky National Guard has implemented a successful new strategy. The Kentucky Enlistment Enhancement Program (KEEP) incentivizes its own Soldiers and Airmen—not professional recruiters—to find new enlistees. This approach has proven highly effective, bringing more than 600 new members into the Kentucky force since its inception in February 2023... MORE

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse Withers, Kentucky's state command sergeant major, presents a check to Pfc. Iram Sosa during a ceremony at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Nov. 19, 2025. The presentation is part of the Kentucky Enlistment Enhancement Program, an initiative that pays Soldiers for enlistments that they refer to the Guard. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Milt Spalding)

Kentucky Guard answers the call for Winter Storm Fern
March 12, 2026 — More than 2,200 Kentucky National Guard Soldiers and Airmen activated to support emergency operations across the state as Winter Storm Fern swept through the commonwealth in late January... MORE

U.S Army Sgt. 1st Class Caleb Tidei, Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Wilhoit and Spc. Kyle Clark, all with the 63rd Theater Aviation Brigade, assist a vehicle who had gotten stuck on the roadway in Frankfort Kentucky, during Winter Storm Fern Jan. 26, 2026.

Kentucky National Guard ‘Ready for the Future,’ Army Guard Director Tells Leaders
March 11, 2026 — The director of the Army National Guard praised the Kentucky National Guard’s combat readiness, domestic response capabilities and international partnerships during remarks at a leadership conference, Feb. 28... MORE

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, shares his leadership philosophy with Kentucky Guardsmen at the 2026 National Guard Association of Kentucky conference at the Sloan Convention Center in Bowling Green, Ky., Feb. 28, 2026.

Pence selected as Kentucky Air Guard’s top first sergeant for 2026
March 8, 2026 — Master Sgt. Josh Pence has been selected as the Kentucky Air National Guard’s First Sergeant of the Year for 2026 and will be honored at the Airman’s Gala banquet in Louisville, Kentucky, March 14, 2016... MORE

Master Sgt. Josh Pence, first sergeant for 123rd Medical Group, has been named the Kentucky Air National Guard’s First Sergeant of the Year for 2026. He will be honored at a banquet in Louisville, Ky., March 14, 2026. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Phil Speck)

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