Kentucky Guard

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Archive: 2025

Bearny appointed command chief for 123rd Airlift Wing
June 30, 2025 — Chief Master Sgt. Blair Baerny accepted the guidon of the 123rd Airlift Wing during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Kentucky, April 13, signifying his appointment as the unit’s new command chief and highest-raking enlisted Airman... MORE

Chief Master Sgt. Blair Baerny, the newly appointed command chief for the 123rd Airlift Wing, speaks during a change-of-responsibility ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville Ky, April 13, 2025. Baerny replaces Chief Master Sgt. Steven Best , who was named state command chief for the Kentucky Air National Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Joshua Horton)

Best named top enlisted leader of Kentucky Air National Guard
June 29, 2025 — Chief Master Sgt. Steven Best officially assumed the post of state command chief for the Kentucky Air National Guard during a ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, April 13... MORE

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Steven Best, right, accepts the guidon for Joint Force Headquarters—Kentucky/Air from U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Haldane Lamberton, adjutant general of the Kentucky National Guard, signifying Best’s assumption of the role of state command chief during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., April 13, 2025. Best replaces U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. James Tongate, who is retiring. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Joshua Horton)

State command chief Tongate retires after 28 years of service to Kentucky Guard
June 29, 2025 — Chief Master Sgt. James Tongate concluded 28 years of service to the Kentucky National Guard with a retirement ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, April 13... MORE

Chief Master Sgt. James Tongate, right, Kentucky Air National Guard state command chief, is presented with the Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Haldane Lamberton, Kentucky’s adjutant general, during Tongate’s retirement ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., April 13, 2025. Tongate served the U.S. military for 33 years. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Joshua Horton)

Kentucky Guardsman Interprets Native Language, Cyber Skills
June 13, 2025 — Kentucky Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Daniel Jarillo-Gutierrez and over 900 Soldiers, Sailors, Guardians and civilian experts participated in Cyber Shield 2025, a cybersecurity exercise held in Virginia from May 30 to June 13. They collaborated to share best practices and build a unified defense against cyber threats. Using his trilingual skills – English, Spanish, and cyber expertise – Jarillo-Gutierrez worked with Ecuadorian participants to strengthen Kentucky’s partnership with Ecuador by enhancing both nations’ cybersecurity capabilities during this exercise... MORE

Staff Sgt. Daniel Jarillo-Gutierrez, an information technology specialist assigned to Joint Force Headquarters with the Kentucky Army National Guard participates in exercise Cyber Shield 2025 with Ecuadorian state partners in Virginia Beach, Virginia, June 4, 2025.

Kentucky Soldiers take part in Region III Best Warrior Competition
June 10, 2025 — Two Kentucky Army National Guardsmen represented the state in the Region III Best Warrior Competition (BWC) at the McCrady Training Center in Eastover, South Carolina, April 21-26... MORE

U.S. Army Spc. Syrus Butts, a cannon crewmember with Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery, participates in the shoot, move, communicate and survive events of the Best Warrior Competition (BWC), Region III phase, held at the Clinton House Range, Clinton, South Carolina, April 24, 2025.

Calm in the Chaos: Flight Medic Training Turns Real
June 5, 2025 — Soldiers of the Louisiana Army National Guard’s 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and its assigned units reacted to a real-world emergency that occurred during a medical evacuation training exercise on May 14, 2025... MORE

Staff Sgt. Ashley Renye performs during a culminating training event to medically evacuate Soldiers at Fort Cavazos, Texas, May 14, 2025.

Gold Star families unite on the Ohio River for a day of remembrance
June 5, 2025 — Hundreds of Gold Star families came together from across the region to ride aboard the Belle of Cincinnati for the 11th annual Riverboat Ride on the Ohio River, June 1, 2025... MORE

Gold Star family members gather aboard the Belle of Cincinnati during the 11th annual Riverboat Ride on the Ohio River in Newport, Ky., June 1, 2025.

123rd Airmen honored by Kentucky, North Carolina for 2024 hurricane response
June 4, 2025 — Eleven members of the 123rd Airlift Wing’s Fatality Search and Recovery Team were recently honored with medals from two states for meritorious service following Hurricane Helene in 2024... MORE

Senior Airman Carolyn Peabody, left, is one of 11 members of the 123rd Airlift Wing Fatality Search and Recovery Team who was recognized with two decorations during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., April 13, 2025, for disaster-recovery work following Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.

Andersen promoted to colonel in Lexington ceremony
May 30, 2025 — U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robert (Robbie) Andersen, commander of the 138th Operational Fires Command, was promoted to the rank of colonel during a ceremony at the Lexington Armory, surrounded by family, friends and fellow Soldiers, May 30, 2025... MORE

U.S. Army Col. Robert Andersen is pinned with his new rank by his children during his promotion ceremony at the Lexington Armory, May 30, 2025.

138th Operational Fires Command completes first corps-level Command Post Exercise with US Army V Corps
May 29, 2025 — Soldiers from the Lexington, Kentucky-based 138th Operational Fires Command (OFC), Kentucky Army National Guard, recently participated in a corps-level Command Post Exercise (CPX) with U.S. Army V Corps, held in early May 2025 at both Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Camp Kosciusko in Poland. ... MORE

Soldiers from the 138th Operational Fires Command integrate with 41st Field Artillery Brigade and U.S. Army V Corps during Command Post Exercise hosted in both Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Camp Kosciusko, Poland, early May 2025.

A Faithful Servant: Former State Chaplain Prepares for Retirement After Decades of Service
May 29, 2025 — U.S. Army Chaplain (Col.) William Draper is set to retire from the Kentucky National Guard in June 2025 after more than four decades of dedicated service, leaving behind a legacy marked by compassion, commitment and spiritual leadership... MORE

U.S. Army Chaplain (Col.) William Draper sits in in his office at the Joint Force Headquarters building on Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort April 21, 2025.

Twenty-two names added to Kentucky National Guard Memorial
May 28, 2025 — More than 100 people gathered for the Kentucky National Guard's Memorial Day observance held at Boone National Guard Center on May 26, 2025. Twenty-two names of fallen Kentucky Guard Soldiers and Airmen were added to the Kentucky National Guard Memorial in recognition and remembrance of their service... MORE

Kennedi Trowell, niece of U.S. Air Force Maj. Latonia Trowell, makes an etching of her aunt’s name after the Memorial Day remembrance ceremony that was held at the Kentucky National Guard Memorial at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Kentucky, May 26, 2025.

1792nd CSSB uses field exercise to strengthen leaders at every level
May 28, 2025 — Soldiers assigned to the 1792nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion executed multiple events during annual training to empower new and future leaders. The multi-week training exercise held May 12-28 at Camp Atterbury focused on developing the technical and leadership skills needed to defend against modern threats... MORE

Soldiers assigned to the 1792nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion conduct chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, May 21, 2025.

Kentucky Air National Guard recognizes 2024 retirees
May 27, 2025 — Forty retired members of the Kentucky Air National Guard were honored by the 123rd Airlift Wing in Louisville, Kentucky, April 12 when a plaque bearing their names was unveiled in front of the Lt. Gen. John B. Conaway Headquarters Building... MORE

Current and former members of the 123rd Airlift Wing gather at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., April 12, 2025, for a ceremony unveiling a new marble tablet honoring retirees.

Exercise Grindstone tests Kentucky Air Guard’s response to a major earthquake
May 24, 2025 — The Kentucky Air National Guard staged a major earthquake-response exercise in Paducah, Kentucky, May 13-15, deploying more than 30 Airmen and three aircraft to establish a regional cargo hub, process relief supplies, provide fuel for helicopter operations and manage aeromedical evacuations at two airports... MORE

An airman from the 123rd Contingency Response Group marshals a C-130J Super Hercules from the Kentucky Air National Guard down a taxiway at Murray-Calloway County Airport in Murray, Ky., May 14, 2025, as part of Exercise Grindstone, a major earthquake-response simulation.

Kentucky National Guard band supports local historical society’s 200th bicentennial event
May 23, 2025 — Soldiers of the Kentucky National Guard’s 202nd Army Band supported the 200th anniversary of the French officer Marquis de Lafayette’s visit of Frankfort which was coordinated by the Kentucky Historical Society at the Old State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky., May 17, 2025... MORE

Soldiers with the Kentucky National Guard’s 202nd Army Band performs a concert at the Kentucky Historical Society’s (KHS) 200th anniversary event at the Old State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky. on May 17, 2025. The band supported the 200th anniversary of the French officer Marquis de Lafayette’s visit of Frankfort which was coordinated by the KHS. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Dickson)

Soldiers push mental, physical toughness in Norwegian Foot March
May 22, 2025 — More than 200 National Guard Soldiers, along with several ROTC cadets from the University of Kentucky, took on the Norwegian Foot March during a recent event hosted by the 206th Engineer Battalion, with 90 of them successfully completing the rigorous 18.6-mile course at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center May 12, 2025... MORE

2nd Lt. Darian Huff with the 2061st Multi-Role Bridge Company, Kentucky Army National Guard, completes the Norwegian Foot March at the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center in Greenville, Ky., May 12, 2025.

Kentucky Recruiting Battalion Gets New Commander
May 21, 2025 — Lt. Col. Jason W. Mendez relinquished command of Kentucky's Recruiting and Retention Battalion to Lt. Col. Stephen T. Strack during a change of command ceremony at the Wellman Armory on Boone National Guard Center, May 20, 2025... MORE

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Stephen Strack, incoming battalion commander, holds the unit guidon after it was passed to him signifying the exchange of command during the Recruiting and Retention Battalion’s change of command ceremony at Wellman Armory on Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort May 20, 2025.

Simpson, Thomas Qualify for 2025 CrossFit Games, Championing Army's H2F Program
May 21, 2025 — Col. Eddie Simpson and 1st Lt. Erik Thomas, both members of the Kentucky Army National Guard, qualified for the 2025 CrossFit Games. Competing in August in Columbus, Ohio, they credit their success to years of dedication and the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program... MORE

U.S. Army Col. Eddie Simpson (left) and 1st Lt. Erik Thomas pose for a post-workout photo at CrossFit Frankfort in Frankfort, Kentucky, May 15, 2025.

Kentucky National Guard leaders brief new civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army during Frankfort visit
May 20, 2025 — Kentucky National Guard leaders met with retired Col. Lance O’Bryan, newly appointed civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA), on April 30 at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort. The visit allowed Guard leadership to brief O’Bryan—who previously served as Fort Knox garrison commander—on the Guard’s mission, structure and state-federal partnerships. CASAs serve as key liaisons between the Army and civilian communities, offering insight on regional issues and strengthening public support... MORE

Kentucky Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA), retired U.S. Army Col. Lance O’Bryan, listens to presentations from Kentucky National Guard directorates at Boone National Guard Center, Frankfort, April 30, 2025. Kentucky National Guard senior leadership along with directorates met with O’Bryan to highlight the Kentucky National Guard and the organization’s capabilities. (U.S. Army photo by Milt Spalding)

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