News Around the Florida National Guard

 

FLNG NEWS


Feb. 4, 2024

50th Regional Support Group’s best warriors compete

Nine Florida Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to units within to the 50th Regional Support Group (RSG) reported to Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, Florida, to compete at the brigade level of the Best Warrior Competition (BWC) on Feb. 1,

Feb. 4, 2024

202nd RED HORSE hosts annual contingency exercise

The Florida Air National Guard’s 202nd RED HORSE Squadron conducted the FEBEX24 exercise Feb. 2-3 to assess and enhance the readiness of its members. Airmen assigned to the Florida Air National Guard’s 125th Civil Engineer Squadron and 125th Medical

Feb. 1, 2024

3/20th holds Special Forces Conditioning and Preparation at Camp Blandin...

Following December’s Special Forces Readiness Evaluation, candidates from all over the country traveled back January 25th-28th for the second phase: Special Forces Conditioning and Preparation. There are multiple areas of participation that

Jan. 21, 2024

50th Regional Support Group conducts change of command ceremony

Army Brig. Gen. William Temple transferred his command of the 50th Regional Support Group to Army Col. Jeremey Davis during a change of command ceremony in Homestead, Florida, on Jan. 21, 2024.

Jan. 7, 2024

Florida Guard Soldier helps train Ukrainian forces, receives award from ...

Army Sgt. Iuliia Nichols, a culinary specialist assigned to the Florida Army National Guard’s (FLARNG) 927th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (CSSB), received Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Award for her contributions in training Ukrainian soldiers

NEWS AROUND THE NATIONAL GUARD


North Carolina Guardsmen Spc. Michael Smith, driving; Spc. Brycen Anderson; and Staff Sgt. Sethone Kan, 252 Engineering Company,130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, assigned to Joint Task Force-Southern Border, or JTF-SB, pose for a portrait before a night patrol in Rio Grande City, Texas, June 3, 2026. The Soldiers participated in a rescue mission the night before, working alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, to rescue an illegal alien who had been bitten by a snake. Northern Command is working side by side with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection within narrowly defined authorities, to provide unique military capabilities to protect the territorial integrity of the U.S. southern border. Courtesy photo.
North Carolina Guardsmen, Customs and Border Protection Conduct Rescue
By Capt. Shamari Pratt, | June 18, 2026
RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas – North Carolina National Guardsmen and U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nathan Shea, left, officer-in-charge of the Unmanned Aircraft System Training and Innovation Facility, or UASTIF, at Fort Indiantown Gap, and Sgt. 1st Class Brent Wehr, course manager for the 15X MOS transition course at the UASTIF, trouble-shoot an issue with an unmanned aircraft system on June 10, 2026, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. Photo by Brad Rhen.
Pennsylvania Modernizing Drone Training Facility
By Brad Rhen, | June 18, 2026
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – The Unmanned Aircraft System, or UAS, Training and Innovation Facility

Katherine and Matthew Zito raise their right hands during their enlistment swearing-in as Maj. Andrew Line swears them into the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, June 12, 2026. Photo by 2nd Lt. Jessica Barb.
Mother, Son Join Pennsylvania National Guard Together
By 2nd Lt. Jessica Barb, | June 18, 2026
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – For most of the past nine years, it was just the three of them – a mother and her

Sgt. Lorelei Hubbard, an administrative noncommissioned officer assigned to the Oklahoma Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion, uses an artificial intelligence tool to rapidly determine award eligibility for a National Guard member at the Recruiting and Retention Battalion headquarters in Oklahoma City on June 17, 2026. The AI tool, developed by Staff Sgt. Herbert Hailey, improves the awards review process, saving hundreds of hours of manual review per Soldier, and could potentially save the Oklahoma Army National Guard more than 60,000 hours when applied across the force. Portions of this image have been blurred for OPSEC/PII purposes. Photo by Anthony Jones.
Oklahoma Guardsman Harnesses AI to Save Thousands of Hours of Work
By Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones, | June 17, 2026
OKLAHOMA CITY – A groundbreaking new artificial intelligence tool developed by an Oklahoma Army

Iowa Air National Guard communication Airmen work to establish network connectivity while being observed by Kosovo Security Force communications soldiers during Exercise Sentinel Sica in Kosovo, June 9, 2026. The exercise challenged participants to maintain communications capabilities in a simulated operational environment featuring contested communications, cyber threats and evolving mission requirements. Photo by Senior Airman Armani Wilson.
Iowa Guard, Kosovo Partners Strengthen Communications in Exercise Sentinel Sica
By Senior Airman Armani Wilson, | June 17, 2026
POMOZOTIN, Kosovo – Iowa National Guard communications personnel participated in Exercise Sentinel

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FLNG HIGHLIGHTS


Maj. Gen. Robert Carruthers, left, and Command Sgt. Maj. Jasen Pask , right, award Spc. David Little as the Best Warrior Soldier of the Year at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, March 3, 2024. Best Warrior 2024 is an annually held competition that tests Florida Army National Guard Soldiers mental and physical endurance as they compete against peers. ( U.S. Army photo by Sgt. N.W. Huertas)
FLANG concludes Best Warrior 2024
By Sgt. Neysa Huertas Quinones | March 3, 2024
Best Warrior 2024 is complete, and Staff Sgt. Benjamin Corry, 2-116th Field Artillery Battalion, and Spc. David Little, 2-111th Aviation Regiment, were named the NCO and Soldier Best Warrior award recipients.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brian Danielewicz, commander of the 125th Medical Group Detachment 1 assumes command of the detachment, during a ceremony March 3, 2023, at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, Florida.  (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Jesse Hanson)
Assumption of Command
By Senior Airman Jesse Hanson | March 3, 2024
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brian Danielewicz, commander of the 125th Medical Group Detachment 1 assumes command of the detachment, during a ceremony March 3, 2023, at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, Florida.

Retired Chief Master Sgt. Ramon Perez, right, receives the Meritorious Service Medal from U.S. Air Force Col. Jarrett Virgil, 16th Air Force Air National Guard advisor to the commander during a retirement ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, March 2, 2024. Perez retired after 36
years of service. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Brooke Keisler)
Chief Master Sgt. Ramon Perez Retirement Ceremony
By Senior Airman Brooke Keisler | March 2, 2024
Retired Chief Master Sgt. Ramon Perez speaks during his retirement ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, March 2, 2024. Perez retired after 36 years of service

Florida National Guard Soldiers stand in formation at 83rd Troop Command's change of command ceremony for Col. Jason Hunt, Commander 83rd Troop Command, at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center on March 2nd, 2024. (Photo taken by Mr. Orion Oettel)
83rd Troop Command Change of Command Ceremony
By Mr. Orion Oettel | March 2, 2024
Maj. Gen. Robert Carruthers, Commander of the Florida Army National Guard, presided over the 83rd Troop Command's change of command on Saturday, March 2, 2024 at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center.

Last Friday, on March 1st, we said farewell to Col. Gray Johnson, 16th Chief of Staff of the Florida Army National Guard. 
Maj. Gen. Robert Carruthers presided over the retirement ceremony at historic Cooper Hall on Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, where Col. Johnson's 30 years of service as a Florida Army National Guard soldier were recognized.
Thank you for your inspirational guidance and mentorship, sir, and best wishes in your future endeavors!
Col. Gray Johnson Retirement
By Mr. William Manley | March 1, 2024
Last Friday, on March 1st, we said farewell to Col. Gray Johnson, 16th Chief of Staff of the Florida Army National Guard.