Spotlight on SPC Jacob Frantz: A Dedicated Guard Member and Family Man
August 25, 2024 — Spc. Jacob Frantz, an 88M Motor Transport Operator from Lewisburg, West Virginia, has served three years in the West Virginia Army National Guard and is a Spotlight for August 2024... MORE

Three photos of solider Jacob Frantz, man with family, man in airplane. Solider

130th Airlift Wing member lead planner for EOD Joint Training
August 23, 2024 — Master Sgt. Glynn Willard, emergency management superintendent for the Air National Guard’s 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston, West Virginia, was a lead planner for emergency management involvement in the exercise... MORE

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Patrick Harrington, left, explosive ordnance disposal technician with the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing, and Senior Airman Benito Pacheco, EOD technician with the Nebraska ANG's 155th Air Refueling Wing, review X-rays of an improvised explosive device May 13, 2024, as part of the Audacious Warrior exercise at Volk Field Air National Guard Base in Wisconsin. The nine-day exercise included over 70 participants assigned to the Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force Reserve and U.S. Marine Corps, as well as military EOD specialists from the Czech Republic.

WV STARBASE: Inspiring the Next Generation of STEM Innovators
August 19, 2024 — WV STARBASE Charleston, a youth program located at McLaughlin Air National Guard Base in Charleston, West Virginia, is dedicated to students by giving a hands-on experience in STEM. Every school year, STARBASE has around 2,000 5th graders from around the state that participate in up to 25 hours of exploring science, technology, engineering, and math... MORE

medium zoom photo of two boys with their heads down looking at a painting that one is painting with watercolors on a white piece of paper. red wall background. the other by is pointing to the paint brush.

Spotlight Maj. David Groom: Celebrating a Distinguished Career in Aviation
August 18, 2024 — As the we prepare to celebrate National Aviation Day tomorrow, Aug. 15, 2024, the West Virginia National Guard would like to Spotlight Maj. David J. Groom, a dedicated pilot with 21 years of military service... MORE

Graphic with three photos of a male airman either in camo uniform or with family.
TEXT: airman spotlight
Major David J. Groom
C-17 Pilot
age: 42 / Kearneysville, WV

Spotlight: CW5 Zachary McDowell
August 11, 2024 — West Virginia Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 5 Zachary McDowell is the Spotlight for Aug. 11, 2024... MORE

Graphic with three photos of a male soldier either in camo uniform or with family.
TEXT: soldier spotlight
CW5 Zachary McDowell
155AH / Standardization Officer
age: 43 / Hometown: Midwest City, OK

167th Airmen deploy as Mission Generation Force Element
August 9, 2024 — Nearly 150 Airmen with the 167th Airlift Wing deployed in June as a Mission Generation Force Element... MORE

People in uniform enter a military aircraft

167th Airlift Wing Airman Spotlight August 2024
August 9, 2024 — Tech. Sgt. Jessie Trejo is a Security Forces Craftsman and Phoenix Raven for the 167th Security Forces Squadron and he is the 167th Airlift Wing Airman Spotlight for August 2024... MORE

A man in uniform stands in front of police trucks

WV National Guard geologist digs his job
August 7, 2024 — U.S. Army 1st Lt. Matthew Shafer, a Huntington, West Virginia native, and a platoon leader with Horizontal Platoon, 821st Engineer Construction Company, 1092nd Engineer Battalion, 111th Engineer Brigade, West Virginia Army National Guard made the trek with his unit to Germany for Exercise Combined Resolve 24-2, a U.S.-led, NATO and partner integrated exercise in the European Theater focused on combined arms interoperability... MORE

1-150th Cavalry supports DEFENDER 24 in Czechia
August 7, 2024 — Less than 24 hours after touching down in Czechia via a commercial airline flight from the U.S., West Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers – some running on just a couple of hours of sleep – fell in on Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 at the Libava Training Area in Czechia at the start of DEFENDER 24 in March... MORE

The combined 405th Army Field Support Brigade team made up of Soldiers and Army civilians from Army Field Support Battalion-Africa from Livorno, Italy, and contractors from the Coleman Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Mannheim, Germany, as well as West Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 150th Cavalry Regiment, pose for a photo before conducting a safety briefing May 2 at an APS-2 Equipment Configuration and Hand-off Area at the Libava Training Area in Libava, Czechia, at the start of DEFENDER 24.

157th Military Police Company Receives Brief on Upcoming Deployment
August 6, 2024 — Soldiers assigned to the 157th Military Policy Company, 771st Troop Command Battalion, West Virginia Army National Guard, receive a briefing from Lt. Col. Ryan Kaufman and Command Sgt. Maj. Kendall Struxness at the Moorefield Armory, in Moorefield West Virginia on August 3, 2024... MORE

Large ground of Soldiers in Army PT uniforms sit in an auditorium and receive briefings from men in uniform

Spotlight: SGT Sophia Perez
August 4, 2024 — West Virginia Army National Guard Sgt. Sophia Perez is this week's Soldier Spotlight... MORE

Soldier spotlight
SGT Sophia Perez
Aviation Operations Specialist, FWAATS
age: 23 / Hometown : Martinsburg, WV

Spotlight: Travis Stone
August 4, 2024 — Travis Stone hails from Buffalo, West Virginia, and serves as the Director of the Apple Program at Patriot Guardens, converting reclaimed coal mine property into agricultural hubs... MORE

Graphic with three photos of a male in civilian clothes
TEXT: civilian spotlight
CIV. Travis Stone
Director of Apple Program, Patriot Guardens
age: 35 / Hometown: Buffalo, WV

167th Airlift Wing Airman Spotlight July 2024
July 31, 2024 — U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Zachary Pollard is a Water and Fuels Systems Maintenance Craftsman for the 167th Civil Engineering Squadron and the 167th Airlift Wing Airman Spotlight for July 2024... MORE

U.S. Army Pfc. Mose E. Vance Returns Home
July 31, 2024 — During a dignified transfer, the remains of U.S. Army Pfc. Mose E. Vance of Bradshaw, West Virginia, were released to his closest living relative and next-of-kin... MORE

honor guard soldiers unloading a flag-draped casket from a plane with a ground of family looking on.

Spotlight: SSG Anthony Jones
July 21, 2024 — The West Virginia National Guard Spotlight for July 21, 2024, is Staff Sgt. Anthony Michael Jones... MORE

soldier spotlight
SSG. Anthony Michael Jones
12N/Horizontal Construction Engineer, 197th RTI
age: 44 / Hometown: Van, WV

WVNG Hosts Pre-deployment Yellow Ribbon Event for 863rd MP Co. and 153rd PAD
July 15, 2024 — The West Virginia National Guard hosted a pre-deployment Yellow Ribbon event for the 863rd Military Police Co. and 153rd Public Affairs Det. on July 12, 2024, in Glen Jean, West Virginia... MORE

group of people looking at vendor tables

All-Hazards Joins Dunbar First Responders In Their Annual Jr. Police Academy
July 12, 2024 — The West Virginia National Guard's All-Hazards team collaborated with the Dunbar Safe Community, Police Department and Fire Department for their annual Junior Police Academy held at Dunbar Middle School July 8-12, 2024... MORE

The West Virginia National Guard's All-Hazards team collaborated with the Dunbar Safe Community, Police Department and Fire Department for their annual Junior Police Academy held at Dunbar Middle School July 8-12, 2024.

West Virginia National Guard Celebrates 106th Anniversary of Warrant Officers
July 10, 2024 — The West Virginia National Guard started off the morning of July 9, 2024, with a walk/run through Coonskin Park followed by breakfast at the Tackett House at Joint Forces Headquarters to celebrate the 106th anniversary of the Warrant Officer Corps, marking over a century of specialized leadership and service... MORE

two men standing behind a table and cutting a cake with a sword while smiling

Spotlight: Master Sgt. Staci Lentz
July 7, 2024 — The WVNG Spotlight for July 7, 2024, is Master Sgt. Staci R. Lentz, an Aerospace Medical Technician at the 167th Medical Group, 167th Airlift Wing... MORE

AIRMAN spotlight
Master Sgt. Staci R Lentz
4N071, Aerospace Medical Technician, 167th AW
age: 37 / Hometown: Shanghai, WV

130th Airlift Wing Guardsman Honored with Bronze Star Medal
June 18, 2024 — MCLAUGHLIN AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, W.Va. – Master Sgt. Andrew Mencin, of the 130th Airlift Wing’s Civil Engineering Squadron, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service while deployed to Iraq during a ceremony held Saturday, June 8th, 2024 at McLaughlin Air National Guard Base... MORE

Brig. Gen. David Cochran, Commander of the West Virginia Air National Guard, presents the Bronze Star certificate to Master Sgt. Andrew Mencin, a firefighter assigned to the 130th Airlift Wing during a ceremony held June 8, 2024, at McLaughlin Air National Guard Base, Charleston, W.Va. Mencin earned the Bronze Star for actions during a six-month deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. De-Juan Haley)

167th Airlift Wing conducts annual “superdrill”
June 13, 2024 — The 167th Airlift Wing conducted an annual four-day extended drill, June 6-9, at Shepherd Field, Martinsburg, West Virginia... MORE

167th Airlift Wing Airman Spotlight June 2024
June 13, 2024 — Master Sgt. Myrissa Everhart is part of the command support staff for the 167th Maintenance Group and the 167th Airlift Wing Airman Spotlight for June 2024. ... MORE

W.Va. National Guard’s Ridge Healer trains U.K. special operations medical teams for irregular warfare, austere medicine
June 3, 2024 — Nestled in a valley in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern West Virginia sits an out-of-use mining operations building that had become the temporary, clandestine medical facility for a team of British special operations forces medics and doctors. As the rain poured down, a small team of soldiers maneuvered their casualty into a room, fashioned a makeshift operating table, and began to administer life-saving procedures, working in tandem like a well-oiled machine... MORE

Members of the United Kingdom's 3 Ranger Special Operations Resuscitation Team or SORT provide medical care for a mock patient during the West Virginia National Guard-led Ridge Healer exercise held in late April throughout West Virginia. Ridge Healer is a medical exercise which provides the special operations community with irregular warfare medical resiliency and resistance training in austere, complex, contested and denied environments. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Lt. Col. Holli Nelson)

Guard Soldiers, Czech Partners Celebrate Victory in Europe Day
May 28, 2024 — Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia National Guard Soldiers participated in a Victory in Europe celebration May 8 in the Czech Republic... MORE

Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia National Guard Soldiers participated in a Victory in Europe celebration May 8, 2024, in Hranice, Czech Republic. The units mobilized to the Czech Republic under the command of the Virginia National Guard’s 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Planning summer travel? TAG's Reading List 2024 is a must-have
May 23, 2024 — West Virginia's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Bill Crane, shares his essential reading list in time for summer training and travel... MORE

Graphic of book cover with text of book title and description. on a crinkled brown paper background with WVNG seal in top left corner and text "TAG READING LIST 2024" in top right corner. book cover is centered with title and description text at bottom, centered.

167th Airlift Wing conducts readiness exercise validation
May 10, 2024 — The 167th Airlift Wing completed a four-day Readiness Exercise Validation event, Sentry Unicorn 2024, at Shepherd Field, Martinsburg, West Virginia, April 21... MORE

Chewning assumes command of 167th Medical Group
May 10, 2024 — A ceremony was held to mark the change in leadership for the 167th Medical Group, at the 167th Airlift Wing base dining facility, Shepherd Field, Martinsburg, West Virginia, May 4... MORE

a woman is seated as another woman and man change the rank on her uniform shoulder board

167th Airlift Wing marksman earns second Air Force distinguished shooter badge
May 10, 2024 — Master Sgt. Garey Diefenderfer recently earned his U.S. Air Force Distinguished Pistol Shooter badge. He earned his distinguished rifle badge in 1997... MORE

167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard Outstanding Airmen of the Year Recognized
May 10, 2024 — A ceremony was held to recognize the 167th Airlift Wing’s Outstanding Airmen of the Year at Shepherd Field, Martinsburg, West Virginia, May 4... MORE

two men applaud three other men while standing during a ceremony

167th Airlift Wing Airman Spotlight
May 10, 2024 — Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Casteel is a personnel specialist for the 167th Force Support Squadron and the 167th Airlift Wing Airman Spotlight for May 2024... MORE

Image Gallery

WV National Guard geologist digs his job

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Matthew Shafer, platoon leader, Horizontal Platoon, 821st Engineer Construction Company, 1092nd Engineer Battalion, 111th Engineer Brigade, West Virginia Army National Guard, smiles after a fulfilling rotation at Exercise Combined Resolve 24-2 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center near Hohenfels, Germany, May 28, 2024. This is the first Combined Resolve rotation that a National Guard unit has been selected to construct defensive emplacements and berms in the training area. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 1st Sgt. HollyAnn Nicom)

PHOTO BY: 1st Sgt. HollyAnn Nicom

VIRIN: 240531-Z-GF946-1000.JPG

FULL SIZE: 1.51 MB

Additional Details

CAMERA

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

LENS

EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

APERTURE

28/10

SHUTTERSPEED

1/1250

ISO

200

IMAGE IS PUBLIC DOMAIN

This photograph is considered public domain and has been cleared for release. If you would like to republish please give the photographer appropriate credit. Further, any commercial or non-commercial use of this photograph or any other DoD image must be made in compliance with guidance found at https://www.dimoc.mil/resources/limitations, which pertains to intellectual property restrictions (e.g., copyright and trademark, including the use of official emblems, insignia, names and slogans), warnings regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters.

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Video by Sgt. Cheryl Madolev, Staff Sgt. Mickey Miller, Sgt. Davis Rohrer

WVNG Best Warrior Competition 2024 Video

153rd Public Affairs Detachment

March 19, 2024 | 4:11

Soldiers and Airmen from the West Virginia and District of Columbia National Guard compete in the West Virginia National Guard Best Warrior Competition held April 19-21, 2024, at Camp Dawson in Kingwood, West Virginia. Best Warrior is an annual event where participants compete in a series of warrior training tasks including weapons proficiency on the M4 rifle, 9mm pistol, land navigation, physical fitness, combat first aid, tactical movements, communications, and professional development activities. Photos by 153rd Public Affairs Det., WVARNG