National Guard

By Staff Sgt. Julian Kemper  175th WG – Maryland Air National Guard MIDDLE RIVER, Md. – The day before Thanksgiving, most people are thinking about a short list of things to do – ensuring the turkey is thawed, cleaning the house for a family visit, or preparing for a long trip to see relatives. For Maryland Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Brooke ...

By Maj. Travis Mueller, Pennsylvania National Guard FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Sgt. Miles Crawford and Spc. Robert Ruiz-Rhoades will advance to the 2025 Army National Best Warrior Competition after winning the Region II competition here May 5-9. Crawford, a human intelligence collector with the Maryland National Guard, won the Noncommissioned Officer of the Year category. Ruiz-Rhoades, an intelligence analyst with the Pennsylvania ...

By Chazz Kibler ANNAPOLIS, Md.—In a world increasingly reliant on technology, cyber operations have emerged as a critical frontier in national defense. Leading the charge in Maryland is Staff Sgt. Alexander Pownall, a cyber operations specialist in the Maryland National Guard’s Cyber Protection Team. Pownall’s journey into cyber defense reflects his deep commitment to service, aligning perfectly with the MDNG’s “I ...

By Staff Sgt. Laura Virtue WARFIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE AT MARTIN STATE AIRPORT, Md. — Inside Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport, preparations are underway for something far beyond the typical cadence of military operations. Soon, classrooms reserved for training Airmen will welcome a new kind of student: fifth-graders from local school districts across Maryland ready ...

The Maryland National Guard and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) conducted a joint logistics exchange as part of the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program, April 1–8, 2025.

GLEN ARM, Md. – The Maryland Army National Guard concluded its annual State Best Warrior Competition on April 4, 2025, a rigorous three-day event designed to identify and honor the state’s most proficient Soldiers. Held from April 2 to April 4, the competition challenged participants through a series of demanding physical and mental tasks, reflecting the Army’s commitment to excellence ...

Story by Capt. Dylan Bradford REISTERSTOWN, Md. – The Maryland Army National Guard welcomed its newest chief warrant officer 5 during a promotion ceremony at the Weinberg Center at Camp Fretterd Military Reservation, March 28, 2025. Chief Warrant Officer 5 Scott E. Erickson, one of five CW5s in the Maryland Army National Guard, currently serves as the state property book officer. “Achieving the ...

By Chazz Kibler   BALTIMORE—In a development for the Maryland Military Department, two employees from the Health Care for Heroes program have recently advanced within the agency, reflecting a commitment to promoting talent from within. Peter Kriscumas has transitioned from his role as program manager to deputy director of Legislative Affairs. At the same time, Schanell Hurt-Franklin has stepped up from program ...

Story by Maj. Benjamin Hughes MIDDLE RIVER, Md. – The Maryland Air National Guard divested their first A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft at Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport, March 26, 2025. The U.S. Air Force announced in March 2024 a plan for the Maryland Air National to divest all their A-10s this year and convert to a cyber wing. ...

MIDDLE RIVER, Md. – For the first time in its history, a Maryland Air National Guard Airman from the 175th Wing was selected as the Enlisted Field Advisory Council’s Region 2 Outstanding Airman of the Year in the noncommissioned officer category, February 24, 2025. Staff Sgt. Derek Herbert, an avionics test station and components technician assigned to the 175th Maintenance Squadron, ...

By Chazz Kibler Lt. Col. Vincent Reed poses for a photo holding his award. (Courtesy image) BALTIMORE—Maryland Army National Guard Lt. Col. Vincent Reed, a physician assistant assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-224th Aviation Security and Support Battalion, 29th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, received the Army Aviation Association of America (Quad A) Medicine Award at the Army Aviation Senior Leaders Conference ...