BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (5/17/13) – Colorado Army National Guard pilots flew in four new Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopters May 17 at the Army Aviation Support Facility here.

On May 22, 2008, at 11:26 a.m., an EF3 tornado ripped through Windsor, Colo. Winds reaching up to 65 mph killed one person destroyed 78 homes in a 39-mile swath of chaos and destruction.

With parachute wings and combat infantry badges fixed upon their chests, one Special Forces operator ascended to become one of the COARNG's highest ranking men of color, while the other now prepares to become the COARNG's newest land component commander.

GYPSUM, Colo. (4/26/13) – Senior Colorado National Guard officials, community leaders and World War II veterans cut the ribbon at a new state-of-the-art aviation training facility at the Eagle County Airport in Gypsum, Colo., April 26.

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (4/25/13) -- Renovations began April 25 on the 140th Wing’s Building 700, formerly home to the 120th Fighter Squadron.

ARLINGTON, Va. (4/22/13) –­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ ESGR, a DOD operational committee, announced that three Colorado employers have been selected as semifinalists for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (4/13/13) -- Roughly 200 Colorado National Guard Soldiers and Airmen spent April 12-14 training at the West Metro Fire Training Center in Lakewood, Colo., in preparation for this summer’s multi-state National Guard Bureau evaluation.

FORT CARSON, Colo. (4/7/13) – Sixteen elite noncommissioned officers and Soldiers competed for the title of Best Warrior over the course of three days at the Region VII Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition April 4-7 at Fort Carson, Colo.

A simple blue kite punctuates the sky in Ash Shajarah, Jordan. Just a few kilometers north, in Al Ramtha Governance, a man who has been shot by a sniper is carried into Jordan from across the Syrian border.

Standing tall and proud in front of the state capitol in Denver is a bronze figure of a Civil War Soldier facing southwest with a gun in his hand.

ARLINGTON, Va. (3/19/13) -- ESGR, a Department of Defense operational committee, announced March 19 that 59 Colorado Guard and Reserve members nominated their employers for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (3/18/13) -- Four gold medals from Colorado Army National Guard wrestlers contributed to the Army team victory at the Armed Forces Wrestling Championships March 16-17 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

GREELEY AIR NATIONAL GUARD STATION, Colo. (12/14/12) – Through a collaborative effort, the 233rd Space Group recently became the first military installation in Colorado to be certified as a StormReady Supporter by the National Weather Service.

Just like other professional athletes, training and competing is their job -- but ultimately, these Soldier-athletes work to earn a spot to represent the U.S., the U.S. Army, and the Colorado National Guard in the Olympics.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (2/27/13) -- A 'Space Cowboy' from the Colorado Army National Guard's 117th Space Battalion was recently inducted into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club.

DENVER (3/2/13) -- Before the Colorado Mammoth took the playing field, a flag bearing Colorado National Guardsman stood proudly on the Pepsi Center turf as the national anthem played March 2.

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (2/26/13) -- Civil Engineers from several Air National Guard units around the country participated in a mission planning conference in Winter Park, Colo., recently, to discuss new construction projects.

Being an enlisted ground-based midcourse defense Air Defender is not easy or glamorous, but it’s an important job very few get to do. And when it comes to getting promoted as such, that’s a process as rare as the Air Defenders themselves.

ARLINGTON, Va. (2/21/13) -- National Guard members nationwide -- especially military technicians -- could be affected by the DOD's furlough that could begin in late April unless Congress overrides a “sequestration” provision by March 1.

The sight of tail smoke lasted in the air long after the actual object launched over the Ronald Reagan viewing site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Jan. 26.

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (2/14/12) -- The 140th Wing safety office hosted members of the Royal Jordanian Air Force last week to exchange ideas and best practices about aviation safety and build relationships.

I first got to know Mark Jenkins when, as the new detachment commander, we conducted a commander’s inventory. He was outgoing, loud, and entirely unconcerned about what impression he was making on me, the incoming commander.

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (2/1/13) -- 140th Wing community sponsor Charles Von Thun joined Alabama business leaders as they participated with Air University staff, faculty, and students Jan. 23 to evaluate a series of 60-second “elevator pitches.”

From classrooms to low crawling, the Colorado National Guard’s best Soldiers will soon compete against those from eight of the country’s states and territories.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (2/4/13) -- Colorado Army National Guard Soldier and member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program earned a bronze medal at the Dave Schultz Memorial International wrestling tournament Jan. 31 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"For the love of rodeo and country," is the motto of the Professional Armed Forces Rodeo Association. Maj. Paul Brittain, a Colorado Army National Guard Soldier and rodeo cowboy in the PAFRA, embodies those values.

WASHINGTON (1/22/13) – Preparations under way for the looming threat of major across-the-board Pentagon spending cuts are “a drag on the department,” Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.

The son of a reverend and an ordained minister himself, Sgt. 1st Class Mark DWayne Jenkins lived to serve others.

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (1/16/13) -- The senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that he can’t succeed without help from enlisted troops, and he called on NCOs to know their troops well enough to head off problems.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (1/9/13) -- The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs' "Hero 2 Hired" Mobile Job Store will be operational in the Peterson Club parking lot from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 22-23.

I've attached a new Vision for the United States Air Force. Focused on "Airmen, Mission, and Innovation," I believe this short document captures what today's Air Force is all about and where I think we ought to focus for tomorrow.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is encouraging Guardsmen and Reservists to nominate their civilian employers for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award Jan. 21.

It's "Tebow Time."

For more than a week in November, two Slovenian armed forces members visited Colorado National Guard and active duty military ranges to procure styles, ideas and techniques on revamping their ranges in Slovenia.

Paratus preliator — prepared warrior — isn't just the motto of the Army National Guard's Recruit Sustainment Program; it's an acute description of the preparedness coaching Soldiers receive while awaiting Basic Training.

Readiness goes deeper than knowledge, training, leadership and location. What happens behind the scenes -- managing and maintaining the facilities in which these troops operate -- can make or break the National Guard's ability to respond when needed.

Geographical dispersion of National Guard facilities across states is just one consideration for a governor to be prepared for an emergency.

WAINWRIGHT, Alberta (11/8/12) -- Soldiers with Task Force Eagle endured frigid Canadian temperatures as they participated in high-readiness evaluation exercise, Maple Resolve, by providing heavy lift and medevac assets to the mission.

AURORA, Colo. (11/8/12) -- More than a hundred veterans of all ages and every branch of service were treated like all-stars as they squeezed through a gauntlet of young students Mission Viejo Elementary School in Aurora, Colo., Nov. 8.

AURORA, Colo. (11/3/12) – The Colorado Army National Guard’s Honor Guard marched and saluted its way into first place Oct. 13 at the Colorado State Honor Guard Symposium and Competition at Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colo.

CENTENNIAL, COLO. (10/26/12) – Fellow service members, friends and family honored Army Space Support Team-25, part of the 117th Space Battalion, in a departure ceremony at Joint Force Headquarters-Colorado in Centennial, Colo., Oct. 26.

Applause erupted as Operational Mentor and Liaison Team-4 filed onto the drill floor to greet their waiting families at the Joint Army Air Building on Buckley Air Force Base, in Aurora Colo., Oct 21.

WASHINGTON (10/25/12) -- Congress "is on the clock" and has critical work to accomplish when the House and Senate come back into session after the Nov. 6 election, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (10/22/12) -- Gen. Craig R. McKinley spent the past 14 years serving in the nation’s capital, but returned home to northeast Florida Oct. 19 to celebrate his nearly 40-year military career with the people he served with the longest.

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (10/18/12) -- Air Force Personnel Center officials have extended the window for eligible active-duty Airmen to submit their retirement or separation applications.

Army Space Soldiers from the 117th Space Battalion, Colorado Army National Guard, took a step back in time for a Change of Responsibility ceremony at the Jet Center Brown Hanger by the Colorado Springs Airport Oct. 14.

CENTENNIAL , Colo. (9/30/12) -- Soldiers, civilians and county sheriff's personnel worked in tandem to rescue injured climbers in the Indian Peaks mountain range Sept. 7.

Protecting Colorado’s people by fighting wildfires and performing search-and-rescue missions is a vital part of the National Guard, but the missions wouldn’t be possible without the Colorado Army National Guard's Aviation Support Facility.

WASHINGTON (10/12/12) -- The military’s top commissioned and noncommissioned officers have joined forces to urge service members to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming election.

Beginning Oct. 9, Soldiers can vote on which PT uniform they think looks the best.

The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System is a weapon prized for its mobility and versatility -- not only on the ground but now also in the air.

Col. Ed Vaughan has made a career out of finding innovative solutions to challenging problems. Now, the Colorado Air National Guard officer has his sights set on a serious issue confronting members of the military's reserve components.

RENO, Nev. (9/11/12) -- The active-duty Air Force, its Reserve and the Air National Guard must work together to move forward, the chief of staff of the Air Force said here Spt. 11.

RENO, Nev. (9/11/12) – Service members facing behavioral health challenges should feel comfortable asking for help, Defense Department leaders said here this week.

WASHINGTON (9/17/12) -- Employers of Guard members and reservists were cited for their support of Soldiers in a presidential proclamation issued Sept. 14.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (9/11/12) -- Nearly 300 Soldiers from the Colorado Army National Guard deployed to the National Training Center located on Fort Irwin, Calif., to conduct their annual training July 29-Aug. 18.

RENO, Nev. (9/11/12) -- The chief of staff of the Army paid tribute to the role of the National Guard in the immediate aftermath of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and in the years since.

Sixty-seven years after the end of World War II, Colorado's highly respected 157th Infantry is displaying a memorial bench to celebrate its accomplishments during the war. The bench is now on display at the Colorado National Guard state headquarters.

ARLINGTON, Va. (9/7/12) -- Gen. Frank Grass became the 27th chief of the National Guard Bureau in a change of responsibility ceremony Sept. 7 at the Pentagon.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (8/31/12) -- Using a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter equipped with a hoist, one flight crew helped rescue four injured hikers -- in span of five hours -- in the Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness Area Aug. 25.

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (8/31/12) -- Soldiers of the 947th Engineer Company (Horizontal), Colorado Army National Guard, will be busy through mid-September helping their fellow Coloradoans prevent a disastrous flood on the Western Slope.

Smartphone applications, or apps, have no shortage of uses and can include nearly everything from sharing an exercise route with a friend to finding nearby restaurants.

The National Football League regular season is quickly approaching and players are moving fast and hitting hard to prepare themselves for those demanding games.

FORT IRWIN, Calif. (8/7/12) -- Soldiers of the Colorado Army National Guard gathered at Forward Operating Base Santa Fe Aug. 7 to participate in a memorial ceremony to honor a fallen Soldier.

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (8/16/12) -- Using a UH-60 helicopter equipped with a hoist and nets, Colorado National Guardsmen are helping move an estimated 7,000 to 9,000 marijuana plants -- nearly $15 million in value -- from two remote areas near Rye, Colo.

Between suppressing flames and assisting law enforcement in the wake of deadly wildfires, Colorado National Guardsmen have had one of the busiest summers on record. Lesser known, however, is the National Guard's ability to prevent disaster.

WASHINGTON (8/8/12) -- The terms and conditions for the Air Force’s travel charge card are changing, but Airmen can hang on to their blue cards.

WASHINGTON (7/26/12) – the U.S. Senate confirmed Army National Guard Lt. Gen. Frank Grass to be the next chief of the National Guard Bureau and Air National Guard Maj. Gen. Joseph Lengyel to be vice chief July 26.

WASHINGTON (7/19/12) - The Senate Armed Services Committee today heard testimony from Army Lt. Gen. Frank J. Grass, who’s been nominated by the president for promotion to full general and to become the new chief of the National Guard Bureau.

This year marks the eighth anniversary of the Colorado National Guard and Jordan Armed Forces state partnership. And in keeping with a long tradition, the two recently partnered again for their eighth women’s leadership event.

When a domestic emergency grows too large for local resources to handle independently, and the state's governor declares a disaster emergency, an incident management team assumes operational control.

While civilian and military firefighters and aviation crews fight the High Park fire from land and air, nearly a hundred Colorado National Guard military police are manning checkpoints24/7. But they're not there just for their good looks.

Since the beginning of National Guard aviation operations June 10, Soldiers could be found in the air and on the ground, whether dumping water on the flames from on high, or refueling and maintaining the helicopters to keep them in the fight.

On June 14, a dozen Soldiers from the Colorado Army National Guard's 1157th Engineer Firefighter Company engaged in the attack against the High Park Fire -- and they brought the best armament in their inventory to battle the blaze.

On June 9, lightning sparked a fire in forested mountain terrain in Larimer County, Colo. By midnight, the fire, exacerbated by high winds, had grown so large that Gov. John Hickenlooper declared the High Park fire a disaster emergency.

When the wild blaze of Colorado’s High Park fire began to exhaust local resources, it fell on the state’s National Guard units to supplement those firefighting and support element forces.

Thunderous explosions echoed through the hills as fiery rockets arched over the horizon in a mock combat and rescue mission June 9 at Fort Carson, Colo.

One of the oldest and largest units in the Colorado Army National Guard, the 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, "the King of Battle," as artillery units are called, is scheduled to conduct a first for the National Guard.

Benjamin Garland entered the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2005 with hopes of becoming a fighter pilot.

DENVER (5/24/12) – Gov. John Hickenlooper today announced a new resource, “Hire A Colorado Vet,” offered by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, to help veterans connect with employment opportunities.

Nothing but smiles and applause greeted almost 70 Soldiers standing at attention in the Army National Guard Aviation Support Facility’s hangar at Buckley Air Force Base May 30.

After more than 26 years of military service, Colorado Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 Troy Skaggs has truly found his place – and is being rewarded for it.

Not too many cities lay claim to having an actual piece of steel from the World Trade Center in the heart of their downtowns. Now Pueblo can.

FORT CARSON, Colo. (5/19/12) – Colorado Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Robert Balster relinquished his position as COARNG Land Component Commander to COARNG Col. Joel Best at 2 p.m. today.

Members of the Colorado Air and Army National Guard will join forces Saturday, June 9, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for a combined live fire exercise on Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colo.

LINCOLN, Neb. (5/6/12) – Runners from throughout the Army and Air National Guard took part in the 35th Annual Lincoln National Guard Marathon and Half-Marathon here May 6 in order to earn spots on the 2012-13 All Guard Marathon Team.

When the commander of the Colorado Army National Guard’s Company E, 2nd Battalion, 135th General Support Aviation first contacted a professional chef, he was simply looking for some help in his unit’s mess.

Tearful smiles, affectionate embraces and sincere thanks were in abundance at the welcome home ceremony in honor of Colorado National Guard Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team-3, May 6 in Centennial, Colo.

During a transformative time throughout the Middle East, a Colorado National Guard public affairs team traveled to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to participate in the first-ever U.S. Central Command PA exchange with the Jordan Armed Forces.

As the creed states, a Ranger is Soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea or air. From April 13-15, two teams of Army National Guardsmen lived the creed while competing at the 29th Annual Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning, Ga.

WASHINGTON (4/19/12) - The Defense Department Wednesday honored the men and women who are on the front lines of the battle against the crime of sexual assault, including Colorado Army National Guard Maj. Alisa M. Englert.

Colton Taylor doesn't know how special he is. He doesn't know his doctors gave him a 50 percent chance of making it to his 2nd birthday and a 5 percent chance of making it to his 3rd.

Soldiers and Airmen alike stood at somber attention April 15 in honor of the Colorado Guard members who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the Global War on Terror. The day marked the 10th anniversary of the National Guard’s first combat casualty.

The Colorado Army National Guard’s Theater Special Operations Detachment-Korea traveled to the Republic of Korea for Key Resolve 2012, a peninsula-wide, joint force, defense-oriented exercise between the U.S. and ROK militaries.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (3/29/12) – Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper toured areas damaged by the Lower North Fork Fire still burning in Jefferson County, Colo., yesterday.

WASHINGTON (3/23/12) – An envoy of Colorado National Guard leaders trekked to the nation’s capitol this week to meet with top National Guard and legislative leadership, and petition for CONG initiatives and concerns.

In 2007 I met the girl of my dreams, hoped of building a family, and retiring from the Army. In 2008, a routine physical changed my life.

Some wish to be buried. Others feel their ashes spread across a field would be most appropriate. And still others desire – and rightly deserve – internment at the nation’s most prominent place of honor: Arlington National Cemetery.

John “Jack” Hallowell, passed away at 1:57 p.m. on March 10, 2012. As a member of the 157th Infantry, he helped liberate Dachau concentration camp near Munich, Germany, April 29, 1945.

Each day, thousands of people across America are in need of bone marrow transplants. Registering as a marrow donor is as simple as getting a cheek swab, and may enable you to give someone the most precious gift of all – the gift of life.