Colorado Army National Guard 1st Lt. Christopher Doerfler stands next to a non-descript truck and trailer against a backdrop of snow-covered mountain peaks half a mile from the site of the 2012 Winter X Games.

DENVER (2/13/12) – Army Medal of Honor recipient Salvatore Giunta was the guest of honor for the Colorado Avalanche’s Military Appreciation Night Feb. 10 at Pepsi Center.

ASPEN, Colo. (1/29/12) – The Colorado National Guard’s 8th Civil Support Team, combined with the Hawaii National Guard’s 93rd Civil Support Team, were on hand as first responders at the Winter X Games.

For some, jobs can be menial, boring, day-to-day duties that are worked solely to survive and stay afloat.

SNOWMASS, Colo. (1/27/12) – The U.S. Navy participated in the Winter X Games as one of the major sponsors in Aspen, Colo., Jan. 27.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. (1/25/12) – The Hawaii National Guard’s 93rd Civil Support Team joined the Colorado National Guard’s 8th Civil Support Team to train up on cold weather survival tactics.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. (1/25/12) – Colorado Army National Guard Special Forces Soldiers trained more than 25 Hawaii National Guard in essential tasks for extreme cold weather survival in here today.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (1/31/12) – Members of a key civic group toured Colorado National Guard facilities across the state and learned about some of the Colorado National Guard’s key missions Jan. 18.

On a pristine, sun-drenched morning near Snowmass ski area, Colorado and Hawaii National Guardsmen trained in more than three feet of snow, learning basic techniques and skills in order to survive in an extreme cold weather mountain environment.

For more than 100 years, the National Western Stock Show has brought western heritage, a horse show and the sport of professional rodeo to Denver.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (1/17/12 ) – The small western slope town of Montrose, Colo., welcomed home more than 75 members of the Colorado Army National Guard’s 928th Area Medical Support Company in grand fashion Jan. 13.

“With around 200 Soldiers in the company, we’re saving just under $7 per Soldier, which averages out to about $1,400 per drill that we’re saving on meals,” said Colorado Army National Guard Capt. Mark Tommell.

WASHINGTON (12/31/11) —The chief of the National Guard Bureau is a statutory member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

More than a schoolhouse, the High-altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site in Gypsum, Colo., is the home of some of the nation’s most experienced and dedicated search-and-rescue professionals. And they don’t need any special equipment to do it.

Since the Colorado’s High-altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site opened 26 years ago, it’s never had any injuries or fatalities. In June 2012, a new curriculum will be introduced, which will include a course for enlisted crew members.

Among the Army National Guard aviation schools, this one is considered to be the only graduate-level training course, providing life-saving combat aviation skills to pilots serving in Afghanistan and other mountainous regions around the globe.

WASHINGTON (12/23/11) – As children go to bed tomorrow with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, the staff at North American Aerospace Defense Command will be busy tracking Santa Claus’ global flight.

As the socially-inept oddball in the family, it’s always been important to extract my family’s heritage. Until recently, though, tracing the tree branches seemed an impossible task.

DENVER (12/19/11) – Family members of deployed Colorado National Guardsmen celebrated the holidays in a unique way this year.

Your Colorado National Guard has been at your service since 1860 and is based in more than 20 communities across the state with an annual economic impact greater than $240 million.

More than 5,000 men, women, and children made the two-month voyage to the New World. In doing so, their actions tread new ground in the country that would become the United States of America.

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (12/7/11) – Make your lodging reservations now for SnoFest, Jan. 27-29, 2012 at Keystone Resort.

WASHINGTON (12/9/11) – The Defense Department considers strategy and capabilities as key factors in budget decisions that will cut $450 billion over the next 10 years, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.

DENVER (12/7/11) – Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper lit the Colorado Tree of Heroes yesterday to honor all service members based in Colorado who have lost their lives in combat operations since Sept. 11, 2001.

BALTIMORE (12/3/11) – Current and retired Air National Guard members who refer new recruits to the Guard may now collect rewards for their efforts.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (12/2/11) – The Colorado National Guard Family Programs office joined dozens of volunteers to assemble holiday packages for deployed servicemembers in one massive team effort today at the CONG state headquarters.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (11/30/11) – Effective Jan. 3, 2012, the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles will begin issuing World War II license plates to any World War II veteran.

U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT (11/30/11) - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he understands that service members are nervous about looming budget cuts, but will have to be patient as the process moves forward.

Passion: It drives us to do what we do every day. So when we say, “The sky’s the limit,” we’re lying. The only thing that limits us is ourselves.

Nov. 19-21 could have been a typical drill weekend for Colorado National Guard Soldiers on Buckley Air Force Base, with noncommissioned officers leading formations and officers supervising to ensure work gets done throughout the day.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (11/19/11) – The Colorado Army National Guard’s 169th Fires Brigade gained a new commander Saturday evening.

Any Colorado National Guard member who is experiencing difficulties in life, regardless of rank, service or military status, is eligible to receive nearly any type of counseling at a number of locations at any time – for free.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (11/8/11) – An era of deep defense cuts is an opportunity for the National Guard, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said here Monday.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (11/8/11) – At its strongest in its 375-year history, the National Guard has been indispensable to the warfight, the secretary of defense said here Tuesday.

Taking care of Airmen, getting help when help is needed and leading through engagement is the wingman concept the Air National Guard must continue to embrace, the senior enlisted advisor to the chief of the National Guard Bureau told Airmen last week.

By using ideas from recently deployed Airmen and off-the-shelf technology, the reserve components have developed new equipment that saved lives and led to highly successful combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Over the last 10 years, the Colorado Army National Guard's force strength has grown by 25 percent. To accommodate, the COARNG is constructing facilities at a total cost of $73 million over the next five years, as part of the Grow the Army initiative.

As glamorous as the commercials appear, little attention is given to what goes on behind the scenes that makes the Air National Guard capable of carrying out wartime and civil-response missions.

FORT CARSON, Colo. (10/9/11) – The Colorado Army National Guard and the U.S. Air Force Academy linked up Oct. 7-9 to participate in a rare joint force training opportunity.

It’s 1864, and Sgt. George Wilker of the 17th U.S. Colored Troops is a runaway slave and is literally fighting for his freedom in the Union Army.

DENVER (10/16/11) – Col. Christopher Petty, former commander of the Colorado Army National Guard’s 89th Troop Command, relinquished his position as brigade commander to Col. John Skillicorn at the Denver Armory.

With a wide smile on his face, Jordanian Army Lt. Col. Bashar Alrefai sat in the rear of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter as it soared 500 feet above the colossal Rocky Mountains in Colorado Sept. 16.

DENVER (9/17/11) – Eighteen family members of Colorado Air and Army National Guard service members were given $25,500 in tuition assistance awards today at the Denver Renaissance Hotel.

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (9/18/11) – The Colorado Army National Guard's 893rd Troop Command Battalion was officially deactivated in a ceremony Sept. 18.

Every member of the U.S. military and their families have always shared a common bond. Developed through enduring hardships and enjoying momentous occasions together, it’s further fortified at times of great need, whether in combat or on the home front.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Col. John R. “Buck” Buckingham was an F-16 pilot in the Colorado Air National Guard. That night, he flew his first combat air patrol over Denver.

Maj. Wallace “Cole” Hogan, Jr., a member of Company B, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (circa 1985-88), was working as an aide in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations on Sept. 11, 2001.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Brig. Gen. Ronald G. Crowder was the commander of the Colorado Army National Guard. He and at least 13 other Colorado National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were at or near the Pentagon that day.

In 2001, Col. Larry J. Ciancio was the state aviation officer for the Colorado Army National Guard and copilot of the C-26 Metroliner that carried a total of 14 Colorado National Guardsmen to and from Washington the second week of September 2001.

Chaplain (Maj.) Andy Meverden was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th General Support Aviation and was taking part in a “career-enhancing opportunity” when he joined several other Soldiers and Airmen on a trip to Washington the week of Sept. 9, 2011.

On Sept. 11, 2011, Lt. Col. Thomas Duffy was at National Guard Bureau in Arlington, Va., just outside the nation's capitol.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Col. Madonna M. Nuce and other Colorado National Guard staff members were making a quarterly visit to National Guard Bureau near Washington.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Brian Robinson was the Pilot in Command of the C-26 Metroliner that carried a total of 14 Colorado National Guardsmen to and from Washington the second week of September 2001.

On Sept. 11, 2001, then-Colorado Air National Guard Lt. Col. Chris Ryan was the Colorado National Guard’s counterdrug coordinator and was in Washington to make a case to acquire a helicopter for the mission.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Lt. Col. Ken Sanchez was at the Army National Guard Readiness Center in Arlington to discuss the unit’s conversion from flying UH-1H Huey to UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Lt. Col. George Leone was meeting with Army National Guard officials in at the ARNG Readiness Center in Arlington, Va., just outside the nation’s capitol, about the Distance Learning Program.

In August 2011, Former Lt. Col. Mark Schoenrock sat down for an impromptu interview about the CONG’s latest construction project. What followed was a stunning reminder of human mortality – and a lesson in the value of intuition and faith.

In the minutes following the terrorist attacks if Sept. 11, 2001, Brig. Gen. Wayne L. Schultz received the presidential authorization for his pilots to shoot down civilian aircraft, if necessary.

On Sept. 11, 2001, at least 18 Colorado National Guard members were on official business in Washington. One Soldier narrowly escaped, and at least one former Colorado Guardsman was killed in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. These are their stories.

ARLINGTON, Va. (9/8/11) – Ramadan, the Muslim religion's holy month, ended Aug. 30; however, the National Guard will continue to foster relationships with Muslim and Muslim-majority nations through the State Partnership Program year-round.

Aug. 19, 2011, was a day few will soon forget. The preceding two weeks had been filled with sorrow and remorse along with reflection and praise.

DENVER (7/28/11) – Airmen and Soldiers from the Colorado National Guard’s 8th Civil Support Team partnered with four other CSTs and other local and federal agencies to conduct emergency preparedness training.

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (8/18/11) – A charter aircraft arrived at Buckley Aug. 17 bringing Chief Warrant Officer 4 David R. Carter, a Colorado Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter pilot, home.

CAMP ILLISKY, Kazakhstan (8/8/11) – Flags from five nations were raised as more than 200 U.S. Soldiers participated in the opening ceremony for exercise Steppe Eagle at Camp Illisky Aug. 8.

FORT LUPTON, Colo. (8/6/11) – “Now I have an Army!” said Tommy Holton, the mayor of Fort Lupton, Colo., during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Colorado National Guard’s newest readiness center Aug. 6.

In July, three Colorado National Guard chaplains left the Rocky Mountains to learn more about the people, language, culture and religion of their Middle East counterparts on the eastern bank of the River Jordan.

FORT CARSON, Colo. (7/16/11) – Soldiers practiced room clearing, tactical movement, and team building during Military Operations on Urban Terrain training site at Fort Carson, Colo., July 16.

AUSTRALIAN JOINT OPERATIONS CENTER, Canberra, Australia (8/3/11) – We use satellites to make phone calls, give us directions via GPS, and pull money out of an ATM.

AURORA, Colo. (7/29/11) – The Colorado National Guard’s 8th Civil Support Team (Weapons of Mass Destruction) held a change of command ceremony for its members July 29.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (7/27/11) – Army National Guard members must intervene to ensure suicides continue to decline from last year’s record numbers, the acting director said here Sunday.

Nearly every summer for the last 26 years, at a camp site tucked away deep in the Laramie River Valley, 40 at-risk teens spend a week in Rawah wilderness area in Larimer County, Colo.

I've heard the phrase “one man can make a difference,” but until recently, I hadn’t lived it.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (6/28/11) – A farewell ceremony was held in honor of the U.S. Army’s Space Support Team 15, 1st Space Battalion, U.S. Army and ARSST 28, 117th Space Battalion, Colorado Army National Guard here, June 28.

New for Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members: the “vPC-GR Basics” electronic Learning Tool (eLT).

Soldiering is a dangerous task that only a select few volunteer for; but being a Soldier and a firefighter, well, that’s walking the edge.

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (5/13/11) – The 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense) officially unfurled the guidon for its new Detachment One during an Activation and Change of Command ceremony here today.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (5/11/11) – Once a quarter, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense) takes a day to focus on safety instruction.

The 2011 Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command's Army Family Action Plan conference was held April 18-22 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

ARVADA, Colo. (5/22/11) – Seating filled quickly in the Arvada High School auditorium for the Colorado National Guard’s 101st Army Band’s reunion performance in honor of Armed Forces Day on May 22.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (4/20/11) – The Colorado National Guard teamed with the Wyoming National Guard, Eastern Colorado Health Care System, South Metro Fire Rescue and other community partners to conduct a full-scale Federal Coordinating Center exercise here.

“Without the help of our Casualty Assistance Officer, we wouldn’t have survived that period after my son’s death.”

GREELEY, Colo. (4/24/11) – The men and women of the Colorado National Guard have completed their Innovative Readiness Training in conjunction with the 9Health Fair.

MUSCATUCK, Ind. (3/11/11) – A simulated nuclear attack was launched against Lexington, Ky., today and members of the Colorado National Guard responded.

DENVER (4/13/11) – First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, along with Jessica Simpson, visited Coors Field April 13 as part of their new campaign, “Joining Forces.” The initiative aims to gain support for military families across the U.S.

The new Controlled Spending Account card is currently being launched by CitiBank to replace the current GTC. Once your current Government Travel Card expires, the new CSA card will be issued. In fact, some may have already received the CSA.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (4/2/11) – Command Sgt. Maj. Ken Berube assumed the responsibility of state command sergeant major during a change of responsibility ceremony held at the Colorado National Guard state headquarters April 2.

Colorado National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Enhanced Response Force Package, or CERFP. It’s a long title for an important mission.

Some Guard and Reserve members in reviewing their most recent pay statement have noticed and questioned what appears to be a debt that was subtracted from current pay.

The administration hopes that a government shutdown can be averted, so that servicemembers and Department of Defense employees can be paid in full and on time.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (4/8/11) – Should the government shutdown, the Department of Defense has no legal authority to pay any personnel – military or civilian – for the days during which the government is shut down. However, relief may be possible.

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (4/2/11) - Members of the Colorado Air National Guard celebrated the grand opening of the new air crew alert quarters, Building 911, April 2.

On a cold, clear winter’s day, the first tour bus pulls up to the Joint Security Area gate at the Korean Demilitarized Zone.

WATKINS, Colo. (3/3/11) – Colorado Soldiers teamed up with Canadian forces to participate in what Colorado’s primary jumpmaster 5-19captain calls a “friendship jump.”

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (3/11/11) – The Colorado Army National Guard and Slovenian Armed Forces second Organizational Mentor and Liaison Team completed its week-long, culmination exercise in Slovenia today.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (3/25/11) – The Colorado Army and Air National Guard is providing trucks and drivers to help deliver supplies for 9Health Fair to more than 150 communities.

DENVER (3/5/11) – The Colorado Army National Guard’s 3650th Maintenance Company received training on the use of Oleoresin Capsicum spray during its drill March 5.

Seven men and women were reporting for their monthly training on a cloudy Sunday in March, unaware of an impending test requiring a grade of no less than exceptional – and saving lives was just part of the drill.

BUTLERVILLE, Ind. (3/14/11) – Muscatatuck Urban Training Center was filled with fire and smoke for the Army North Homeland Emergency Response exercise Vibrant Response 11.1, taking place at the southern Indiana facility through March 20.

Recognizing the need for intervention, leaders from the Colorado Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve and others signed a memorandum of understanding to collectively and cooperatively work to help Colorado veterans obtain jobs.

It’s never too late to reflect on the history of our country or the history of our Soldiers. Rather, it’s prudent of organizations to constantly reflect on their past and continuously learn from and measure themselves against it.

DENVER (2/21/11) – Colorado Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Larry J. Ciancio is presented a Broken Wing Award in Denver, Feb. 21, 2011.

WASHINGTON (2/17/11) – An envoy of Colorado National Guard leaders trekked to the nation’s capitol last week to meet with top National Guard and legislative leadership, and petition for CONG initiatives and concerns.

FORT CARSON, Colo. (1/12/11) – Two Colorado Army National Guardsmen each received a German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency during a ceremony at the 168th Regional Training Institute here Jan. 12.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (2/2/11) – Congressman Doug Lamborn was the guest speaker at a luncheon designed to honor missile defenders at the Air Force Academy here Feb. 2.

MIDWAY, Utah (2/5/11) – The 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic venue of Soldier Hollow hosted the Western Regional Biathlon championships Feb. 5.

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (2/1/11) – Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 193rd Military Police Battalion, returned home from a year-long deployment to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

MUWAFFAQ SALTI AIR BASE, Jordan (10/27/10) – Fighter aircraft representing Jordan, the U.S., Pakistan and United Arab Emirates compete in the 2010 Falcon Air Meet in Azraq, Jordan. The FAM is a friendly competition centered on the F-16 Fighting Falcon

MUWAFFAQ SALTI AIR BASE, Jordan (10/27/10) – Fighter aircraft representing Jordan, the U.S., Pakistan and United Arab Emirates compete in the 2010 Falcon Air Meet in Azraq, Jordan. The FAM is a friendly competition centered on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

MUWAFFAQ SALTI AIR BASE, Jordan (10/27/10) – Fighter aircraft representing Jordan, the U.S., Pakistan and United Arab Emirates compete in the 2010 Falcon Air Meet in Azraq, Jordan. The FAM is a friendly competition centered on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

MUWAFFAQ SALTI AIR BASE, Jordan (10/25/10) – Fighter aircraft representing Jordan, the U.S., Pakistan and United Arab Emirates compete in the 2010 Falcon Air Meet in Azraq, Jordan. The FAM is a friendly competition centered on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

MUWAFFAQ SALTI AIR BASE, Jordan (10/20/10) – Fighter aircraft representing Jordan, the U.S., Pakistan and United Arab Emirates compete in the 2010 Falcon Air Meet in Azraq, Jordan. The FAM is a friendly competition centered on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

MUWAFFAQ SALTI AIR BASE, Jordan (10/20/10) – Fighter aircraft representing Jordan, the U.S., Pakistan and United Arab Emirates compete in the 2010 Falcon Air Meet in Azraq, Jordan. The FAM is a friendly competition centered on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

MUWAFFAQ SALTI AIR BASE, Jordan (10/17/10) – Fighter aircraft representing Jordan, the U.S., Pakistan and United Arab Emirates compete in the 2010 Falcon Air Meet in Azraq, Jordan. The FAM is a friendly competition centered on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

DENVER, Colo. (1/25/11) – The Colorado General Assembly hosted a Colorado Military and Veterans Appreciation Day at the State Capitol Jan. 24.

FORT CARSON, Colo. (6/12/10) - Members of the Colorado Air and Army National Guard joined forces at Training Area 11 here in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Colorado National Guard.

The Purple Heart is the oldest U.S. military decoration. It is also the one award that nobody wants, according to those upon whom the medal has been bestowed.

FORT POLK, La. (12/16/10) – The Colorado Army National Guard’s second Operational Mentor and Liaison Team completed two months of training complete with a graduation.

I recently joined the ranks of the noncommissioned officer corps. It feels strange. Folks keep telling me, “You earned it,” or “It’s about time.” ... but I didn’t want it to just be handed to me.

Many things have changed in the last 10 years, except for one: the patriotism and support our communities provide our troops. This couldn’t be more evident in the heroes’ send off the 928th Area Support Medical Company was given in Montrose, Colo., Jan 3.

As 2010 comes to an end and a new year begins, I encourage you, no matter where you are in the world, no matter what language you speak, to give gratitude a try.

The National Guard Bureau-sponsored biathlon opened its 2010-11 on-snow season to novice members at the All Regions Snow Camp Dec. 8-11.

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (12/14/10) – Air National Guard Director Lt. Gen. Harry W. Wyatt addressed nearly 100 members of the 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard Dec. 14 on Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo.

A Colorado Korean War Soldier, who was declared missing in action in 1951, was finally coming home, and he needed a chaplain to participate in his dignified transfer and military burial.

As chaplains, we’re frequently called upon to perform or provide religious support for our Colorado Soldiers and Airmen. Many of these duties, such as funerals, death notifications, grief counseling and crises support, are sacred but difficult.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (8/27/10) – Soldiers from the 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense) and 49th Missile Defense Battalion (GMD) received their diplomas at the GMD Training Course graduation at the headquarters here today.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (12/6/10) – The National Guard Bureau-sponsored biathlon will open its 2010-11 on-snow season to novice members in West Yellowstone, Mont., at the All Regions snow camp Dec. 8.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (12/3/10) – The U.S. Army’s 1st Space Brigade welcomed home Army Space Support Team 20, 117th Space Battalion, Colorado Army National Guard, and ARSST 6, 1st Space Battalion, U.S. Army, in a ceremony here today.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (12/3/10) – In one massive team effort Dec. 3 at the Colorado National Guard state headquarters, the CONG Family Programs Office joined with dozens of volunteers to assemble holiday packages for deployed servicemembers.

For some, taking risks and breaking ground are difficult to fathom, while for others, it’s a regular occurrence. And for most, such challenges – planned or unplanned – are how they find their rightful places on this earth.

In war there is always death and in life there is always change. As for the 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense) that change came by the way of one man’s retirement from the Army after 34 years of service.

FORT CARSON, Colo. (9/23/10) – The Soldiers of the 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground Based Mid-course Defense) practiced their soldiering skills during the brigade’s annual field training exercise.

A team of Native American dancers who are also Army Soldiers marched in the New York City Veterans Day parade as a color guard. Unlike the military custom they are all accustomed to, they did so in Native American dress.

NATAL AIR BASE, Brazil (11/11/10) – U.S. Airman particilaopting in the Brazilial-led multi-national exercize CRUZEX V spent time yesterday with students at a school here.

Pueblo, Colo. (11/11/10) – Southern Coloradoans and servicemembers from every branch were on hand to dedicate the Pueblo Veteran’s Bridge in honor of veterans at a ceremony on Veterans Day at the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo.

NATAL AIR BASE, Brazil, (11/11/10) – Almost 200 Colorado and Arizona Air National Guard members will participate in the fifth annual CRUZEX V or Cruzeiro Do Sul (Southern Cross) exercise from Nov. 8-18.

SLOVENIA (11/7/10) – Slovenian Defense Minister Dr. Ljubica Jelusic continued her official visit to the U.S. on Saturday by attending a military parade in Denver to honor war veterans and the 150th anniversary of the Colorado National Guard.

DENVER (11/8/10) – Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, Jr., received an international cooperation medal from the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Slovenia Dr. Ljubica Jelusic Nov. 8.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (10/4/10) – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Denver Regional Office hosted the 20th Annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down at the Colorado Army National Guard’s Armory in Denver Nov. 4.

Stand Down 2010

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (10/27/10) – Colorado National Guard’s Joint Counterdrug Task Force led the charge to bring anti-drug messages to students at nearly 68 Colorado schools during its annual Red Ribbon campaign.

As a young lieutenant and the youngest chaplain in the Colorado Army National Guard Chaplain Corps, I can’t claim extensive military experience; yet there are some things you don’t need experience to understand.

DENVER (11/1/10) – The Colorado Army National Guard earned the highest recognition in the state for its environmental sustainability efforts in an Oct. 6 ceremony.

KONA-KAILUA, Hawaii (10/11/10) – A Colorado Guardsman finished first in the military division of the 2010 Iron Man Triathlon World Championships held in Kona-Kailua, Hawaii on Oct. 9.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (10/7/10) – The Colorado Army National Guard held a brief departure ceremony for Soldiers of the Operational Mentor and Liaison Team-Augmentation Oct. 7 at the Colorado National Guard headquarters in Centennial, Colo.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (10/3/10) – Colorado Army National Guard engineers completed three public works projects Oct. 3.

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (9/7/10) – Eleven Colorado Army National Guard Soldiers will pair up with 90 Slovenian soldiers and deploy to Afghanistan this October to form an Operational Mentor and Liaison Team.

The Colorado National Guard is seeking motivated Soldiers and Airmen to represent Colorado on our state biathlon team. All National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are eligible to compete.

From July 10-16, the Colorado National Guard hosted four officers from the Royal Jordanian Armed Forces for the first ever chaplain and imam State Partnership Program exchange.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Election Assistance Commission has selected the winner of a $500,000 grant to improve voting technology and processes for military members who have sustained disabling injuries in combat operations.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (9/22/10) – The Colorado National Guard broke ground today on a new facility at Joint Force Headquarters-Colorado. The plaza renovation and mailroom construction will include a memorial to fallen CONG members.

While there have been many female firsts in the Department of Defense over the years, women continue to be promoted into positions never before held by females across the military.

Usually, he's aware of everything going on around him, but in July, something caught him by surprise: Master Sgt. Evan Finn was named the 2010 Air National Guard Thomas N. Barnes winner.

As Muslims throughout Afghanistan prepare for the three-day celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr, U.S. and Afghan officials are making accommodations for detainees at the Detention Facility in Parwan to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

A culture of selfless service, an obligation to duty, and a stream of fellow Soldiers who have been there before, help to mentally prepare you for a deployment to theater. Nothing could help me prepare for this.

Deputy, Inspector General, U.S. Army, Maj. Gen. William H. McCoy, Jr., receives a framed commemorative poster marking the 150th anniversary of the Colorado National Guard

Capt. Robert Killian, from 2nd Battalion 135 General Support Aviation Battalion, completed the first ever half ironman at the Reservoir in Boulder, Colo. Sunday Aug. 8.

Pvt. Jorge Salas, a new Colorado Army National Guard recruit, shakes COARNG Commander Col. Dana M. Capozzella's hand at the COARNG armory in Sterling, Colo., Aug. 19, 2010.

It was a dry, hot day with temperatures rising over 95 degrees across Colorado, when motorcycles lined the parking lot at Camp George West, waiting to be ridden across three counties.

Justin Skogland (second from left), a project manager with the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, speaks to Colorado National Guard leaders about the construction of the COARNG's newest readiness center in Fort Lupton, Colo.

Colorado Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joe DeBartolo of the COARNG's Field Maintenance Shop No. 6 discusses the benefits of community partnership with Colorado National Guard Leaders in Rocky Ford.

Gen. C. Robert Kehler, Air Force Space Commander and Brig. Gen. Trulan A. Eyre, 140th Wing Commander, step to the F-16 prior to takeoff.

“Security is what we do,” said Spc. Jason Goodwin, a gunner with the Colorado Army National Guard’s 220th Military Police Company.

Maj. Gen. H. Michael Edwards, the Adjutant General of Colorado, conducts his annual tour of Colorado Army National Guard facilities across Colorado Aug. 16-20, 2010.

An acronym within an acronym, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosives (CBRNE)-Enhanced Response Force Package (CERF-P): it sure is a mouthful, but it’s an important mouthful and Colorado just took a big bite.

Watch this space during the next week and follow Maj Gen H. Michael Edwards, the Adjutant General of Colorado, while he and other leaders visit Citizen-Soldiers of the Colorado Army National Guard in communities around our state.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Brian Robinson and Chief Warrant 2 Larry Ciancio took off from Buckley Air Force Base to conduct a routine check flight. This check flight required both engines to be shut down and then brought back on line one at a time.

Soldiers of the Colorado Army National Guard’s 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) spent the first three weeks of June conducting Joint Combined Exchange Training with the Slovenian National Army’s Special Operations teams.

The Colorado Army National Guard’s 2nd of the 135th Aviation Battalion last night transported one injured hiker and two Emergency Service personnel to a ground ambulance in Rollinsville, Colo., in Gilpin County, Colo.

To those who live in and love the state of Colorado, its uniqueness is immeasurable. The same goes for the Colorado Army National Guard.

Colorado National Guard Family Programs hosted its 2010 State Family Program Conference, bringing together unit leadership and volunteers, during a beautiful Colorado June weekend at the Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center.

Military members who serve in combat zones often return with injuries. Some return with wounds on the outside. Some return with wounds on the inside.

The 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard formally opened its new operations building with a ribbon cutting ceremony March 6.

The Colorado Army National Guard’s 101st Army Band held a free, public concert at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in downtown Denver to continue the year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Colorado National Guard.

World War II veteran U.S. Marines return from Iwo Jima following the 65th anniversary of the battle for the Japanese-held island.

Staff Sgt. Robert Henry, 168th Regional Training Institute, and Spec. Ryan L. Teeter, Company D, 5th Battalion 19th Special Forces Group, won the Colorado Army National Guard’s Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Soldier of the Year.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve hosts a very special airlift – a Bosslift to be exact – to help educate employers of National Guardsmen and Reservists.

The Colorado Army National Guard has successfully recovered the remains of a U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter that crashed March 3 in a snowy, wooded ridge, 50 miles east of Salt Lake City.

Throughout the year, Colorado news is littered with stories of search and rescue operations in the unpredictable Rocky Mountains.

WASHINGTON (3/19/10) – An envoy of Colorado National Guard leaders traveled to the nation’s capitol to meet with top National Guard leadership and petition for CONG causes and initiatives.

Being the wife of a military member isn’t easy. Helpless, overwhelmed and frustrated is how I feel on some ordinary days – not to mention during deployments.

Mitchell Elementary music teacher Rob Phillips is March’s 9News 9Teachers Who Care winner. He has been teaching for 21 years and continues to go above and beyond the expectations of a typical school day at Mitchell Elementary School.

Citing the countless hours of selfless, behind-the-scenes work, the Colorado National Guard’s family support group was among those honored at the 8th Annual Breakfast of Champions event hosted by the Mile High Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Most have heard of the ugly events surrounding World War II and the systematic executions of European Jews by Adolph Hitler’s notorious Nazi regime.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (3/26/10) – More than 20 former senior Colorado National Guard leaders joined their current counterparts at the inaugural Colorado Corona held at the Colorado National Guard state headquarters.

A new interactive site, called Firearms Safety Techniques, was developed by the U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center to help reduce off-duty accidental firearms incidents and is now available online.

While indigence continues to be a concern for most major cities, the Center on Family at the University of Hawaii at Manoa reports Oahu has experienced significant growth in the number of homeless living on its leeward side.

Hundreds of tired but happy faces emerged from three separate jets parked out on the tarmac on a blustery spring day on Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo.

It’s a curse to be human. When we’re happy, we tend to forget most of life’s ugliness; but when we experience trauma, the emotional toll can be costly.

You would never know – if you didn’t know. There’s nothing in her office that would give it away. No trophies, no photos … nothing to allude to a past life in the spotlight.

The West Metro Training Center opened its doors to the Colorado National Guard’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-yield Explosive (CBRNE)-Enhanced Response Force Package April 10-11.

The Colorado Air National Guard bid farewell to a legacy during a memorial event at the Colorado National Guard headquarters.

If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, then emulation has to be the highest form of love. Every father has felt the pride in watching his son dress in his father’s clothes, or to hear his son say, “When I grow up, I want to be just like you.”

The clock is ticking and summer is almost here. The 101 Critical Days of Summer, Memorial Day through Labor Day safety campaign, is intended to remind us that we can't afford to lose focus on safety while either on- or off-duty.

Terry Brown, a state-employed custodian who cleans Colorado Air National Guard facilities, was enjoying a hamburger in the breakroom in building 830 here on April 13 when something went horribly wrong.

In tribute to the 150th Anniversary of the Colorado National Guard, Soldiers of the Colorado Army National Guard's Officer Candidate Class 52 conducted a staff ride through the La Glorieta Pass battlefield near Santa Fe, N.M., April 22-25.

The Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs hosted the first organized Bring Our Kids to Work Day event at its headquarters.

After days of hard work, members of the 2nd Battalion, 135th General Support Aviation, completed their mission of cleaning up the site where a Colorado Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook was forced to make a hard landing.

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, Jr., stood at a podium inside Colorado National Guard’s Field Maintenance Shop No. 3, to break ground on Grand Junction’s newest military facility.

America is a nation full of immigrants. Except for Native Americans, everyone who lives in this beautiful country has a family who started somewhere else.

More than 140 Colorado National Guardsmen and military retirees attended the National Guard Association of Colorado’s annual conference at the Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs-World Arena.

We are Colorado Guardsmen. When we joined this organization, we did so because were drawn to serve something far bigger than ourselves.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, conducted a town hall meeting with members of the 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard here.

Above & Beyond articles profile Soldiers and Airmen who go out of their way to excel as citizens and Guardsmen.

Did you know you are required to complete the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course? It’s per AR 385-10, AFI 91-207, NGR 385-10, and the DODI 6055.4. While the process is different for Soldiers and Airmen, the good news is, it’s free.

The Friday before Mother’s Day is Military Spouse Appreciation Day, thereby making May the month to recognize the contributions made by military spouses to the military mission.

The Colorado National Guard, friends and family will bid farewell to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 135th General Support Aviation.

Colorado Army National Guard Sgt. Martin “Marty” May received the Purple Heart at a ceremony held at the Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church.

When the Department of Defense released its long-awaited policy on social media, the idea was to help clarify guidance on the official use of increasingly popular web-based networking sites – also known as Web 2.0.

Jim Goddard, chief executive officer of the 9Health Fair, accepts a lithograph celebrating 150 years of the Colorado National Guard at the KUSA Channel 9 studios in Denver, May 18, 2010.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done in your life? I can tell you the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my 42 years is to live one year of my life away from my wife and children.

On May 21, Gov. Bill Ritter signed into law a bill that increases cooperation between military installations and local government officials on land use, zoning and development issues.

Airmen of the 137th Space Warning Squadron, Colorado Air National Guard, participating as Team Buckley and the 460th Space Wing, took home the coveted Aldridge Trophy for the Air Force's best Space Operations Wing in Guardian Challenge 2010.

A chaplain once told me reintegration time for military members returning from deployment often can take as long as the deployment itself.

Sen. Mark Udall and Congressman Jared Polis, both of Colorado, present a Congressional Gold Medal to Mrs. Josephine Kater Robinson for her service as a Women Airforce Service Pilot in World War II from 1944-1945.

The Colorado Army National Guard welcomed home six members its Army Space Support Team 26 of the 117th Space Support Battalion at the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U.S. Army Forces Strategic Command on Peterson Air Force Base.

The 240th Civil Engineer Flight of the Colorado Air National Guard recently began construction at St. Michaels Association for Special Education school.

The 101st Army Band is scheduled to start its annual tour in June. The band will perform these free, public concerts at events across the state.

Family, friends and fellow Soldiers were on hand to send off 12 Colorado Guard Soldiers to Afghanistan as part of an Operational Mentor and Liaison Team-Augmentation to train and mentor Afghan National Army troops.

COANG Maj. Walt “Redeye” Williams observed a locally-sanctioned aerial demonstration team at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona during Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star flight training and said it was “one of the greatest things I have ever seen.”

Competing against seven other Citizen-Soldiers from six states and one territory, a Colorado Army National Guard won the 2010 Region 7 Army National Guard Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year “Best Warrior” Competition.