U.S. Army Soldiers Sgt. Andrew Hartsfield, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter repairer representing the Marietta-based Headquarters, 78th Aviation Troop Command, Spc. David Stratton, a health care specialist representing the Marietta-based 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, 78th Aviation Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard, Sgt. Kevin Hernandez, a signals collection analyst representing the Forest Park-based 221st Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion, 78th Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard, and Spc. Johannes Van Der, an airdrop specialist representing the Marietta-based 781st Troop Command Detachment, 78th Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard, pose for a photo during the awards ceremony of the 2026 78th Troop Command-78th Aviation Troop Command Joint Best Warrior Competition, Feb. 22, 2026, at the Clay National Guard Center, Marietta, Georgia. The competition demonstrates the readiness and lethality of the 78th Troop Command and 78th Aviation Troop Command Soldiers by testing the competitors with physical fitness assessments, written exams, and other warrior tasks and battle drills. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Chasity Williams)
Four Soldiers crowned Best Warriors in Multi-MSC Level Competition
By Sgt. Chasity Williams | Feb. 22, 2026
After four demanding days of physically and mentally challenging events, four Georgia Army Guardsmen achieved the title of 'Best Warrior' at this year’s 78th Troop Command and 78th Aviation Troop Command Joint Best Warrior Competition hosted Feb. 19-22, 2026, in Marietta, Georgia.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Cesar Serrano, Georgia National Guard, cares for a lost dog at the Anacostia Metro Station in Washington, D.C., Feb. 9, 2026, before it was safely returned to its owner. Approximately 2,700 National Guard members are supporting the mission, providing critical assistance to the Metropolitan Police Department to help ensure the safety of residents, commuters and visitors throughout the District. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 1st Lt. David Okonofua)
Georgia National Guard Soldiers Reunite Lost Puppy with Owner During D.C. Patrol
By Spc. Sherald McAulay | Feb. 12, 2026
WASHINGTON — What began as a routine patrol at the Anacostia Metro Station quickly turned into a heartwarming reunion when U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 170th Military Police Battalion, Georgia Army National Guard, helped return a lost puppy to its grateful owner, Feb. 9, 2026.
Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, the 30th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, left, welcomes Army Gen. Thomas Carden to the Pentagon as he assumes the role of the 13th Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia, Feb. 3, 2026. Carden, a Georgia Guardsman, most recently served as the deputy commander for U.S. Northern Command and vice commander for U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Zach Sheely)
National Guard’s First 4-Star Vice Chief Credits Georgia’s ‘Leadership Factory’
By Charles Emmons | Feb. 12, 2026
WASHINGTON – General Thomas Carden has been appointed as the first four-star Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, bringing nearly four decades of experience to the organization that oversees more than 435,000 Soldiers and Airmen.
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Kimberly Gilleran and Maj. Nicholas Long, senior enlisted leader and commander of the Marietta-based 93rd Financial Management Support Detachment, 781st Troop Command Detachment, 78th Troop Command, Georgia Army National Guard, case the battalion's colors during the unit's departure ceremony at Clay National Guard Center, Marietta, Georgia, Feb. 7, 2026. The ceremony was held in honor of the unit's upcoming mobilization to the U.S. Army Central Command's area of responsibility. The mission of the unit is to provide financial support to units from brigade to theater level. The casing of the colors symbolizes the unit's readiness and preparation to operate away from their home station. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Ayanna Tillman)
Following a Paper Trail
By Sgt. Thomas Norris | Feb. 7, 2026
MARIETTA, Ga. – A Georgia National Guard unit is heading off to provide financial support to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
A U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II pilot assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, taxis on the flight line of the Georgia Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) during exercise Sentry South 26.1 at the Savannah Air National Guard Base, Georgia, Jan. 23, 2026. Sentry South 26.1 in Savannah is an Air National Guard-led counterair exercise held at the Georgia CRTC, also known as the Air Dominance Center, that trains hundreds of participants annually in offensive and defensive counterair missions with 4th- and 5th-generation aircraft to enhance combat readiness and joint integration. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Victoria Coursey)
Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center hosts exercise Sentry South 26.1, formally exercise Sentry Savannah
By Master Sgt. Caila Arahood | Jan. 28, 2026
SAVANNAH AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ga. - The Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center, known commonly as the Air Dominance Center, is hosting exercise Sentry South 26.1 (Savannah) here January 15-31, 2026. As one of four Air National Guard Combat Readiness Training Centers in the United States, it is a premier location for warfighters from across the country to train.
Georgia State Defense Force (GSDF) personnel remove debris from a residential area during Winter Storm Fern in White County, Georgia Jan. 26, 2026. The Georgia Department of Defense plays an integral role in declared emergencies by providing a versatile and ready force capable of responding to natural and manmade disasters across the United States. The Georgia Department of Defense is trained and equipped to ensure rapid, coordinated and effective support is available to civil authorities on short notice. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jeron Walker)
Georgia DoD Demonstrates Operational Readiness During Winter Storm Fern
By Sgt. 1st Class Jeron Walker | Jan. 27, 2026
State and military officials mobilized emergency resources across North Georgia in late January as Winter Storm Fern blanketed the region with ice. In anticipation of this winter storm, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency on Jan. 22, 2026, activating the Georgia National Guard and Georgia State Defense Force (GSDF) the following day.
Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers participate in an Unmanned Aerial Systems Operator's Course Jan. 5-16, 2026 in Fort Stewart, Ga. Students received classroom instruction and performed hands-on training with the RQ-28 Short Range Reconnaissance platform, a small rucksack-portable quadcopter drone.
Georgia Guard launches new drone dominance program
By Charles Emmons | Jan. 16, 2026
The Georgia Army National Guard launched its first Unmanned Aerial Systems Operator's Course in early 2026, creating a new pipeline for skilled drone pilots.
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