FORT CHAFFEE, Ark. – Citizen-Soldiers with Missouri National Guard’s 1-129th Field Artillery and 1128th Forward Support Company recently had the opportunity to show their employers what life is like when they step away from their full-time jobs and serve as modern day Minutemen.

NACO CORTES, Honduras – A run down store and an old barn sat on the corner lot in the middle of town - what wasn’t destroyed by a hurricane was recently torn down by the locals to make way for a new clinic.

COBAN, Guatemala -Missouri National Guard Soldiers are currently deployed to Guatemala in support of the Beyond the Horizon 2012 exercise.

FORT BLISS, Texas – Soldiers of the Missouri Army National Guard’s 1138th Transportation Company are back on U.S. soil after arriving at Fort Bliss, Texas last night ending a 10-month convoy operations mission in Afghanistan.

WARRENSBURG, Mo. - KMOS-TV (PBS) will broadcast a half hour special program titled "We are the Guard: Always Ready, Always There" tonight at 8:30 p.m. on KMOS Channel 6.1.

COBAN, Guatemala - A Carthage Soldier has deployed with the Missouri National to support the Beyond the Horizon 2012 exercise in Guatemala.

COBAN, Guatemala - An Oronogo Soldier has deployed with the Missouri National to support the Beyond the Horizon 2012 exercise in Guatemala.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Gus Nelson, of south St. Louis County, was just 11 years old when his uncle, Jim Larkin, Jr., went off to fight the Korean War nearly 62 years ago.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri's fifth Agribusiness Development Team was welcomed home by Gov. Jay Nixon, the Missouri National Guard and a room full of Family and friends at the Ike Skelton Training Site in Jefferson City on Wednesday.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - The Missouri National Guard's 35th Infantry Division ushered in new leadership at a change of command ceremony on Saturday, April 14, at their division headquarters in Leavenworth, Kan.

LEXINGTON, Mo. - Standing in front of his unit and with his Family, Steven Carter, of Clinton, was promoted to captain with the Missouri Army National Guard on April 1.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Whether they are on the firing line in national marksmanship competitions or doing their day-to-day military mission, Missouri's Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen are setting the standard for National Guardsmen across the country.

DEXTER, Mo. - Capt. Matthew Knoderer, of Cape Girardeau, is the new commander for the 1221st Transportation Company in Dexter, Sikeston and Portageville.

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan - A Holts Summit, Mo. Army National Guardsman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during ceremonies Wednesday at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - To prepare for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Soldiers of the 1138th Engineer Sapper Company use Virtual Battlespace 2 to create realistic route clearance scenarios and practice team building.

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. - After a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan, the Agribusiness Development Team V is back on U.S. soil and closer to seeing their loved ones.

NACO CORTEZ, Honduras - The Missouri Army National Guard this week took part in the U.S. Army South and host nation opening ceremonies for Beyond the Horizon 2012. Festivities took place in both Honduras and Guatemala - where Missouri Guardsmen are slated to conduct real-world missions and provide humanitarian services.

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - Growing up, Spc. Drake Mann, of West Plains, always knew he wanted to join the military.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Lt. Col. Larry D. Crowder, of Jefferson City, was installed as president of the Missouri National Guard Association at the organization's 65th annual conference, which concluded Saturday at the University Plaza Convention Center.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Missouri National Guard Public Affairs office took home honors in three categories in the public affairs awards communication competition and was an honorable mention in another.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - Staff Sgt. Jericho Ingold, who lives in St. Louis, was recently selected as the Training and Doctrine Command Noncommissioned Officer Instructor of the Year in the National Guard Bureau category. Ingold earned the award while working as an instructor for the Missouri National Guard's 140th Regiment Missouri Regional Training Institute, of Fort Leonard Wood.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Being the new kid at school or a rookie safety in the National Football League can be intimidating.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - In an effort to raise the physical fitness bar of new Kansas City area National Guardsmen, local leadership has stepped up and challenged its recruits.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - If there is a match made in marketing heaven Master Sgt. Bradley Kohler believes it may be the Missouri National Guard's partnership with the Lake St. Louis-based Mixed Martial Arts Sports League.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Vietnam-era veterans were honored with medals, medallions and certificates of appreciation in an early morning ceremony at the Missouri National Guard Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group facility in Springfield.

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan - A Festus, Mo. Army National Guardsman was awarded the Army Commendation Medal during ceremonies Wednesday at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

FORT BENNING, Ga. - Running 100 miles in 60 hours and maneuvering some of the most physically and mentally grueling objectives with minimal food and a few hours of sleep -- sound like fun?

CAMP CROWDER, Mo. - After five days of mentally and physically challenging tests, Sgt. Patrick Jennings and Spc. James Heatherly were named the best noncommissioned officer and soldier of the year.

FESTUS, Mo. - After graduating from Valley Park High School in 2004 and earning a degree in exercise science from St. Louis University, Marcella R. MacDermott decided she wanted yet another advantage in life.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - More than 50 Missouri Guard retirees attended the first muster of the State of Missouri Reserve Military Force at the Ike Skelton Training Site in Jefferson City.

FESTUS, Mo. - Missouri National Guard Soldiers of the Festus-based 220th Engineer Company will be among hundreds of Guardsmen performing a humanitarian mission in Honduras over the next several months.

TRENTON, Mo. - After traveling more than 450,000 miles while in Afghanistan, the Missouri Army National Guard's 548th Transportation Company, based in Trenton, travelled its last deployment mission - their journey home.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A group of Missouri residents visited the Missouri National Guard headquarters at Ike Skelton Training Site in Jefferson City as a part of a program to enhance their leadership skills.

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan - A Missouri Army National Guardsman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during ceremonies Wednesday at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - With support from the Nangarhar Agribusiness Development Team, the Afghan Ministry of Education celebrated another important milestone in their quest to provide all children in the nation equal access to a quality education.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - British government officials continue to tap the disaster response expertise of the Missouri National Guard.

NEVADA, Mo. - The landscape at the Missouri National Guard's Camp Clark in Nevada has changed with the demolition of more than 60 structures originally built in the 1920s. Once used as barracks, the outdated buildings were most recently used for storage.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - Shawn Skelton, of Jefferson City, was recently promoted from the rank of chief warrant officer 2 to chief warrant officer 3 in the Missouri Army National Guard.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Missouri National Guard Agribusiness Development Team VI reports no fatalities or life threatening injuries following an attack on the forward operating base where they are stationed in Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - After 26 years of service in the U.S. Navy and Missouri Army National Guard, a local Guardsman is retiring.

FORT BLISS, Texas - They are back -- almost. After a year-long deployment to Afghanistan, the 548th Transportation Company based in Trenton is now back on U.S. soil. Though not in Missouri yet, these Road Warriors are one step closer.

NEOSHO, Mo. - In a friendly but spirited event, veteran shooters shared tips with less-experienced competitors at the Missouri National Guard's 2012 Adjutant General State Combat Match Rifle/Pistol Championships March 23-25 at Camp Crowder in Neosho.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard is reaching out to his Soldiers and Airmen this month at their drill.

NORTH VERNON, Ind. - A regional disaster response force of Missouri National Guardsmen is now certified as mission ready after participating in a large-scale validation exercise involving several explosions in St. Louis.

NORTH VERNON, Ind. – The region’s military Homeland Response Force has received its validation certification thanks in part to the St. Joseph-based 139th Medical Group of the Missouri Air National Guard.

FORT BENNING, Ga. – Hot on the heels of the Missouri National Guard marksmanship team placing second at ‘All Army’ matches at Fort Benning, Ga., in mid March, the Show-Me State Guard combatives team walked away with second place at the fifth annual National Guard Combatives Tournament hosted by the Warrior Training Center at Fort Benning March 18.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A local Missouri National Guard Soldier closes one chapter and begins a new one after spending 26 years with the military.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sidewinder, the rock band element of the St. Louis-based 571st Air National Guard Band made famous by a YouTube video, will perform at the White House next week.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Guard is becoming a Family business for the Hash family.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. – Two A-10 Thunderbolt bombers flew 16,000 feet above the Missouri Air National Guard’s Cannon Range before firing their 30 mm guns at ground targets in a planned firing exercise this week.

NORTH VERNON, Ind. – A regional disaster response force is now validated and ready for action thanks in part to the Mexico-based 1140th Military Police Company of the Missouri National Guard.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. – Missouri National Guardsmen from the 35th Engineer Brigade recently deployed to Coban, Guatemala, to coordinate a real-world mission that will develop Soldiers’ skills.

CAMP AL SAYLIYAH, Qatar – A De Soto National Guardsman deployed to the Middle East has been named soldier of the quarter for his unit, the 3175th Chemical Company, based at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis County.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Having joined the National Guard, second grade teacher Spc. Zachary Lutjen, of Lincoln, Mo., has now become the student.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A local Missouri National Guardsman helped rescue his neighbor from high waters on Big Tavern Creek near Iberia, last week.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Missouri Army National Guard Family was recently presented the Combat Action Badge on behalf of their son at the Ike Skelton Training Site.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Keith Hon and Breanna New, of SEMO Imprints in Cape Girardeau, were recently presented with a Patriot Award in recognition of their extraordinary support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserves.

RICHMOND, Mo. – They call him ‘Mr. Richmond.’ That’s how students and staff at Richmond High School refer to Sgt. 1st Class Dustin Wells of the Missouri Army National Guard.

FORT BENNING, Ga. – The Missouri National Guard’s top marksmen continue to rank nationally for shooting skills, placing second in the nation as a team at the U.S. Army Small Arms Championships at Fort Benning, Ga., for matches taking place March 1-10. Individually, the four-man team placed high as well.

FESTUS, Mo. – William M. Vedder, of Ballwin, enlisted in the Missouri National Guard last year with the expectation that the training regimen would not be “lenient.” He was not disappointed.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – In an effort to help Afghanistan recover from economic devastation brought on by decades of war, the Missouri National Guard became the first to deploy an Agribusiness Development Team in 2007 with a mission of facilitating agricultural reconstruction and development in the Nangarhar Province.

CAMP ETHAN ALLEN TRAINING SITE, Vt. – A three-man Missouri National Guard biathlon team recently competed at the 2012 Chief of the National Guard Bureau Biathlon Championships beginning in late February. This would be a test of their skiing abilities, endurance and marksmanship skills.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On Dec. 7, 1941, the attacks on Pearl Harbor immediately affected millions of Americans. It put into motion a chain of events that would set the course of a then 16-year-old boy.

NEOSHO, Mo. – More than 100 Soldiers and Airmen graduated recently from the Missouri National Guard’s first Air Assault School held at Camp Crowder.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Nakeisha Ekpe, of St. Joseph, recently enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard and will serve with the 548th Transportation Company in Trenton.

ST. PETERS, Mo. - Fourteen soldiers and airman that make up the Missouri National Guard Combatives Team are training in St. Peters for the All Guard Combatives Tournament March 18-19 at Fort Benning, Ga.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Friends and Family gathered at Ike Skelton Training Site in Jefferson City to wish their loved ones well as the Missouri National Guard’s Agribusiness Development Team VI departs for more training before arriving in Afghanistan.

FESTUS, Mo. – In some professions, when you do a good job, you get more money. In the military, you get more responsibility.

ST JOSEPH, MO. – A 139th Airlift Wing veteran, who achieved the top enlisted title in the Missouri Air National Guard, gave his parting words to a formation comprised of time-honored friendships forged from nearly 41 years of service.

FLORISSANT, Mo. – By her own admission, serving in the military was not on Stephanie Mundwiller’s radar while attending McClure North High School. But after graduating in 2006 a conversation with her cousin, Master Sgt. Jennifer Kuhl, an Air Guard recruiter, lead Mundwiller to enlist in the Missouri Air National Guard, a decision she now calls one of the best she ever made.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard’s assistant adjutant general was promoted to the rank of brigadier general this week at the Ike Skelton Training Site.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – First lady Michelle Obama visited with nine Missouri National Guardsmen and their Families on March 5 when her plane touched down at the Kansas City International Airport.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Hundreds of people, from elementary school children to aging military veterans, were on hand Thursday at Jefferson Barracks to mark the 100th anniversary of the first parachute descent from an airplane.

BRANSON, Mo. - Missouri National Guard engineers are supporting local law enforcement in southwest Missouri following this week's severe storms.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – After graduating college and earning his teaching certificate, Jesse Meek, of St. Joseph, knew his education was long from being complete and turned to the Missouri National Guard to broaden his career path.

NEOSHO, Mo. – Nearly 200 Missouri Citizen-Soldiers began strenuous training this week at the Missouri National Guard’s first air assault course at Camp Crowder in Neosho, Mo. this week.

Korat, Thailand - Nearly 30 Missouri Guardsmen traveled from St. Louis to Thailand to participate in Pacific Command's largest joint force, multinational exercise, Cobra Gold 2012, held here February 5 through 17.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Jefferson Barracks in south St. Louis County will open its gates to the public Thursday to mark the 100th anniversary of the first parachute descent from an airplane.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – To the residents of Saidan e’Foulade - a small village within the District of Surkh Rod, Nangarhar Province - drought was an all too common occurrence.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The unique journey of one Missouri Guardsmen begins more than 6,500 miles away in Nigeria.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Ask Missouri Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Angie Johnson what her life has been like for the past six months, and one word immediately comes to mind: surreal.

WEBB CITY, Mo. – A gymnasium filled with basketball fans, football coaches and players watched as the Webb City football team picked up a National Guard trophy noting the team as one of the 50 best high school line-ups in the nation.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Meet the Family Stone, two of the Missouri National Guard’s newest recruits. Cheyenne and Edwin Stone are not only connected as siblings, but also as Citizen-Soldiers.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Citizen-Soldiers with the Missouri National Guard gained valuable training while partnering with Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield during February’s monthly drill, using state-of-the-art manikins known as “SimMan 3Gs” to sharpen their skills.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The second annual Missouri National Guard 2012 Combatives Tournament is coming to the St. Charles Family Arena on Feb. 25 with competition slated to begin at 8 a.m.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – It was the first dusting of snow of the season, with southwest and central Missouri streets and highways covered in a thin layer of ice and snow. That morning, Dec. 6, four Missouri National Guard Soldiers headed northeast on Missouri 54 toward Jefferson City.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard is expanding its on-line presence by joining new social media sites. Google+ and Pinterest are the newest sites to gain Missouri Guard involvement, and reflect the Missouri National Guard’s commitment to reaching its Soldiers, Airmen and Family members through all available means, said Maj. Gen. Stephen L. Danner, adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – After 22 years of service, a Missouri Army National Guardsman was recognized for his time and duty during a retirement ceremony Friday at the Ike Skelton Training Site. Sgt. 1st Class Bill Bolles, a Reed Point, Mont. native and Mexico, Mo. resident, began his military career in July, 1989.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard’s state partnership program is working with local Rotaries to install two water purification systems in Panama.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard has selected a new state command chief master sergeant to serve as the senior enlisted Airman for the Missouri Air National Guard.

SALIMA, Malawi – In conjunction with U.S. Army Africa, Missouri Guardsman Sgt. 1st Class Brian Underwood, of Pleasant Hill, traveled in January to Salima, Malawi in southeast Africa to instruct some 20 Soldiers from the Malawi Defense Forces.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – In recognition of African American history month, the Museum of Missouri Military History is hosting the “Learning to Read, a Soldier’s Story” exhibit at the Ike Skelton Training Site this month. The display features six paintings portraying what it was like for African American Soldiers learning to read during the Civil War.

JEFFERSON CITY – On the afternoon of February 7, 1812, residents of southeast Missouri experienced the rocking and shaking of a 7.7 magnitude earthquake. It was the third and largest earthquake in less than two months, and would cause devastation that can still be seen 200 years later.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Many Service members across the country are struggling with finding employment. One Missouri Army National Guard Soldier is dedicated to helping those in need find jobs.

SOUTH ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Despite having retired from the Missouri Army National Guard more than 20 years ago, Bill Leeper, of south St. Louis County, is a familiar sight at the Guard’s Joint Armed Forces Reserve Center at Jefferson Barracks.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – One of Missouri’s newest Citizen-Soldiers has been serving in the military since the age of 14 as a Confederate Soldier with the 1st Missouri Cavalry (dismounted). James Shipman, a Civil War reenactor recently promoted to captain, is the youngest officer in his 200-man battalion of relic Soldiers.

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar – One of the most difficult things a child can experience is having a parent deployed to a war zone. Spc. Gessee Luos and Spc. Erica Guzman have stepped in to help ease this burden – they are helping Soldiers participate in the United Through Reading program.

PANAMA CITY, Panama. – The Missouri National Guard visited counterparts in Panama to share law enforcement and emergency response experiences.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Though having served in the military for nine years, Sgt. Jerry Simons is one of the newest troops to join the ranks of the Missouri Army National Guard.

FESTUS, Mo. – Attending drill while on leave from Afghanistan might not be on the list of things to do for some soldiers, but that’s exactly what Spc. Kerry A. Franklin of the Missouri Army National Guard recently did.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri’s adjutant general and the president of the University of Central Missouri signed a memorandum of agreement at the Ike Skelton Training Site last week.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Three World War II veterans received the Legion of Honor for valorous actions at the Capitol building in Jefferson City.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – From his office at the Ike Skelton Training Site on the outskirts of town, Sgt. 1st Class Joe Spencer is tracking just how “green” the Missouri National Guard really is.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – You just can’t keep a good retiree down - at least not Mike Lewis, who left the Missouri Army National Guard in 2007, yet continues to serve. Lewis, who was recently hired as a state employee as a property books manager at the Missouri Guard’s Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group facility in Springfield, has spent more than 30 years working with the military, in aviation, especially, and it appears he’s just not quite ready to quit.

ALBANY, Mo. - With the most recent enlistment of their youngest son, one northwest Missouri Family serving in the National Guard could all but make up their own squad of artilleryman. One dad and four sons now serve with the 1-129th Field Artillery Battalion making for some interesting war stories.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The Jan. 13 Fight-Me Mixed Martial Arts League event at the St. Charles Family Arena attracted more than the usual young, enthusiastic martial arts fans.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard is scheduled to conduct its first Air Assault Course in late February at Camp Crowder, near Neosho.

NEOSHO, Mo. – Thirty-seven years following enlistment, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Tommy Shields has retired from the Missouri Army National Guard.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard has moved up in the ranks, according to a tool used by the National Guard Bureau to rate each state.

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar – A St. Louis Missouri National Guardsman deployed to the Middle East has been named Soldier of the Quarter for the 175th Military Police Battalion, headquartered in Columbia.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Missouri National Guardsmen who will make up the Region 7 Homeland Response Force are undergoing intensive training to meet a Department of Defense deadline to be fully operational by September.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Five Citizen-Soldiers from Detachment 3, Company I, 185th Theater Aviation Company said goodbye to friends and family at a departure ceremony in Springfield Jan 6.

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard’s 1-135th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion held a roll-out ceremony that officially transitioned the battalion to a AH-64D Apache Longbow unit.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – When a Soldier prepares for a deployment, he must first complete the necessary training. The training consists of physical training, military occupation specialty training, and mental preparation. But many Soldiers aren’t prepared to be injured before they leave their home country.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. – Following the active Army component, the Missouri National Guard is pushing its Soldiers to be more all-around physically fit as opposed to simply being able to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – While most people were making plans for New Year’s Eve festivities, the commanding general of the Missouri National Guard was in Afghanistan visiting the troops.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The year 2011 is quickly coming to a close, giving the Missouri National Guard a time to reflect on the many missions accomplished in the past 12 months during a town hall meeting at the Ike Skelton Training Site.

As I reflect on 2011, I am filled with pride at what your Missouri National Guard Soldiers and Airmen accomplished at home and abroad. They faced some of the toughest challenges in our organization’s history, and bested them all.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard cut a red ribbon to note the opening of a Corrosion Control Center on the campus of the Guard’s Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group facility in Springfield.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – More than four decades after being deployed to Vietnam, Larry Payne, of St. Joseph, was recently presented with a Bronze Star for his meritorious service in connection with armed conflict operations during the siege of Khe Sanh in 1968.

RICH HILL, Mo. – An outpouring of love and generosity has been shown to the Family of a deployed Missouri National Guard Soldier after a fire consumed the Family’s house and all of the contents inside. In the early morning hours of Oct. 31, the home of Pfc. Lee Hatt, of Rich Hill, was devastated by fire when the wood stove area in the living room ignited and quickly spread.

LAKE OZARK, Mo. – Missouri’s adjutant general invited Soldiers, Airmen and Family members from across the state to gather to celebrate the National Guard’s 375th birthday during a formal ball at the Lake of the Ozarks on December 17.

ALBANY, Mo. – Phillip Green, of Cameron, was recently recognized for his 20 years of service with the Missouri National Guard in front of his former unit, Battery A, 1-129th Field Artillery in Albany.

Building relationships with and giving back to the community is one of the strongest aspects of any Missouri National Guard Soldier. Lt. Col. Ed Gargas and Maj. Craig Gatzmeyer recently visited with members of the Jackson Optimist Club to share their stories and knowledge of the 1140th Engineer Battalion.

MOLENA, Ga. – Members of the Waynesville High School JROTC Raiders with ties to the Missouri National Guard recently helped their team take second overall and garner individual honors in the mixed division of the 2011 Raider National Championships.

SHINDAND, Afghanistan – Since early spring about 170 Citizen-Soldiers with the Trenton-based 548th Transportation Company have been serving on a year-long mission in western Afghanistan. Most of these Citizen-Soldiers will spend the holidays away from Family and friends halfway around the world.

FESTUS, Mo. – A new training opportunity for Missouri Army National Guard recruits was recently installed at the Festus Armory and used for the first time on Saturday.

SHINDAND, Afghanistan – Since early spring about 170 Citizen-Soldiers with the Trenton-based 548th Transportation Company have been serving on a year-long mission in western Afghanistan. Most of these Citizen-Soldiers will spend the holidays away from Family and friends halfway around the world.

Lt. Col. Rodney Ginter, of Columbia, has been appointed the new commander for the 205th Military Police Battalion in Poplar Bluff.

The Southeast Missouri Retired National Guard Association recently hosted a Retiree Appreciation Day for retired Soldiers of the Missouri Guard.

New recruits with Delta Company, Missouri National Guard, work in small groups as Sgt. 1st Class Kevin LaChance gives instruction on medical care for injuries ranging from a broken leg to an open chest wound.

SHINDAND, Afghanistan – Since early spring about 170 Citizen-Soldiers with the Trenton-based 548th Transportation Company have been serving on a year-long mission in western Afghanistan. Most of these Citizen-Soldiers will spend the holidays away from Family and friends halfway around the world.

SHINDAND, Afghanistan – Since early spring about 170 Citizen-Soldiers with the Trenton-based 548th Transportation Company have been serving on a year-long mission in western Afghanistan. Most of these Citizen-Soldiers will spend the holidays away from Family and friends halfway around the world.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – A St. Louis native now living in Belleville, Ill. is the Missouri Air National Guard’s Outstanding First Sergeant of the Year for 2011.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Deployed Missouri National Guardsmen are sending holiday greetings to their loved ones at home.

Luiz Goez, operations manager at Blue Chip Midwest LLC., was recently presented with a Patriot Award in recognition of his extraordinary support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserves.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – A St. Louis infantry unit that traces its lineage to 1832 celebrated that history Saturday night at, appropriately enough, the Soldiers Memorial and Military Museum downtown.

Though he no longer wears the Army uniform or serves with the National Guard, Ted Snodgrass still makes a point to visit his former unit while donning a new red uniform.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard’s Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Stephen Danner is hosting the third annual birthday ball Dec. 17, at The Lodge of the Four Seasons in Ozark, Mo. with music from rock ensemble, Sidewinder.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After serving nearly three decades with the Missouri Army National Guard, Master Sgt. Bill Hodson closed a chapter in his military service, only to turn around and begin a new one.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard, and Panama’s vice-minister of public security signed a historic agreement at the State Capitol on Friday.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City unit joined Guardsmen across the state in honoring its Soldiers during their monthly weekend drill at the Blue Armory in Jefferson City.

SHINDAND AIR BASE, Afghanistan – The Missouri National Guard’s 548th Transportation Company has been busy moving supplies during its current deployment.

The Missouri National Guard is honoring its Soldiers and Airmen in ceremonies across the state as part of a project to capture the Guard's history and honor those who have worn the uniform since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

NANGARHAR, Afghanistan – Decades of drought, conflict and economic strife has contributed to the decimation of critical irrigation infrastructure within Afghanistan. With the support of United States Agribusiness Development Teams, canals across provinces in eastern Afghanistan are being restored to protect the nation’s valuable water resources.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Participation in the Army Combatives Program came in handy for two Missouri National Guard Soldiers who took part in the Fight-Me Mixed Martial Arts event at the St. Charles Family Arena on Veteran’s Day.

FOREST CITY, Mo. - It has been five months since the Missouri National Guard was activated to respond to flooding along the Missouri River in the northwest portion of the state. The urgency of the flood has subsided, but the battle continues for many.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – When Missouri National Guard Staff Sgt. Ryan Houk takes off from the starting line at the Arizona Ironman contest in Tempe, Ariz., Nov. 20, the event will mark a milestone in the Citizen-Soldier’s physical transformation, as well as commemorate the anniversary of the death of fellow Guardsman Master Sgt. Mark Turner who died on that date two years before.

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard’s 203rd ‘Houn Dawg’ Retiree Association received a grant in recognition of efforts put forth by Guard Citizen-Soldiers since Joplin’s devastating tornado.

Missouri National Guard engineer units have a long-standing tradition of completing valuable construction projects in Central and South America that continues to this day as part of their training. The projects are not only valuable to the countries they serve, but also in the training received by the Guardsmen.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri National Guard’s Patriot Center hosted their second annual Halloween open house at the Ike Skelton Training Site for local area children. The Patriot Center staff hosted activities for Service member’s children and community daycares – including providing candy for trick or treat and hay rides.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Sgt. Benjamin Pharris stood in the foyer of the Missouri National Guard armory in Springfield and was sworn in by Maj. Brad Leonard as the new enlistee’s mother looked on, following in the footsteps of his father, Sgt. 1st Class Robert Pharris, who was killed in action in Afghanistan January 5 of this year.

Col. Wendul Hagler, the chief of staff of the Missouri National Guard, and Command Sgt. Maj. James Schulte, the state command sergeant major of the Missouri National Guard, went ‘Over the Edge’ for Special Olympics Missouri at the Jefferson State Office Building on Saturday.

Sixteen southwest Missouri Soldiers were welcomed home with open arms following a yearlong deployment to the Middle East. The Missouri National Guardsmen, primarily members of Springfield’s 1107th Aviation Group, deployed as part of the Aviation Depot Maintenance Round-out Unit, or ADMRU.

ST. LOUIS - A pair of Missouri National Guardsmen had the opportunity to meet some of their heroes while working at the 2011 World Series Oct. 20 at Busch Stadium.

Members of the Missouri National Guard’s 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team were called Tuesday morning to support first responders at the remnants of a trailer fire in rural Howard County.

After about four years planning and training, the Missouri National Guard’s 1-135th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion received three new Apache Longbow helicopters.

The Missouri National Guard’s Retirement Services Office, along with Joplin’s 203rd Houn Dawg Retiree Association and Springfield’s Patriot retiree associations, hosted a Retiree Appreciation Day for retired Soldiers of the Missouri Guard at Camp Crowder Saturday, October 22.

When someone stumbles upon the greatest thing since sliced bread, it's only natural to want to share the treasure with others. Such is the case for Missouri Army National Guard Recruiter, Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly Komar.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Missouri Army National Guard recruiter, Sgt. 1st Class Charles Wood, was recently awarded the Recruiting and Retention Command, Sergeant Major Award for Recruiting and Retention Excellence in 2011. This is a state-wide recognition for the St. Joseph-based recruiter.

It’s probably a safe bet that this Veterans Day won’t be quickly forgotten by Spc. Miles McDonald, Sgt. Jeremy Koerper and Staff Sgt. Jay Powell, of the Missouri Army National Guard.

CHILLICOTHE, Mo. – The Chillicothe armory recently opened its doors to local National Guard retirees and military veterans for a special breakfast to honor their service during the unit’s October drill weekend.

As the St. Louis Cardinals prepare to play the Texas Rangers in the World Series, a member of the St. Louis-based 571st Air Force Band of the Missouri Air National Guard, is still savoring his opportunity to be a part of the National League Championship Series.

Mr. Edward Farnsworth, president of the Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City, was presented a Patriot Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in recognition of extraordinary support of his employees who serve in the Missouri National Guard and Reserve.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Christopher Petty, of St. Joseph, recently enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard and will serve with the 1135th Engineer Company (Clearance) in Richmond, one of three newly formed engineer units in the state.

CHILLICOTHE, Mo. – After serving more than two decades with the Missouri Army National Guard, Sgt. Todd Wilson, of Marceline, reported to his final monthly drill with Battery B, 1-129th Field Artillery on Oct. 1 in Chillicothe.

Retired Senior Master Sergeant John A. (Jack) Argent, retiree service officer, Eastern District Representative with the Missouri National Guard, was recently honored as the “Scott AFB Retiree Activities Office 2010 Volunteer of the Year” acknowledged by the United States Air Force Retiree Council’s “Certificate of Appreciation” in recognition of his dedicated service to the United States Air Force.

ALBANY, Mo. – Caleb Newman, of Albany, recently enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard and will serve with the Headquarters, Headquarters Co., 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Kansas City.

Missouri National Guard Soldiers and Airmen across the state are participating in a national level exercise to prepare and coordinate an effective response to earthquakes in the New Madrid Seismic Zone.

After two weeks of sandbagging and security missions, the Missouri National Guard transitioned to a different mission – hauling much-needed water pumps to the St. John’s Bayou in New Madrid.

When the National Guard arrived in Caruthersville, a small town on the bank of the Mississippi River, they quickly learned they would not be fighting the rising waters alone.

Two members of the 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, of Jefferson City, are in southeast Missouri helping keep Missouri National Guard communication flowing throughout the region as part of Operation Show Me Rising Tide.

For the average Guardsmen, their first experience of the Army National Guard after training is generally a drill weekend. However, for Pvt. Lauren Coffey, her experience was far from the norm.

The Missouri National Guard’s 35th Combat Aviation Brigade has been conducting air missions for local communities during state emergency duty in response to historic flooding in southeast Missouri.

While conducting a foot patrol from the Surkh Rod District Agriculture Extension Compound the security force platoon leader noticed a woman hurrying along with an injured infant in her arms.

St. Louis is serving as a nerve center for the Guard’s flood response, called Operation Rising Tide, in southeastern parts of the state.

Two Missouri National Guard Citizen-Soldiers earned the title Citizen-Heroes after being caught on videotape while completing a daring rescue of a 93-year-old woman on the swollen Black River today.

Citizen-Soldiers come from all over the state to help their neighbors as flood waters threatened southeast Missouri communities.

Social media is playing a role in the National Guard's flood response efforts in southeast Missouri. Soldiers of the 70th Troop Command, who are coordinating flood response missions from a tactical operations center at Jefferson Barracks, have been monitoring facebook since Gov. Jay Nixon mobilized the National Guard on Monday.

1st Lt. Matthew Martz, of St. Joseph, took command of Missouri National Guard’s Battery D, 1-129th Field Artillery from Capt. Shannon D. Holaday, of Bolckow, during a change of command ceremony in January at the Independence National Guard Armory.

The Missouri National Guard Child and Youth Program has taken on a new focus: leadership development and community service among teens.

The Missouri National Guard's adjutant general crowned the state's first-ever state Army Guard combatives champions in seven weight brackets Sunday morning during an awards ceremony at Davidson Fitness Center.

Master Sgt. Stephen Bradley is the non-commissioned officer in charge of the agriculture section deployed to Afghanistan supporting the Agri-business Development Team IV.

Funeral Information for Sgt. 1st Class Robert Wayne Pharris.

Missouri Guardsmen present the nation’s colors at Chiefs playoff game.