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.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - James Senft, who lives in St. Robert, was recently promoted from the rank of first lieutenant to captain in the Missouri Army National Guard.

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.

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan - A Nevada, Mo. Army National Guardsman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during ceremonies April, 18 at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan - A Dixon, Mo. Army National Guardsman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during ceremonies April 18 at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

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.

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan - Two St. Peters, Mo. Army National Guardsmen were awarded the Bronze Star Medal during ceremonies April 18 at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan - An Arnold Mo. Army National Guardsman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during ceremonies April 18 at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan - A Fredericktown Mo. Army National Guardsman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during ceremonies April 18 at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan - An O'Fallon Mo. Army National Guardsman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during ceremonies April 18 at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan - A St. Charles Mo. Army National Guardsman was awarded the Bronze Star Medal during ceremonies April 18 at Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

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.

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Two employees at the Kraft Foods Oscar Mayer plant in Columbia were recognized recently for their outstanding military support by the Missouri Committee for Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve.

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.

NORTH VERNON, Ind. – The De Soto-based 735th Field Service Company of the Missouri National Guard played a key role in a recent disaster exercise that helped lead to the validation of the Region 7 Homeland Response Force.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Air National Guard was recently recognized with three 2011 Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards.

RUSSELLVILLE, Mo. – As a child, Pfc. John A. Kennedy remembers joking with his family about some day attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

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.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - John Arata, a member of the Air National Guard rock band that skyrocketed to fame last year via a YouTube video, was recently promoted to the rank of major in a ceremony at Lambert-St. Louis Airport.

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar - A 2006 graduate of Francis Howell North High School, Sgt. Daniel L. Evans, of Columbia, Mo., was recently named the noncommissioned officer of the quarter for the Missouri National Guard's 3175th Chemical Company.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - While raising his right hand, and reciting the oath of enlistment, Connor Barrett swore into the Missouri Army National Guard, thus continuing the military legacy for the Barrett Family.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. – Senior members of the Missouri National Guard’s 35th Engineer Brigade recently honored their fallen brethren with a memorial service at the Engineer Memorial Wall for Fallen Engineers on post.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo – A public affairs specialist in the Missouri Army National Guard received a promotion Friday during his unit’s March drill at the Ike Skelton Training Site.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.– A public affairs specialist in the Missouri Army National Guard received a surprise promotion Friday during her unit’s March drill at the Ike Skelton Training Site.

BRANSON, Mo. – A combat correspondent in the Missouri Army National Guard received a surprise promotion Friday while serving on state emergency duty.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A senior leader in the Missouri Air National Guard moved up in ranks this weekend.

JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Jay Nixon today activated the Missouri National Guard in response to tornadoes and severe storms that moved through the state, beginning Tuesday night (Feb. 28) and continuing into the early morning hours of Wednesday (Feb. 29).

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Gov. Jay Nixon has mobilized the Missouri National Guard to assist civil authorities in Branson following a night of severe storms.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Missouri Army National Guard Soldier was recently awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by Brig. Gen. Randy Alewel, the commander of the 35th Engineer Brigade.

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. The event will feature at least 42 soldiers and airmen of the Missouri National Guard and it is free and open to the public.

NEOSHO, Mo. – Nearly 200 Missouri Citizen-Soldiers are attending the Missouri National Guard’s first air assault course at Camp Crowder in Neosho, Mo., beginning Feb. 28.

DE SOTO, Mo. – A De Soto-based Missouri National Guard unit that normally provides showers, laundry service and food to troops in the field will soon be tested in a new mission; pulling people from rubble.

FOB FINLEY-SHIELDS, Afghanistan – Staff Sgt. Christopher Hobbs prepares to close the door on his Agribusiness Development Team chapter of life. He has deployed twice to Afghanistan with the team.

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. – A University City resident, Mary-Dale Amison, was recently promoted to the rank of senior master sergeant in the Missouri Air National Guard.

Gloyer looks back at the past year - in an instant he learned he did not have to travel halfway around the world to serve in a war-torn area but found himself in the midst of massive destruction when a deadly tornado ripped through Joplin on May 22, 2011.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Michael Hirtz has recently been promoted from the rank of major to lieutenant colonel in the Missouri National Guard.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A retirement ceremony for a local guardsman was held at the Ike Skelton Training Site recently. Sgt. 1st Class Craig Collins, a Columbia resident, has dedicated more than 20 years in the United States military while serving in the Air Force, Air Force Reserves, Army, and Missouri Army National Guard.

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.

In an emotional ceremony in Springfield, Capt. Paul Caldwell assumed command of the 206th Area Support Medical Company from Maj. James Risner.

Nearly 50 percent of Soldier deaths overseas in 2011 are attributed to Improvised Explosive Devices. Missouri National Guardsman Sgt. David Silas dedicates his time to helping researchers in their effort to lower that number.

By Master Sgt. Mary-Dale Amison, 131st Bomb Wing Public Affairs marydale.amison@ang.af.mil SAINT LOUIS, Mo - Sidewinder, the Missouri Air National Guard rock band that became an overnight sensation thanks to a YouTube video, returned home today from their 45-day overseas deployment. Family, friends, fellow 571st Air Force Band members, and media greeted the 10-member band outside Concourse A in the lower level of Terminal One at Lambert Saint Louis-Airport. During their deployment a video of the band's rendition of "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele went viral and as of this writing has been viewed over 1.3 million times. The video's popularity led to numerous interviews and satellite television appearances including the nationally syndicated "Entertainment Tonight." Invitations for appearances upon their return include ABC's "Good Morning America," Warner Brothers "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," and the Fox News Network's "Fox and Friends." In addition, Staff Sgt. Angie Johnson, of St. Ann, Mo., the lead singer in the video, received a personal invitation from Carson Daly to audition for his hit NBC show "The Voice." "We're very excited about the attention the viral video received and hope it will illustrate to the public the excellence found in all careers fields of the Air Force and the Air National Guard," said Capt. John Arata, 571st Air Force Band officer in charge and Sidewinder fiddle and keyboard player, "Now we have a unique opportunity to represent Airmen here at home." "It kind of hit me two days before we came home," said Staff Sgt. Sean Navarro, Sidewinder sound technician, of the band's return to Saint Louis, "This is my first deployment and it was a great experience, better than I could have imagined. The response everywhere we went was amazing and the troops were so glad to hear us." Sidewinder is the rock and roll element of the 35-member 571st Air Force Band "Air National Guard Band of the Central States" located at the 131st Bomb Wing, Missouri Air National Guard at Lambert-Saint Louis International Airport. Air Force bands are classified as premier and regional bands. The United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C., is the only premier band. Eleven active duty regional bands operate at nine locations in the United States and from four locations overseas. In addition, there are 11 Air National Guard bands at various locations throughout the United States. "This is the kind of heat I like!" said Staff Sgt. Brian Owens, one of Sidewinder's vocalists, in reference to the 90 degree temperatures in Saint Louis versus the 120+ degrees searing heat of some of the locations they visited in Southwest Asia, "It's great to be home!" -30- For more information on the 131st Bomb Wing and Sidewinder: http://www.131bw.ang.af.mil/index.asp https://www.facebook.com/131BW https://www.facebook.com/#!/SidewinderANGband

EVENT: Missouri National Guard departure ceremony DATE/TIME: Tuesday, Aug. 30, 9 a.m. LOCATION: Ike Skelton Training Site, 2302 Militia Drive, Jefferson City, Mo. 65101 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A departure ceremony for 93 Missouri National Guardsmen to the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt is scheduled for 9 a.m., Aug. 30, on the main drill floor at Ike Skelton Training Site. Guardsmen from Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 835th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion and Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 229th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, both of Jefferson City, will join forces as a battalion to support Task Force Sinai, which is part of the Multinational Forces and Observers. The joint battalion's mission is to provide command and control, as well as medical support, to Task Force Sinai in support of the Multinational Forces and Observers as it supervises and implements a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. Guardsmen in the joint battalion reside throughout the state. Following the ceremony, the Jefferson City units will travel to Camp Atterbury, Ind., where they will spend about two weeks to complete their training before leaving for a year-long deployment. The joint battalion is under the command of Col. Eric Evans, who lives in Columbia. -30- Media are cordially invited and encouraged to attend. Please arrive 30 minutes in advance of the presentation for set up. Media can RSVP with Matthew Wilson by calling 573-638-9500 ext. 4853 or e-mailing matthew.j.wilson4@us.army.mil

Fox Sports Kansas City and the KC Royals team up to deliver a special broadcast to deployed Missouri National Guard Soldiers.

About 70 Soldiers from two St. Louis-based Missouri National Guard light infantry units will take part in a large-scale military exercise in the wild expanses of South Dakota next month.