June 2019 Gallery

Platinum Wolf 19 gets underway with opening ceremony

About 500 Soldiers representing 10 countries assembled June 3, 2019, at South Base, Serbia for the Platinum Wolf 19 opening ceremony. The two-week multinational training exercise is taking place June 3-18, 2019, at South Base and the Borovac Training Area.

SERBIA PARTNERSHIP | READ STORY

Maintaining the wing's fleet

An Airman at the 179th Airlift Wing in Mansfield, Ohio washes a C-130H Hercules aircraft named “Jolly Roger” earlier this year after it returned from flying over 500 hours in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Southwest Asia. Airmen must maintain the wing’s fleet of C-130s to be constantly ready to support domestic operations, as well as worldwide deployments, with cargo and personnel airlift capabilities.

~ 179TH AIRLIFT WING

Angolan Armed Forces general visits US, Ohio for first time

Gen. Jaques Raul, Angolan Armed Forces deputy land force commander, and four other members of the Angolan military, visited Ohio June 2-6, 2019, to meet with Ohio National Guard leaders and discuss future training opportunities between the two militaries.

~ STATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM |  READ STORY

State Partners are also Good 'Neighbors'

Ohio National Guard Soldiers stand for a group photo with members of the Hungarian Defence Forces and Serbian Armed Forces during a distinguished visitor day at Exercise Neighbors June 6, 2019, in Pancevo, Serbia. Exercise Neighbors is the only annual trilateral exercise that the Ohio National Guard participates in with both its State Partnership Program countries, Serbia and Hungary, and is focused on small tactic training in support of peacekeeping operations.

~ STATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

New commander takes charge at 251st Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group

Col. Francisco J. Dominguez took command of the 251st Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group from Col. Wade D. Rupper during a June 8, 2019, change of command ceremony at Springfield Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

~ 251ST CYBERSPACE ENGINEERING INSTALLATION GROUP |  READ STORY

Guard members teach self-defense to women in Serbia

Staff Sgt. Brittany Robertson (left) instructs two students during self-defense training conducted this spring in Vranje, Serbia. Robertson was one of three female Ohio National Guard members who taught basic self-defense and combatives techniques to a group of Serbian women who have been victims of domestic violence. The training included how to throw a punch properly, situational awareness, grappling, jujitsu and boxing, while also helping empower and improve students’ overall confidence.

~ 17TH WING |  READ STORY

Celebrating 244 years of the U.S. Army:
Happy Birthday, U.S. Army!

The Citizen-Soldier legacy of the Continental Army of 244 years ago lives on in the Ohio Army National Guard today. This year marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day, and Ohio Soldiers were among the more-than 60,000 U.S. troops involved in the Allied invasion. From the Revolution and World War II to the present day, Soldiers have honored the call to service.

OHIO SOLDIERS RECALL D-DAY
READ ADJUTANT GENERAL'S MESSAGE

Ohio National Guard throws birthday party for U.S. Army

The Ohio National Guard hosted a ceremony to celebrate the 244th birthday of the U.S. Army June 14, 2019, at the Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beightler Armory. Brig. Gen. Anthony DiGiacomo, commander of Special Troops Command (Provisional), presided over the ceremony, which included remarks highlighting the U.S. Army, an educational display from the Ohio Army National Guard Historical Collections and an official cake-cutting.

SPECIAL TROOPS COMMAND | READ STORY

The Ohio National Guard celebrates Flag Day

In the U.S., Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. In this photo, an Ohio National Guard joint service color guard stands at attention during a helicopter flyover, signaling the start of the honoree ceremony at the Memorial Tournament May 29, 2019, at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

Ohio National Guard field artillery units participate in BREAKTHROUGH 19

Soldiers with Batteries A and B, 1st Battalion, 134th Field Artillery Regiment, conduct live-fire artillery training June 4-15, 2019, near Varpalota, Hungary. The field artillery units participated in BREAKTHROUGH 19, a Hungarian national exercise that utilized multiple artillery systems from Hungarian Defence Forces, U.S. Army Europe and four other Army National Guard units to create a collective capability that increases the interoperability and readiness of the participating militaries.

~ 37TH IBCT | SERBIA PARTNERSHIP | READ STORY

Celebrating Father’s Day:
Ohio ANG father, daughter deploy together

Chief Master Sgt. Ralph Chandler and Staff Sgt. Madison Chandler, both Airmen with the 179th Airlift Wing in Mansfield, Ohio, took the old saying about family sticking together very seriously, as they deployed to Southwest Asia together earlier this year. It was Madison’s first and likely Ralph’s final one of several in his career, but their memories of serving together overseas will last a lifetime

READ STORY

Platinum Wolf ‘19:
Multinational exercise expands Ohio-Serbia State Partnership

News feature on culmination of Platinum Wolf 19, a two-week multinational, peacekeeping training exercise conducted June 3-18, 2019, in South Base, Serbia. As part of Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program, the Ohio National Guard has had a state partnership with Serbia since 2006.

~ SERBIA PARTNERSHIP | READ STORY

Family reunion at the old ball game

The family of Maj. Dewey Miller of the 174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade — his wife Cassidy and daughter Graci — are surprised by a video message from him during a Columbus Clippers Military Appreciation Night June 18, 2019, at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio. Miller and the 174th Headquarters are currently deployed to Ansbach, Germany. On Tuesdays during the season, the Clippers are honoring military and first responders.

~ 174TH AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY BRIGADE | WATCH VIDEO MESSAGE

Ohio Cyber Range rollout at University of Cincinnati exceeds expectations

Officials from the Ohio Adjutant General’s Department and the Ohio Department of Higher Education, K-12 teachers, students and industry leaders joined University of Cincinnati faculty and staff members June 19, 2019, for the university’s inaugural Cybersecurity Education Symposium to celebrate the completion of the second phase of the rollout of the Ohio Cyber Range, a virtual cybersecurity training and testing environment accessible to schools, businesses and government entities.

~ READ STORY

Ohio-based company recognized with ESGR’s highest award

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) presented Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. with the 2019 Large Company Pro Patria Award, as one of the top employers in Ohio, and announced that Nationwide also won a national Freedom Award at an ESGR awards event June 21, 2019, at Quest Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio. The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. government to employers for their outstanding support of employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve. Representing Nationwide, which is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, are: Doug Huber (from left), Jerry King, Kelsie Damron, Carrie Killingsworth and Mark Lopez.

Ohio, Serbian military partners gain aeromedevac familiarization

Sgt. 1st Class Ross Miller (left), a medic assigned to the 52nd Civil Support Team, is spun in the Bárány chair by Capt. Cherie Richards, an instructor at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, June 21, 2019, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The Bárány chair is used to demonstrate spatial disorientation and train student pilots how to overcome motion sickness. It was part of part of an aeromedevac familiarization event conducted with members of the Ohio National Guard and Serbian Armed Forces, which have been paired through the Department of Defense State Partnership Program since 2006.

~ SPP: SERBIA |  SEE VIDEO

200th RED HORSE helps constructs camp for special needs children

The 200th RED HORSE Squadron recently assisted in the construction of Mississippi’s first fully accessible year-round camp facility for children and adults with serious illnesses, physical and mental challenges, and other special needs, through the Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Program. Over 80 Airmen from the unit split into two rotations this spring in an effort to support the ongoing project, which is planned to run through 2020 and will involve National Guard and Reserve units from 13 states.

~ 200TH RED HORSE |  READ STORY

1-148th Infantry Regiment conducts trial of new Army Combat Fitness Test

Soldiers of the Ohio Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment conduct a field trial of the new Army Combat Fitness Test at Camp James A. Garfield in Newton Falls, Ohio. The 1-148th was one of seven National Guard battalions from across the U.S. chosen to participate in the trial and provide feedback before it becomes the standard Army-wide in October 2020.

~ 37TH INFANTRY BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM |   READ STORY

Recognizing June as PTSD Awareness Month and June 27 is PTSD Awareness Day

Take the mystery out of PTSD: learn what it is, who is affected, and how treatment can help. Visit the National Center for PTSD web site for more information and to see a list of ways to help raise PTSD awareness. In addition, the Ohio National Guard has launched an updated OHIOcares website, with psychological health and other wellness resources for current and former Ohio National Guard members and their Families. In the PTSD Awareness video, watch personal stories of former/current ONG members and how they have learned coping mechanisms to help with their condition.

WATCH VIDEO |   VA WEBSITE

1924 Lorain-Sandusky Tornado

On Saturday, June 28, 1924, a deadly F4 tornado struck the Lake Erie shoreline communities of Sandusky and Lorain, Ohio. The storm killed eight people in Sandusky before moving east over Lake Erie and striking Lorain, where 72 were killed. The Ohio National Guard was dispatched to the scene within nine hours to help with rescue work, caring for the injured, guarding property and protecting against vandalism. Elements of the 145th and 148th Infantry, 112th Engineers, 135th Collecting Company and 37th Tank Company, under the command of Brig. Gen. John R. McQuigg, focused their efforts in Lorain where nearly 125 city blocks were destroyed or damaged. The 1924 Lorain-Sandusky Tornado remains the deadliest single tornado in Ohio history.

~ READ STORY