Senior Master Sgt. Ralph Branson / 121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
121st ARW welcomes home deployers
Airmen from the 121st Air Refueling Wing are welcomed home to Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, May 31, 2026. The returning contingent — which deployed to the Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility — provided vital KC-135 Stratotanker air refueling capabilities for global operations.
Ohio National Guard Heritage Center graphic
Statehouse muster event to celebrate US, Ohio National Guard birthdays
The Ohio National Guard will host a historic public muster from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 25, 2026, at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. The event commemorates both the 238th birthday of the Ohio National Guard and the 250th birthday of the United States. Attendees can meet current Ohio National Guard Soldiers and Airmen and see military vehicles, state-of-the-art equipment and historical displays with living historian reenactors. The 2026 muster is patterned after muster events held at the Statehouse in the mid-20th century, which were high-profile public exhibitions that included hands-on demonstrations and old-meets-new equipment displays and vehicles. Tracing their roots back to the 17th century, traditional musters were public events that connected community members with their local military units.
Sgt. Karl Mason / 196th Public Affairs Detachment (Mobile)
2026 OHARNG Best Warrior Competition yields top Soldier, noncommissioned officer
Sgt. Zachary Cline, left, a military police noncommissioned officer with the 323rd Military Police Company, and Spc. Mark Filicky, a horizontal construction engineer with the 1192nd Engineer Company, pose for a photo after earning the titles of 2026 Ohio Army National Guard State Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier of the Year, respectively, during the OHARNG Best Warrior Competition at Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center in Newton Falls, Ohio, April 12, 2026. The state BWC is an annual, multiday, multievent challenge that tests participants’ physical fitness, land navigation skills, weapons marksmanship, military knowledge and mental resiliency.
Staff Sgt. Sarah Stalder Lundgren / 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Airman’s journey reflects a blend of grit, grace, purpose
Staff Sgt. Catherine “Katie” Carene didn’t set out to become a trailblazer. But as a previous Air National Guard Outstanding Airman of the Year in the noncommissioned officer category, the fleet management and analysis specialist with the 180th Fighter Wing is now a role model for all and a driving force behind operational excellence.
Courtesy photos
Service that starts at home
In the Sommer family, service was the tradition. Ryan Sommer’s father, grandfather, uncles and almost every man in his family tree have worn the uniform at one point in their lives. Growing up surrounded by these examples shaped how he viewed service, long before he could define it.
Ohio Governor’s Office photo
Ohio National Guard, Angola formalize State Partnership Program agreement
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a State Partnership Program agreement between the Ohio National Guard and the Republic of Angola at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, April 9, 2026. The agreement formalizes Angola as Ohio’s newest partner nation, expanding international engagement efforts through joint training, military exchanges and leader development in support of regional stability and shared security objectives.