Domestic Response

While commemorations in New York and Washington, D.C., drew national attention, National Guardsmen in several states held or participated in activities Friday that brought local focus to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the acting Army chief of staff, emphasized the Army National Guard’s indispensable, multidomain contributions to the Joint Force Aug. 29 at the 148th General Conference & Exhibition in Indianapolis.

During a panel discussion at the 148th General Conference & Exhibition in Indianapolis, Bob Darling, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel who served in the White House, and Heather “Lucky” Penney, a retired District of Columbia Air National Guard F-16 pilot, recounted how they scrambled to respond as a hijacked airliner headed toward the nation’s capital that morning.

One of the two District of Columbia Air National Guard fighter pilots sent on a potential suicide mission the morning of September 11, 2001, will share that experience Sunday morning at the 148th General Conference & Exhibition in Indianapolis.

One of the two District of Columbia Air National Guard fighter pilots sent on a potential suicide mission the morning of 9/11 will share that experience at the 148th General Conference & Exhibition in Indianapolis, Aug. 28-31.

National Guard units are supporting wildfire suppression operations in multiple states, providing aerial firefighting aircraft, helicopters and personnel to assist civil authorities as significant wildfire activity continues across the Midwest and West.

The California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing and the Wyoming Air Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing have been activated to support wildland firefighting operations in the western United States.

The District of Columbia National Guard's 260th Special Purpose Brigade recently commissioned its first maritime security vessel, marking the first time an Army unit in the nation's capital has operated a dedicated waterborne platform.

Domestic missions like the one in Washington, D.C., are helping build National Guard readiness rather than detracting from it, a senior Guard leader said last week during a media roundtable.

As unmanned aerial systems continue to evolve from recreational tools into potential threats to public safety, critical infrastructure and major public events, the Washington National Guard is positioning itself at the forefront of counter-UAS training and readiness.

The Atlantic basin is likely to experience a “below-normal” hurricane season this year, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasters.

Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, U.S. Marshals Director Gadyaces Serralta, and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced plans to expand National Guard presence in Washington, D.C., ahead of events tied to the nation’s 250th Independence Day observance.