National Guard Deployments Have Cost US Taxpayers Almost $600M: CBO
Deployments of the United States National Guard to cities across the country have cost American taxpayers roughly $600 million, according to new data published by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO, which for decades has provided Congress with economic and budget analyses, said Wednesday that to date upwards of $589 million has been spent […]
Active Duty Troops and Minnesota National Guard Placed on Standby as Minneapolis Protests Escalate
Pentagon Signals Rare Domestic Readiness The Department of Defense has placed roughly 1,500 active-duty Army soldiers on standby for possible deployment to Minnesota following escalating unrest in Minneapolis tied to federal immigration enforcement operations and a fatal shooting involving an ICE agent. Defense officials confirmed the troops were given prepare-to-deploy orders as a contingency measure […]
Loss, Depression & Hope: How Injury Changed National Guard Veteran's Life
Alexis Nelson was so excited about a future in the military, she signed up for the Army National Guard the day she turned 17. But her dream of serving the country was soon derailed when she suffered a service-related injury during basic training. She was forced to leave the National Guard with a medical deferment. […]
Who is Thomas Carden? First Ever Four-Star National Guard Bureau Vice Chief
Army Lt. Gen. Thomas Carden has made history, becoming the first National Guard Bureau (NGB) vice chief to wear the four-star rank. The Georgia Army National Guard officer was confirmed Tuesday by the U.S. Senate as the Bureau’s 12th vice chief. His confirmation means he will receive a fourth star due to the 2024 fiscal […]
Kentucky Nonprofit Honored with National Award for Supporting Disabled Veterans
For more than a decade, a nonprofit organization in Paris, Kentucky has worked with hundreds of severely disabled veterans to provide recreational activities and make life a bit easier for those who’ve sacrificed so much. Now, Jason’s Box is gaining national recognition for supporting veterans in need. The organization was recently honored with the Defender […]
West Virginia High School Remembers Slain National Guard Member as Caring and Willing to Help
Mourners gathered at a West Virginia high school this weekend remembered a National Guard member fatally shot last week as a caring and positive person who wanted to help others. U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom died after a Wednesday shooting in Washington, D.C., while her seriously injured colleague, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, […]
A Federal Judge Blocked Trump's National Guard Deployment to DC But Troops Aren't Leaving Just Yet
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday ordered President Donald Trump to end the deployment of National Guard troops to the nation’s capital. But the ruling is unlikely to be the final word by the courts, the president or local leaders in the contentious duel over the federal district. U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb […]
Four in a Row: New York National Guard Tops Nation Again in Recruiting
For the fourth year in a row, the New York Army National Guard (NYARNG) is outpacing recruiting numbers compared to more than four dozen of its counterparts. The NYARNG has exerted prowess in both recruiting and retention since 2022, with an assigned strength of 11,700 recruits for the 2025 fiscal year that concluded Sept. 30—representing […]
Michigan National Guard Chief Reports ‘Constant Probing’ by Chinese Nationals at Bases
When five Chinese nationals were caught allegedly taking photos near classified military equipment at Camp Grayling in Northern Michigan in 2023, it wasn’t an isolated incident. Instead, it’s part of a “constant probing” of military installations, the head of the Michigan National Guard told state lawmakers Wednesday, Nov. 5. “The People’s Republic of China are […]
Upcoming National Veterans Small Business Week and Finding a 'Sense of Purpose'
Barry Mattson represented his country in the U.S. Air Force and Army. Since his military days, he’s used his experience in community building and humanitarian efforts to pay it forward to the next generation of aspiring business owners and job seekers. Mattson’s leadership as part of the nonprofit Brian Hamilton Foundation will be among numerous […]