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  • Illinois Guard, Portugal Formalize New State Partnership Agreement

    LISBON, Portugal – The Illinois National Guard and the Ministry of National Defense of the Portuguese Republic held a ceremony Jan. 12 to officially establish a new State Partnership Program agreement between the two armed forces.The agreement marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral

  • Illinois National Guard to Partner with Portugal in State Partnership Program

    SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The National Guard Bureau and the U.S. Department of Defense have announced the establishment of a State Partnership Program, or SPP, between the Illinois National Guard and the Portuguese Armed Forces.“We are incredibly proud of the role the Illinois National Guard has played in

  • Illinois, Ohio Guard Teams Survey Polish Bases with USAFE

    ACROSS POLAND - Members from the Illinois Air National Guard, Ohio Air National Guard and U.S. Air Forces in Europe conducted expeditionary site planning surveys at three Polish military airbases and a commercial airport during a two-week mission.The expeditionary site planning survey team included

  • Illinois National Guard, Partners Train in Cyber Exercise

    SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - More than 50 Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, along with civilians from the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology and the Illinois State Board of Elections, returned recently from a major cyber training exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau.Close to

  • Illinois Guard Completes Emergency Response Training

    SPARTA, Ill. - The Illinois Army and Air National Guard completed a comprehensive chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive enhanced response force package training exercise May 5, enhancing the readiness of CERFP units.CERFP comprises five operational elements staffed by personnel

  • National Guard-led Space Exercise Helps Build Programs for NATO Partners

    RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – About 50 members of the Air National Guard and Romanian and Polish Armed Forces focused on space as a warfighting domain during exercise Vulcan Guard Bolt 6 at NATO’s Allied Air Command in late March. The sixth iteration of the National Guard-led series underscored

  • Illinois National Guard Honors Former Guardsman Abe Lincoln

    SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois National Guard recognized its most notable militiaman and 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, during a ceremony at his tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery Feb. 12, the 215th anniversary of his birth.Army Brig. Gen. Mark Alessia, director of the Illinois

  • Maryland Air Guard, Estonian Partners Focus on Cyber Defense

    AMARI AIR BASE, Estonia - The Maryland Air National Guard partnered with Estonia’s Cyber Command Sept. 17-20 to host the cybersecurity exercise Baltic Blitz 23. About 30 Airmen from the 175th Wing, two Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers, 12 service members from Poland, and 30 Estonians

  • Massachusetts Guard Attends Planning Conference in Israel

    RAMLA, Israel - Members of the 102nd Intelligence Wing, Massachusetts Air National Guard, attended the National Guard Bureau-Home Front Command annual planning conference in Israel July 22-28.U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brendan Simison, Plans and Engineering Division chief, and Chief Master Sgt. Michael

  • Maryland Guard, Estonian Partners Focus on Cyber Defense

    ÄMARI AIR BASE, Estonia - The Maryland Air National Guard partnered with Estonia’s Cyber Command Sept. 17-20 to host the cybersecurity exercise Baltic Blitz 23. About 30 Airmen from the 175th Wing, two Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers, 12 service members from Poland, and 30 Estonians