Oregon Guard Field Artillery Regiment Returns Home From Deployment To Middle East (Photo) -08/02/25

HAPPY VALLEY, Ore. - Approximately 230 members of the Oregon Army National Guard 2nd Battalion, 218th Field Artillery Regiment (FA) returned to Oregon, August 2, 2025, after a yearlong deployment to the Middle East. 

The 2-218th FA deployed to Iraq and Syria in support of OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE, to advise, assist, and enable partner forces to secure lasting defeat of terrorist elements across the Central Command Area of Responsibility. This mission helped protect regional stability while supporting overall U.S. national security.

While awaiting the return of their Soldiers, family and friends gathered in the Camp Withycombe gymnasium, making welcome home signs and connecting with other military families. 

The Forest Grove Police Department and Clackamas Fire Department joined in the homecoming celebration, providing support for their return. 

The Oregon National Guard command team greeted Soldiers when they arrived at Camp Withycombe to congratulate them on their hard work overseas.

“It’s an honor to welcome this group back,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Adrian Gonzales, command sergeant major for the 2-218th FA rear detachment. “They did an outstanding job out there.”

After a year of waiting, the Soldiers of the 2-218th FA collected their loved ones and bags, and went home.

“We couldn’t be more proud of what they accomplished,” said Gonzales.

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Oregon National Guard's 41st IBCT Returns Home After Successful Kosovo Deployment (Photo) -07/19/25

CLACKAMAS, Ore. -  Soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard's 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) returned home July 19, 2025, following a successful year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission.

The welcome home event at Camp Withycombe marked the homecoming for soldiers participating in KFOR's 34th rotation. This mission has been crucial for maintaining peace and stability in the Balkans since 1999. Approximately 300 soldiers returned in two groups, with the first group arriving around 1 p.m. A formal demobilization ceremony will be held in the near future.

The first group to return consisted primarily of soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, headquartered in Springfield, along with medical and support personnel from the 600-member task force that included soldiers from Oregon, Idaho, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Tennessee.

Lt. Col. Joseph Twigg, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, addressed the returning soldiers and their families. "Over the past year, you stood watch in Kosovo as part of KFOR. You built partnerships, maintained stability, and represented the United States with professionalism and integrity," Twigg said. "From the smallest patrol to the most complex multinational mission, you performed with discipline, heart, and commitment."

During their deployment, the Oregon soldiers made significant contributions to what Col. Peter Helzer, Commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, described as "the longest and most successful NATO mission in the history of the alliance."

"Oregon soldiers contributed to a robust international mission, adding to over 4,000 security patrols, 13,000 public engagements, and 5,000 volunteer hours supporting communities in Kosovo," Helzer said. "Additionally, soldiers from the 41st IBCT successfully responded to one of the largest terrorist attacks in Kosovo in recent years by providing security to critical infrastructure, working with our local and international partners to maintain peace in the region."

The deployment provided unprecedented opportunities for international cooperation and professional development. Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment conducted fully integrated patrols with German and Latvian armies across contested terrain in Northern Kosovo. At the same time, headquarters staff planned operations alongside Italian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Turkish, and Swiss soldiers.

"The greatest lesson for most of us, I'm sure, was the importance of building trust in your team and your partners," Helzer explained. "In this business, relationships matter, and Kosovo provided an unprecedented opportunity to learn how to better connect and operate together."

The skills gained during the deployment will have immediate applications back home in Oregon. "Much of the experience gained from the mission in Kosovo can be immediately applied to supporting emergency services and domestic operations back here in Oregon," Helzer noted. "As part of KFOR, we had to immediately integrate into a complex system of law enforcement, local government, and emergency services to be successful. The organizational, communication, and logistical skills we stressed overseas will most certainly make us more effective in case of an emergency here at home."

Beyond the professional development, the mission provided many soldiers with their first opportunity to serve in Europe and experience a different part of the world.

Speaking to the families and communities who supported the soldiers throughout the deployment, Helzer emphasized the strategic importance of the mission. "The Balkan region is a historic crossroad of empires, and maintaining stability there prevents greater disorder that will eventually impact us here at home," he said.

"I want you to know the command team from top all the way down are committed to normalizing the demands on you and your soldiers over the coming years," Helzer told families at the ceremony. "Thank you for your commitment and support."

Twigg praised the soldiers' performance during the deployment, telling them they "shaped the security picture, provided real-time assessments that reached leaders at every level, and ensured informed decision-making from the ground up."

He also recognized the families' sacrifices during the deployment. "To the families here today—you served too. You kept things running at home, carried the burdens of distance, and supported your Soldiers every day," Twigg said. "Thank you for your sacrifice and resilience. We could not have done this without you."

The 41st IBCT's community engagement efforts extended far beyond traditional military operations. "Whether on missions such as patrols, observation posts, or aerial recon and resupply, or community engagements and projects, they have done work that had a real impact on the lives of the Kosovar people," Helzer said. "Beyond that, they have served as a strategic deterrent to malign actors across the region."

The successful completion of the KFOR mission demonstrates the Oregon National Guard's continued commitment to serving both state and federal missions while maintaining readiness for any contingency.

The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, known as the "Jungleers," is headquartered in Clackamas with subordinate units spread throughout Oregon. The brigade's successful deployment to Kosovo continues the unit's proud tradition of service, building on previous deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

With the soldiers now home, the focus shifts to reintegration and applying the valuable experience gained during their time in the Balkans to future missions, both at home and abroad.

Released B-Roll Video: https://youtu.be/Iup7lj07Rc4

Released Photos:

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Soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard's 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) returned home July 19, 2025, following a successful year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission. The members were enthusiastically greeted by friends and family as they made their way into the Camp Withycombe gymnasium in Happy Valley, Oregon. (National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

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Soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard's 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) returned home July 19, 2025, following a successful year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission. The members were enthusiastically greeted by friends and family as they made their way into the Camp Withycombe gymnasium in Happy Valley, Oregon. (National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

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Soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard's 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) returned home July 19, 2025, following a successful year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission. The members were enthusiastically greeted by friends and family as they made their way into the Camp Withycombe gymnasium in Happy Valley, Oregon. (National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

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Lt. Col. Joseph Twigg gives some quick remarks to the waiting crowd before dismissing the soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard's 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) after returning home July 19, 2025, following a successful year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission. The members were enthusiastically greeted by friends and family as they made their way into the Camp Withycombe gymnasium in Happy Valley, Oregon. (National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

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Soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard's 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) returned home July 19, 2025, following a successful year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission. The members were enthusiastically greeted by friends and family as they made their way into the Camp Withycombe gymnasium in Happy Valley, Oregon. (National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

Released Video of Mission in Kosovo: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/968195/kosovo-regional-command-east-end-tour-video

Grants Pass Hosts Oregon National Guard Aviation Training Exercise (Photo) -07/14/25

GRANTS PASS, Ore. – The steady thrum of rotor blades filled the air as Staff Sgt. James Grow raised his right hand 1,500 feet above southern Oregon, reenlisting for three more years of service while aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during what may have been the most memorable oath ceremony of his military career.

Grow was one of dozens of Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers who participated in MEDEVAC 101 training on Sunday, July 13, at the Grants Pass Armory. This event combined critical medical evacuation instruction with morale-boosting familiarization flights that left lasting impressions on participants.

"It's important, especially in such a large organization, to see what other parts of the organization do, and how the state as a whole utilizes us," said Warrant Officer 1 David Weber, a pilot with Company G, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, who helped conduct the training alongside his Salem-based unit.

The comprehensive training brought together Soldiers from Delta Company and Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, along with personnel from Headquarters and Headquarters Company for hands-on instruction in medical evacuation procedures. Using an HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from Company G, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, aviation crew members demonstrated proper litter loading techniques and the intricacies of both cold and hot loading procedures, critical skills that could mean the difference between life and death in emergency situations.

"We do it all the time on the radio and do practical exercises as just infantry, but actually doing it with the helicopter here and doing the hot loading, cold loading, seeing their capabilities is huge to us as infantrymen," said 1st Lt. Ian Namu, who coordinated the training event.

The training extended beyond medical evacuation to showcase the broader mission capabilities of Oregon's aviation assets. Weber's crew covered their diverse mission set, including search and rescue operations and wildland firefighting support roles that directly serve Oregon communities during natural disasters and emergencies.

For many Soldiers, the highlight came during familiarization flights aboard the CH-47 Chinook from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, based in Pendleton. Before the morale flights began, the Chinook crew conducted preflight briefings for all participants. When Namu asked how many had never flown in a Chinook or worked with helicopters, 20 to 30 hands shot up, representing a significant learning opportunity for the ground forces.

"It's an experience that these guys will take and be like, 'Hey, I did something cool this drill weekend,'" Namu said. "I think it shows some form of appreciation for the things that they do, the hard work that these ground pounders do."

The aerial portion of training proved so memorable that two Soldiers chose to conduct their reenlistment ceremonies while airborne, in addition to Grow's three-year commitment, Sgt. Cruz Lopez also reenlisted during the flight, both taking their oaths while soaring over the Oregon landscape.

The event also included members of the Recruit Sustaining Program (RSP), giving future Soldiers who have enlisted but not yet completed basic training and Advanced Individual Training a preview of the opportunities awaiting them in the Oregon National Guard.

Oregon National Guard members serve part-time, typically one weekend a month and two weeks a year, while maintaining civilian careers. They stand ready to respond to state emergencies such as wildfires and floods, while also training to defend the nation when called to federal service. Guard members live and work in the same communities they serve, creating a unique connection between military service and local communities.

"Big thing, I think morale and retention is the biggest thing, hopefully that helps our numbers," Namu said, reflecting on the training's broader impact beyond just technical skills.

The MEDEVAC 101 training exemplified the Oregon National Guard's commitment to preparing Soldiers for diverse missions while fostering the esprit de corps that keeps citizen-Soldiers engaged and ready to serve both state and nation when called upon.

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Released B-Roll video: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/970010/oregon-guard-soldiers-take-flight-during-medevac-training-b-roll

Released Photos: 

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Sgt. 1st Class Marcus Hickman, a crew chief with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, gives a preflight safety briefing to Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers during MEDEVAC 101 training at the Grants Pass Armory in Grants Pass, Oregon, July 13, 2025. The training event brought together Soldiers from Delta Company and Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, for hands-on medical evacuation instruction and familiarization flights. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

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Recruit Sustaining Program (RSP) personnel walk up the ramp of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter for a familiarization tour of the aircraft during MEDEVAC 101 training at Grants Pass Airport in Grants Pass, Oregon, July 13, 2025. RSP members, who have enlisted in the Oregon Army National Guard but have not yet completed basic training, received instruction on Army rotary-wing operations and airframes as part of the comprehensive training event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

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1st Lt. Ian Namu administers the oath of reenlistment to Sgt. Cruz Lopez aboard a CH-47 Chinook helicopter with an American flag as the backdrop during MEDEVAC 101 training in Grants Pass, Oregon, July 13, 2025. Lopez reenlisted for three years during the familiarization flight over Medford and Ashland, making for a memorable ceremony at 1,500 feet above southern Oregon. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

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Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers hot load onto a CH-47 Chinook helicopter at Grants Pass Airport before the second familiarization flight during MEDEVAC 101 training on July 13, 2025. The Chinook from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, conducted two morale flights over Medford and Ashland, transporting Soldiers as part of a comprehensive training event held at the Grants Pass Armory. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

Oregon Military Museum To Host Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Open To Public (Photo) -07/10/25

The Oregon Military Museum will host a ribbon cutting ceremony in celebration of the museum’s grand re-opening, July 11, at 9:30 a.m., on Camp Withycombe in Clackamas, Ore.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided following the ceremony.

“We are here to honor service members and to educate the public about their service,” said Kathleen Sligar, director and curator for the Oregon Military Museum. “I am so excited to see the looks on people’s faces, I think they’re going to be blown away when they walk into this space.

The exhibit galleries will be open until 12:30 p.m. for a first look at the museum’s four new exhibits:

•             We Are Oregon – Explore the people, technology, and actions that define Oregon’s military legacy on the local, national, and global stage

•             Small Arms, Big Impact – A curated collection of nearly 200 American, enemy, and ally small arms from the 1600s into the 21st century

•             History in Art – Discover artwork by and about the US Armed Forces, their provenance, and the contextual knowledge found within

•             Hall of Valor – A commemoration of the thirteen Medal of Honor recipients accredited to Oregon

The Oregon Military Museum has been closed for renovations since 2009 and will officially be open to the public Saturday, July 12.

Starting Wednesday, July 16, the museum will be open year-round, Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Historic Park will also be open Fridays and Saturdays through September.

The Oregon Military Museum honors, shares, and preserves Oregon’s military heritage and legacy, including the Oregon National Guard, the state’s early militias, and all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Legislative Session Results In New Benefits For Oregon National Guard Members (Photo) -07/09/25

SALEM, Ore. - This legislative session, the Oregon legislature and Gov. Tina Kotek continue to show their support for the Oregon Military Department through ongoing efforts to provide benefits to help strengthen the Oregon Army National Guard.

Two specific initiatives for recruiting and retention support went into effect on July 1, 2025. The first is a $5,000 bonus for a three-year extension for Guard members who have completed their initial enlistment and have not completed 17 years of service. The second is the Enlistment Enhancement Program. This is an agency-funded program where current Guard members and retirees can receive $2,000 payments for any recruitment leads that result in an enlistment into the Oregon Army National Guard. 

In addition to these benefits, the Oregon National Guard offers State Tuition Assistance, which provides tuition assistance for serving Guard members enrolled in an eligible Oregon postsecondary institution and now offers instate tuition rates to Oregon Guard members who live out of state.

“The Oregon National Guard is on track to increase strength by 2% by the end of the fiscal year, but were still more than 1,200 members short of reaching full strength,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Bomar, Director of Public Affairs for the Oregon Military Department.

The Oregon National Guard is authorized to have approximately 8,100 service members, consisting of 2,300 Air and 5,800 Army National Guard members.

“These initiatives assist with the Adjutant General’s goal to make the Oregon National Guard the Service of Choice for Oregonians,” Bomar said.

 The approved legislative actions for the Oregon Military Department this session were met with nearly unanimous bipartisan support.  Some of those highlights include:

1. SB 807 – One-time General Fund of $2.5 million towards Retention Bonus Program:
   1. Allows the Adjutant General to pay a bonus to a member of the Oregon National Guard who re-enlists or extends their service
       
2. SB 798 – In-state tuition rates apply to Oregon National Guard service members who live out of the state of Oregon.
    
3. SB 808 – Provides hiring and promotion preference in public employment for current and former Oregon National Guard members
    
   1. Adds 5 points to current and former state service members’ scores during interviews and 10 points for disabled veterans
       
   2. Provides equity for Oregon National Guard members who did not meet the previous statutory definitions to receive the preference
       
4. SB 5505 & SB 5506 – Authorization for three Capital Construction Projects for the Oregon National Guard
   1. Southern Oregon Field Maintenance Shop – $6.6 million
       
   2. Klamath Falls Readiness Center - $2.0 million
       
   3. Albany Armory Service Life Extension Project - $7 million
       
5. SB 5533 – Solution to a long-term funding issue for OMD IT Division and the Portland Air National Guard (PANG) base
    

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Released File Images of Oregon National Guard Soldiers and Airmen:

220520-Z-ZJ128-1003: Spc. Whitney Badders on rappel during the 821 Troop Command Battalion, Oregon National Guard team-building event, rappelling at the local Fire Department in Salem, Ore., on May 20, 2022. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)

200816-Z-NJ272-0003: Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team paddle an inflatable boat during training on August 16, 2020, at Cullaby Lake, near Warrenton, Oregon. Members of the unit completed tasks which included a swim test, paddling and maneuvering, and broaching recovery drills during their two-week annual training. (National Guard photo by Maj. Leslie Reed, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

231127-Z-NV612-2003: Oregon Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Christopher Hernandez, 173rd Fighter Wing aircrew flight equipment, fits a mask to Maj. Gen. Clark Quinn, 19th Air Force commander, in preparation for Quinn's flight in an F-15D at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon, Oct. 27, 2023. Quinn spent two days at Kingsley Field meeting with Airmen and observing their F-15C training mission first-hand. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Jennifer Shirar)

200506-Z-CH590-0128: Oregon Army National Guard Soldier assigned to BRAVO 1-168 Aviation gives the ‘thumbs up’ as she helps prepare a CH-47 Chinook helicopter at the Pendleton Army Aviation Support Facility, May 6, 2020. Approximately 60 members of the unit are traveling to Fort Hood, Texas, as they prepare to deploy to Afghanistan. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

200914-Z-LM216-0424: Oregon Army National Guard Citizen-Soldiers support the Oregon Department of Forestry with wild land firefighting efforts at the Two Four Two fire, Chiloquin, Ore., Sept. 14. Approximately 1000 Oregon Guard members are supporting overall firefighting efforts with both aviation and ground crews, in addition to supporting county liaison teams and Oregon State Police with both traffic control points and fatality search and rescue operations. (Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Zachary Holden, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

230604-Z-GP610-0208: Oregon Air National Guard Tech Sgt. Ron Mercer, Staff Sgt. Sam Ziegler, and Senior Airman Bailey Buck, all 142nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft armament Airmen, participate in a weapons loading competition, June 4, 2023, Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore. (Air National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Sean Campbell)

240723-Z-UZ129-5529: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jonathan Osborne from the Task Force Guardian rotation led by 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team with the Oregon National Guard assaults the objective in a force-on-force exercise during Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation 24-09, Fort Johnson, La., July 23, 2024. The JRTC's goal is to create realistic environments that help prepare units for complex operations. (Oregon National Guard photo by Sgt. Emily Simonson, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

240725-Z-NV612-1069: Oregon Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Ashley Vela, 173rd Fighter Wing weapons oad crew chief, monitors as Staff Sgts. Quinten Green and Samantha Kloss, 173rd Fighter Wing weapons, load live 20mm bullets into an F-15C Eagle at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon, July 25, 2024. Additional precautions must be taken when loading live ammunition into the aircraft, making this training essential to ensuring that weapons Airmen are prepared and mission-ready. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Jennifer Shirar)

180803-Z-ZJ128-0002: Oregon Army National Guard 2nd Squad, Squad Leader Sgt. McFerrin from 1st Platoon, B Company, 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry directs an assault on an enemy position, during the platoon’s Movement to Contact lane, part of the training of the Oregon Army National Guard’s, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC), Aug. 3, 2018 in Camp Roberts, California. (U.S. Army Photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, 41st IBCT Public Affairs)

240225-Z-SP755-1002: Oregon Air National Guard Senior Airman Perry Johnston, an avionics technician with the 142nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, closes a hatch on an F-15C aircraft at Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore., on February 25, 2024. As a traditional guardsman, Johnston works as an ensemble skater for "Disney On Ice" when he's not maintaining electrical systems inside the F-15Cs and EXs. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Steph Sawyer)

250315-Z-CH590-4173: Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers and Airmen take part in the Mogadishu Challenge event at the urban training village at Camp Rilea, near Warrenton, Oregon, on March 15, 2025, during the Army Best Warrior Competition from March 13-15, 2025. The full range of events assessed the warriors' physical fitness, land navigation skills, marksmanship, and other battlefield scenarios. These included a physical fitness test, rifle qualification, a 3-gun competition, an obstacle course, and a ruck march. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

250314-Z-CH590-3076: Oregon Army National Guard Spc. Justin Slothower, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, takes on the Obstacle Course during the Army Best Warrior Competition on March 14, 2025. Slothower won the Soldier tier competition, completing a full range of events that assessed the warriors' physical fitness, land navigation skills, marksmanship, and other battlefield scenarios. These included a physical fitness test, rifle qualification, a 3-gun competition, an obstacle course, and a ruck march from March 13-15, 2025. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

230221-Z-NJ272-0010: Oregon Army National Guard Capt. Kyle Roe, a troop commander with 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry Regiment, skis the first of four legs of the men's relay competition at the Chief of the National Guard Bureau's Biathlon Nationals at the Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vermont, Feb. 21, 2023. Soldiers from more than 26 states and territories participated in the annual competition, which began in 1975. (National Guard photo by Maj. Leslie Reed, Oregon Military Department)

210517-Z-SP755-1027: Oregon Air National Guard Senior Airman Paul Julum, 142nd Civil Engineer Squadron, prepares the foundation for the construction of cabins to be utilized by the Girl Scouts at Camp Paumalu in Haleiwa, Hawaii, as part of an Innovation Readiness Training (IRT) mission, May 17, 2021. IRT Civil Engineer squadrons will be constructing new cabins, demolishing old structures, and beautifying Camp Paumalu from May through August 2021. Innovative Readiness Training builds mutually beneficial civil-military partnerships between US communities and the Department of Defense, providing high-quality, mission-essential training for Active, Guard, and Reserve support personnel and units. According to the recent easing of mask restrictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IRT personnel are allowed to be unmasked when working outdoors. (Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Steph Sawyer)

190515-Z-LM216-0940: Oregon Army National Guard Sgt. Blaze Bault, a crew chief with G Co. 1-189 AVN, Oregon Army National Guard, pauses during training at Exercise Maple. Maple Resolve 19-01 is located in Wainwright, AB, Canada. Maple Resolve is an annual brigade-level validation exercise for the Canadian Army's High Readiness Brigade and is designed to foster partnership among allied forces. (National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Zachary Holden, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)