Utah National Guard

Utah National Guard

22 hours ago

Twenty-five years later, Utah remembered together.

Friday night, 10 AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters from the Utah Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment flew over 27 high school football stadiums along the Wasatch Front as part of Operation Friday Night Flights — a tribute to those lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and the unity that followed.

From Ogden to Spanish Fork, the “Air Pirates” crossed all 27 stadiums in just 19 minutes, joining thousands of Utahns gathered under the Friday night lights.

For the Soldiers of the 1-211th, the mission was about more than a flyover. It was a chance to remember, honor and reconnect with the communities they serve.

“On this day, we hope to bring back the unity that the nation felt on September 12, 2001,” said Lt. Col. Robert Heightman, commander of the 1-211th. “What better way to do that than by celebrating a hallmark of our way of life … Friday Night Lights.”

Thank you to every school, student, family and community that helped make this tribute possible.

Did you catch the Apaches over your stadium? Post your photos of the flyover in the comments — we’d love to see the view from across Utah. ... See MoreSee Less

Utah National Guard

1 day ago

Twenty-five years ago, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, began a new
chapter in the history of the Utah National Guard. Within hours, members of the 142nd Military Intelligence Battalion were assisting the FBI with translation work. Later that month, Soldiers from the 19th Special Forces Group Support Company began providing security at Salt Lake City International Airport.

The response quickly expanded overseas. Soldiers from the 19th Special Forces Group deployed to Afghanistan, followed by Utah engineers, military intelligence personnel and other units. The Utah Air National Guard’s 151st Air Refueling Wing also supported Operation Enduring Freedom, flying missions from Cyprus and Crete while maintaining homeland-defense alert missions in Utah.

By March 2003, more than 4,200 of approximately 5,000 Utah Army National Guard Soldiers had either been mobilized or alerted for mobilization. What began in the hours after September 11 became more than two decades of deployments and service around the world. Twenty-five years later, we remember those lost on September 11 and the generation of Utah Soldiers, Airmen, and families whose lives and service were shaped by everything that followed.

Captions:
1. An Air National Guard KC-135 prepares to give fuel to F-16s near the Golden Gate Bridge as part of Operation Noble Eagle. Aircrews from the then 191st Air Refueling Wing conducted similar missions regularly to help protect U.S. airspace.
2. Members of the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) perform assigned security
missions at the Salt Lake International Airport shortly after the 9/11 attacks.
3. In the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a Utah Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker sits on alert at the Salt Lake City International Airport. This was a critical component of Operation Noble Eagle, the military's mission to defend the skies over North America. ... See MoreSee Less

Utah National Guard

2 days ago

PANTHER STRIKE 2026

Military intelligence professionals from across the U.S. Army and Canadian Armed Forces gathered at Camp Williams Aug. 5–7, 2026, for Panther Strike, a training event focused on countering hybrid threats, increasing lethality, and enhancing readiness.

For more than two decades, Panther Strike has brought human, signal, and counterintelligence together in a single exercise. These elements work toward a single goal- reinforcing collaboration between branches of the MI structure to enable warfighter lethality and readiness to meet the complex nature of the modern hybrid battlefield that extends beyond the front lines, into cyber space, and the civil infrastructure supporting the nation.

The 300th Military Intelligence Brigade (Linguist) planned and executed the mission, focusing on expanding HUMINT skills and proficiencies by conducting assessments, interrogations, and collecting information. They also used role players in simulated environments to help Soldiers build proficiency in an integrated intelligence team in a realistic scenario.

“This is an exercise to refine our intelligence gathering skills and teach us how everything comes together to create a coherent picture," said Sgt. Gregory Thomson, a signal intelligence analyst assigned to the 300th MI who has participated in Panther Strike twice. “Part of the Panther Strike roleplayer position is being interrogated by the Human Intelligence Collector (35M) soldiers to help get their reps in,” Thomson added.

Read the full story here -> dvidshub.net/r/6rlncs

#pantherstrike #Army #UTNG #300MI #Intel ... See MoreSee Less

Utah National Guard

2 days ago

This mission matters. This work makes a difference.

The Utah National Guard’s annual Counterdrug Program hosted their conference bringing together Soldiers, Airmen, law enforcement and other government agencies focused on a singular goal: protecting our communities and saving lives.

This conference allowed the teams to learn from each other and to be recognized for their hard work and accomplishments. The Honorable Micheal Buemi, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Counternarcotics and Global Threats, came to personally recognize individuals and teams for their efforts.

During the conference Brig. Gen. Michael Kjar, The Adjutant General, Utah National Guard, also awarded several team members with a Meritorious Service Medal.

This conference highlights the drug crisis we are in, and how the impact it has on the homeland and globally. ... See MoreSee Less