Incomplete (tip of the iceberg) list of U.S. state National Guard developments (which should prove that the National Guard has become the ‘crutch’ for the Regular/active duty Army and Air Force), for the month of June 2023:
NATO-Europe is conducting the largest airpower wargame, ever, and multiple U.S. states have deployed their National Guard units to take part in Air Defender 2023.
On the African Continent, the largest wargame there was concluded in mid-June, several U.S. states deployed their Guard units to take part in African Lion 2023.
There was also the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NorAD) wargame called Noble Defender, as well as a cyber security wargame called Cyber Shield 2023.
CALIFORNIA: The Air National Guard’s 146th AW/146th Contingency Response Flight helped with loading of cargo planes, and air traffic control, for Air Defender 2023.
For the first time since the United Nations ordered the Korean Police Action (as requested by the United States in 1950), California has deployed an entire division! On 11JUN2023, a deployment ceremony was held for the 40th Infantry Division, which is being sent to the Middle East for the ongoing operations Inherent Resolve and Spartan Shield. Video by Sergeant Marla Ogden:
COLORADO:
Colorado Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Amanda Geiger, 11JUN2023.
The Air Guard’s 140th Wing deployed F-16 Falcons to Schleswig-Jagel Air Base, NATO-Germany, for Air Defender 2023.
GEORGIA:
Georgia Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Caila Arahood, 12JUN2023.
The 165th Airlift Wing deployed a C-130 Hercules to the Siauliai International Airport, NATO-Lithuania, during Air Defender 2023 (AD23).
IDAHO: Deploying to the continents of Africa and Europe:
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 13JUN2023.
A ‘Gem State’ 124th Fighter Wing A-10C arrives on Lechfeld Air Base, NATO-Germany, for wargame Air Defender, 13JUN2023.
ILLINOIS:
Illinois Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Paul Helmig, 19JUN2023.
The 182nd Airlift Wing (AW) deployed their C-130 Hercules cargo plane to Wunstorf Air Base, NATO-Germany.
Louisiana Air National Guard photo by Major Larissa Lambert, 12JUN2023.
159th Fighter Wing (FW) F-15C Eagles on Hohn, NATO-Germany, for Air Defender, 12JUN2023.
MARYLAND:
Maryland A-10Cs equipped with long range external fuel tanks, about to take-off for NATO-Europe, 04JUN2023. Photo by Senior Airman Rachel Underwood.
The 175th Wing/104th Fighter Squadron deployed A-10C Thunderbolt-2s to Air Defender 2023.
MASSACHUSETTS:
Photo by Staff Sergeant Hanna Smith, 23JUN2023.
104th FW on Hohn Air Base, NATO-Germany, 23JUN2023.
Photo by Master Sergeant Bryan Hoover, 26JUN2023.
The 104th FW also took part in NorAD’s Noble Defender, over the Canadian-U.S. region.
MICHIGAN: Air National Guard’s 127th Wing A-10C Thunderbolt-2s get bombed-up & fueled-up (aka Integrated Combat Turn) on Lielvārdi Air Base, Latvia, 13JUN2023 (the video was not released until 16JUN2023). The militaries of Michigan and Latvia have been working together for more than 30 years. Video by Technical Sergeant Andrew Schumann:
MINNESOTA:
Photo by Staff Sergeant Jared Bounds, 05JUN2023.
133rd AW deployed a C-130 to Wunstorf Air Base, NATO-Germany, for Air Defender.
MISSISSIPPI: The 172nd AW/172nd Contingency Response Flight helped with loading of cargo planes, and air traffic control, for Air Defender 2023.
MISSOURI:
Photo by Master Sergeant Caila Arahood, 05JUN2023.
139th AW on Wunstorf Air Base, NATO-Germany, for Air Defender.
MONTANA:
Photo by First Lieutenant Jaycee Baker, 07JUN2023.
The Air Guard’s 120th Medical Group, out of Great Falls, provided dental care to Moroccans during African Lion 2023.
NEVADA: Nevada Air National Guard’s 152 Wing ‘High Rollers’/152nd Civil Engineer Squadron deployed to NATO-Spain. Video interview, recorded on 21JUN2023 by Staff Sergeant Michelle Brooks, explains why:
NEW YORK: Titan search;
OKLAHOMA: More than 25 U.S. states, territories, and five countries with the State Partnership Program, took part in Cyber Shield 2023. Video (by Mireille Merilice-Roberts) explaining how Oklahoma helped grade this year’s Cyber Shield:
PUERTO RICO: The 156th Wing/156th Contingency Response Group helped with loading of cargo planes, and air traffic control, for Air Defender 2023.
SOUTH DAKOTA:
Photo by Technical Sergeant Sarah M. McClanahan, 15JUN2023.
114th Fighter Wing on Jagel Airfield, NATO-Germany, during exercise Air Defender 2023 (AD23).
TENNESSEE:
Photo by Staff Sergeant Laura Weaver, 08JUN2023.
164th AW used their C-17 Globemaster-3 cargo planes to delivery Air Guard personnel to NATO-Estonia, for Air Defender 2023.
The Tennessee National Guard also took part in a cyber security wargame called Cyber Shield 2023. It was run from the Professional Education Center in Little Rock, from 11 to 15JUN2023.
UTAH:
Photo by Sergeant James J. Bunn, 08JUN2023.
Army National Guard CBRN (Chemical Biological Radioactive Nuclear) personnel train the Ghana Armed Forces during African Lion 2023.
Photo by Technical Sergeant Nicholas Perez, 05JUN2023.
The Air Guard’s 151st Medical Group helped operate a field hospital for sily-vilians, in Morocco.
Video by Specialist Shae Cox, Utah Air National Guard band playing in Morocco during this year’s African Lion wargames. It might be the last time as the U.S. Air Force is shutting down Air National Guard bands;
WISCONSIN: 128th Air Refuel Wing explains their role in Air Defender, video report by Staff Sergeant Josh Halverson;
A video was released on an anonymous Ukrainian ‘Telegram’ channel of a firefight involving recently delivered U.S. made M2A2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV). The video was recorded by an onboard camera, on what I believe is probably the platoon commanders Bradley.
The battle happened in Zaporizka Oblast (aka Zaporizhzhia), on 08JUN2023, the platoon of Bradleys made contact with enemy forces, which apparently were too powerful as the IFVs are attempting to fall back. The platoon commander is using the 25mm gun to provide covering fire as M2A2s retreat, unfortunately the retreating IFVs are driving in front of the Bradley providing covering fire!
Impressively, the gunner is able to control his trigger pulls missing the retreating vehicles, but one of the retreating Bradleys is either hit by enemy fire, or runs over a land mine. You might think the crew are dead, but amazingly the crew emerges from the back with their M4 assault rifles. A smoke grenade is thrown, then the platoon commander fires-off his smoke grenade launcher, the homeless IFV crew uses the smoke as cover while they scramble onto the platoon commander’s Bradley.
The anonymous poster of the video added crappy music, so I edited out the audio:
Interestingly, while Russian news sources made fun of the Ukrainians’ apparently failed attempt to use M2A2 Bradleys in battle, some Russian news sources also praised the Bradleys for ‘crew survivability’ admitting that the crews operating Soviet/Cold War era BMPs (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty, Боевая Машина Пехоты, Combat Vehicle Infantry) would not have survived the same incident!
When I first joined the U.S. military during the last decade of the Cold War, crew survivability was one of the main drivers of ‘Western’/NATO combat vehicle design.
On 19JUN2023, the U.S. Department of State revealed a new refugee system, as part of a 2016 global deal called the Tent Partnership for Refugees. ‘Tent’, as it is also officially known, is essentially an international government sanctioned legal human trafficking operation.
Official Department of State video, in which it is admitted that the government is helping more than 3-hundred U.S. employers hire refugees still living in other countries:
Joint statements by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin the Third, in which it is revealed that taxpayer funding for NATO is being greatly increased; the original 2% maximum of GDP funding is now considered “a minimum” for defense spending. NATO video released 15JUN2023:
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says “All allies stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.” Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Oleksii Reznikov, reveals formation of ‘Birds Coalition’ to begin training on F-16 Falcon aircraft in Netherlands and Denmark, as well as yet-to-be specified ‘testing’ with Sweden. NATO video released on 15JUN2023:
NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mircea Geoană, praises the expansion of NATO’s Multinational Ammunition Warehousing Initiative (MAWI). It is not just about the war with Russia, but the fact that NATO is rapidly expanding its operation around the world. NATO video released 15JUN2023:
14 June 2023 (07:40-UTC-07 Tango 06) 24 Khordad 1402/25 Dhu l-Qa’da 1444/27 Wu-Wu 4721/14 Июнь 2023 года
For the first time, in June 2023, Nebraska Air National Guard’s 155th Air Refueling Wing used virtual reality (VR) to conduct their yearly suicide prevention training. For the past two and a half years, active duty U.S. Air Force (USAF) units have used the experimental technology.
Supposedly, the VR simulation helps prepare military personnel in identifying, responding to, and preventing suicidal behavior. This is part of a larger, now mandatory, ‘crisis situation’ training.
Nebraska Air National Guard video by Technical Sergeant Phil Cowen and Master Sergeant Amber Monio, released 11JUN2023:
“I think if we combined the face-to-face training, the VR modules and held small group discussions afterward, it would help people open up more and create trust with those around them. I’m hoping one day every unit or squadron on base can have their own VR set-up for their Airmen to use at any point and time they want.”-Technical Sergeant Gian Carlo Cintron, Moody AFB religious affairs
Travis AFB, California, 18FEB2021. U.S. Air Force photo by Nicholas Pilch.
Joint statements by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, and the Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, in Washington DC, 13JUN2023:
Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).
A Indiana Army National Guard soldier gets a lesson on how the BVP works, 15SEP2015. Indiana Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Daniel Dyer.
Slovak BVP (BMP) based ambulance. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Micah VanDyke, 12OCT2016.
During the ‘Cold War’, Czech-o-Slovakia was one country created by the victors of World War Two by forcing Slovakia and Czech Republic together (just as they did after World War One). Czech-o-Slovakia became a member of the Warsaw Pact in response to the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Slovak BVP-1 (BMP-1). U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Micah VanDyke, 12OCT2016.
Slovak BVP-1 during a NATO CBRN exercise near Lešť, 20MAR2017. U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Justin Geiger.
In the Czech-o-Slovak language the BMP became Bojové Vozidlo Pěchoty (BVP), which means basically the same thing as the Russian BMP; Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). Like most users of the BMP/BVP, Czech-o-Slovakia made many different versions, including their unique OT-90.
Slovak OT-90 crew launches an S2M anti-aircraft missile, October 2013. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic.
According to the current Ministry of Defense of Czech Republic (aka Chechia), the OT-90 was developed to carry a squad of infantry equipped with anti-aircraft weapons.
The man/woman portable S2M missile. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic, October 2013.
The large turret of the BMP/BVP was replaced with a smaller turret (same used on the Czech-o-Slovak designed OT-64 armored car), to make room for the specialized anti-aircraft weapons.
S2M launch from OT-90. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic, October 2013.
After the so-called Cold War ended, Czech Republic and Slovakia went their separate ways, and since there was no more Soviet-Warsaw Pact, they both joined NATO (NATO felt it necessary to remain in existence, even though its stated enemy the Soviet Union no longer existed). Today’s NATO-Czechia replaced their OT-90s with NATO-United Kingdom designed Land Rover vehicles. NATO-Slovakia still uses the OT-90.
Battle for Ukraine:February 2014 (NATO backed coup) to present.
U.S. Army video (by Sergeant Alan Brutus) of Slovak BVP-2 live-fire, during wargame Dragoon Crossing, 16SEP2015:
More live-fire video (by Christoph Koppers), 16SEP2015:
NATO video of rail off-load of Slovak BVP-2s and OT-90s, in NATO-Latvia, 13APR2017:
NATO video of Slovak BVP-1s and OT-90s, assigned to a newly formed ‘anti-Russia’ NATO Battle Group, 21SEP2022:
On 29NOV2022, the Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic announced that 30 BVP-1s had been sent to Ukraine. Officially it is part of a NATO weapons deal, in which Slovakia would get 15 upgraded Leopard 2A4 battle tanks from Germany.
NATIONAL GUARD PREPS FOR ‘BIG ONE’ IN THE WABASH VALLEY, RIOTS & CBRN EVENTS EXPECTED!
U.S. NATIONAL GUARD PREPS FOR GLOBAL WAR!
NATO-
