03.21.26 ~ 180TH FW
Senior Airman Camren Ray / 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OC spray adds challenging dimension to practice of subduing aggressors
Airman Andrew Smigelski, a security forces specialist assigned to the 180th Fighter Wing, rinses his eyes after being sprayed with oleoresin capsicum spray at the Toledo Air National Guard Base in Swanton, Ohio, March 21, 2026. The training consisted of subduing aggressors after being sprayed with OC spray, ensuring security forces Airmen are prepared for every possible scenario.
03.12.26 ~ 121ST ARW
Ohio National Guard graphic
Honoring our fallen Ohio National Guard Airmen
The Ohio National Guard mourns the loss of three Airmen assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing who died in a KC-135 Stratotanker crash in western Iraq, March 12, 2026. The three Airmen — Capt. Seth Koval, Capt. Curtis Angst and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons — were among six crew members aboard a KC-135 that went down while flying a combat mission in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility during Operation Epic Fury.
02.21.26 ~ 121ST ARW
Airman Samir Harris / 121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
Security forces defenders face elements of nature during training
Defenders with the 121st Security Forces Squadron ruck during a cold weather training exercise Feb. 21, 2026, at Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center in Newton Falls, Ohio. Cold weather training helps Airmen develop essential survival skills, resiliency and teamwork by confronting real-life challenges, such as building shelters and acclimating to harsh overnight temperatures.
01.28.26 ~ 121ST ARW
Airman Samir Harris / 121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
Maintainers key to keeping KC-135 Stratotankers operational year-round
Master Sgt. Austin Gordon, an aerospace ground equipment specialist with the 121st Maintenance Group, deices a KC-135 Stratotanker at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 28, 2026. Maintainers operate from the lift of a deice bucket truck to ensure the aircraft’s surfaces are clear of ice and snow, preventing airflow disruptions upon takeoff and maintaining mission readiness despite freezing conditions.
01.10.26 ~ 178TH W
Staff Sgt. Tiffany Scofield / 178th Wing Public Affairs
178th Security Forces Squadron NCO named best in nation
Tech. Sgt. Kristen Harmon of the 178th Security Forces Squadron at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base has been recognized at the national level for her leadership and operational excellence. Harmon was recently named the Air National Guard Operations Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, an honor that recognizes outstanding performance among Air Force security forces professionals across the nation.
12.07.25 ~ 178TH W
Shane Hughes / 178th Wing Public Affairs
Home for the Holidays: 123rd ACS returns from deployment
Nearly 300 Airmen assigned to the 123rd Air Control Squadron and their families gathered for a homecoming ceremony at the University of Cincinnati’s Muntz Hall in Cincinnati, Dec. 7, 2025. The Airmen had just returned from a six-month deployment supporting U.S. Air Forces Central Command.
09.16.25 ~ 180TH FW
Staff Sgt. Jill Maynus / Ohio National Guard Public Affairs
Fuels specialists keep F-16s flying
Members of the fuels management flight at the 180th Fighter Wing discuss their experiences and the benefits of being Air Force fuels specialists. They manage, operate and maintain fuel storage and dispensing facilities, ensuring safe flight for aircraft and crew.
08.23.25 ~ 121ST ARW
Master Sgt. Wendy Kuhn / 121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
121st ARW provides support to 2025 Columbus Air Show at Rickenbacker
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker from the 121st Air Refueling Wing and an F-35A Lightning II from Eglin Air Force Base fly over Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base during the Columbus Air Show, Aug. 23, 2025. This year’s event featured more than 20 aircraft, including a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 121st Air Refueling Wing, which served as the base of operations for military aircraft participating in the show.
08.20.25 ~ 178TH W | SPP
Shane Hughes / 178th Wing Public Affairs
Serbian firefighters visit Ohio to take part in collaborative exchange
Chief Chris Wysong, of the Wayne Township Fire Department, gives a tour to a delegation of four Serbian firefighters at his department’s firehouse in Good Hope, Ohio, Aug. 20, 2025. The delegation spent time with professional, military and volunteer fire departments to observe operations, share best practices and foster international relationships.
08.07.25 ~ 179TH CW
Master Sgt. Joe Harwood / 179th Cyberspace Wing Public Affairs
First Non-Kinetic Crew Commander Course graduates in Mansfield
Airmen of the 179th Cyberspace Wing, based in Mansfield, Ohio, have graduated their first class of the newly created Non-Kinetic Crew Commander Course, or NKCC, hitting a new milestone in their efforts to forge a new mission for the U.S. Air Force. As the Air National Guard's first Cyberspace Wing, the unit has been tasked to complete several mission conversion requirements to become fully operational.
07.14.25 ~ 178TH W
Airman 1st Class Josh Kaeser / 178th Wing Public Affairs
178th Wing scores top 5% in entire Air Force during inspection
The 178th Wing scored in the top 5% of all Air Force wings during a combat readiness inspection conducted in July 2025 at the Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio and the Warrior Training Center located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The inspection evaluated wing members’ preparedness for scenarios they might encounter in a contested combat environment and during real-world emergencies at home and abroad.
07.11.25 ~ 121ST ARW | 121ST ARW
Staff Sgt. Ivy Thomas / 121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
121st ARW trains in Alaska during REFORPAC 2025
Airmen and aircraft from the 121st Air Refueling Wing took part in Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC) 2025 at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, July 10-Aug. 8, 2025. For the exercise, the Air Force tasked U.S. Pacific Air Forces to demonstrate its ability to rapidly deploy thousands of service members and associated equipment to multiple locations in the Indo-Pacific theater of operations to defend the U.S., allied and partner nations and their interests in the Pacific. REFORPAC 2025 employed more than 400 joint and coalition aircraft and more than 12,000 service members at more than 50 locations across 3,000 miles.
06.17.25 ~ 180TH FW
Tech. Sgt. Samantha DeRaedt / 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
180th FW Airmen train to respond to major accidents
Maintenance personnel assigned to the 180th Fighter Wing participate in a Major Accident Response Exercise, or MARE, in Swanton, Ohio, June 17, 2025. Realistic training, conducted in realistic environments, ensures Airmen maintain the highest levels of proficiency and readiness for worldwide deployment.
05.13.25 ~ 121ST ARW | 121ST ARW
Tech. Sgt. Alexandra Longfellow / U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa Public Affairs
Forging strength through partnership: US, Moroccan Air Forces unite for African Lion 2025
Airmen from the 166th Air Refueling Squadron, 121st Air Refueling Wing, Ohio Air National Guard partnered with Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots to conduct air-to-air refueling familiarization and continuation training during African Lion 2025, May 13-24, over Morocco. AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brought together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands.
05.03.25 ~ 179TH CW
Tech Sgt. Alyssa Reik / 179th Cyberspace Wing Public Affairs
200th RED HORSE supports PACAF in Guam
Approximately 80 Airmen from the 200th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers (RED HORSE) Squadron, headquartered in Port Clinton, Ohio, supported Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) during a training deployment to Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, from March to June 2025. The four-month deployment strengthened the base’s critical training infrastructure and provided 200th RED HORSE members the opportunity to sharpen their skills and enhance readiness in a dynamic environment not typically found at their home station.
05.03.25 ~ 180TH FW
Senior Airman Nicholas Battani / 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
180th FW Fire Protection fights flames during exercise
Firefighters from the 180th Fighter Wing participated in a controlled burn training event at the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport in Swanton, Ohio, May 3, 2025. The exercise consisted of fire fighters attempting to extinguish controlled fires in a variety of scenarios they may experience, ensuring the Airmen are fully trained, qualified, prepared and ready to perform their critical mission.
05.01.25 ~ 180TH FW
Staff Sgt. Jillian Maynus / Ohio National Guard Public Affairs
Ohio Air National Guard completes a first-of-its-kind ‘Live in ‘25’ deployment simulation
The Ohio Air National Guard successfully completed a first-of-its-kind ‘Live in ‘25’ deployment simulation at Wilmington Air Park in Wilmington, Ohio, May 1-5, 2025. Airmen from the 121st Air Refueling Wing, 178th Wing, 179th Cyberspace Wing and 180th Fighter Wing collaborated to experience the challenges of mobilizing to an unestablished, undeveloped deployment location, mirroring the real-world conditions they might encounter when facing a sophisticated adversary in the future.
05.01.25 ~ 179TH CW
Staff Sgt. Jillian Maynus / Ohio National Guard Public Affairs
Ohio Air National Guard completes a first-of-its-kind ‘Live in ‘25’ deployment simulation
The Ohio Air National Guard successfully completed a first-of-its-kind ‘Live in ‘25’ deployment simulation at Wilmington Air Park in Wilmington, Ohio, May 1-5, 2025. Airmen from the 121st Air Refueling Wing, 178th Wing, 179th Cyberspace Wing and 180th Fighter Wing collaborated to experience the challenges of mobilizing to an unestablished, undeveloped deployment location, mirroring the real-world conditions they might encounter when facing a sophisticated adversary in the future.
05.01.25 ~ 121ST ARW | 121ST ARW | 178TH WING | 179TH CW | 180TH FW
Staff Sgt. Jillian Maynus / Ohio National Guard Public Affairs
Ohio Air National Guard completes a first-of-its-kind ‘Live in ‘25’ deployment simulation
The Ohio Air National Guard successfully completed a first-of-its-kind ‘Live in ‘25’ deployment simulation at Wilmington Air Park in Wilmington, Ohio, May 1-5, 2025. Airmen from the 121st Air Refueling Wing, 178th Wing, 179th Cyberspace Wing and 180th Fighter Wing collaborated to experience the challenges of mobilizing to an unestablished, undeveloped deployment location, mirroring the real-world conditions they might encounter when facing a sophisticated adversary in the future.
05.01.25 ~ 178TH W
Staff Sgt. Jillian Maynus / Ohio National Guard Public Affairs
Ohio Air National Guard completes a first-of-its-kind ‘Live in ‘25’ deployment simulation
The Ohio Air National Guard successfully completed a first-of-its-kind ‘Live in ‘25’ deployment simulation at Wilmington Air Park in Wilmington, Ohio, May 1-5, 2025. Airmen from the 121st Air Refueling Wing, 178th Wing, 179th Cyberspace Wing and 180th Fighter Wing collaborated to experience the challenges of mobilizing to an unestablished, undeveloped deployment location, mirroring the real-world conditions they might encounter when facing a sophisticated adversary in the future.
03.09.25 ~ 178TH W
Shane Hughes and Senior Airman Colin Simpson (inset) / 178th Wing Public Affairs
178th Wing participates in Exercise Advanced Wrath
Airmen from the Ohio Air National Guard’s 178th Wing, in collaboration with units from the New York and Mississippi Air National Guard, participate in Exercise Advanced Wrath at Springfield Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio, March 9-21, 2025. The exercise showcased the 178th Wing’s ability to support forward combat operations through Agile Combat Employment, providing lethal capability and seamless integration with joint and interagency forces for future operations.
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01.12.25 ~ 121ST ARW | 121ST ARW
Tech. Sgt. Mikayla Gibbs / 121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
121st Maintenance Group Airmen ensure KC-135 fleet ready to fly
Airmen with the 121st Maintenance Group periodically conduct isochronal inspections on the fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio. Isochronal inspections, or ISOs, are in-depth inspections performed at routine intervals to ensure each of the 121st Air Refueling Wing's aircraft is properly maintained, safe and ready to fly.
12.31.24 ~ 121ST ARW | 121ST ARW
Senior Airman Colin Simpson / 178th Wing Public Affairs
Ohio ANG recruiter first in history to achieve 700 accessions
Master Sgt. Todd Parkison, currently the production superintendent with the 121st Air Refueling Wing and an Air National Guard recruiter for the past 13 years, recently completed his 700th Airman accession, the first in National Guard history to achieve this milestone.
11.12.24 ~ 179TH CW
Staff Sgt. Alyssa Reik / 179th Cyberspace Wing Public Affairs
179th CW Airmen gel during ANG Cyber High-Performance Training
Members of the 179th Cyberspace Wing participated in a weeklong ANG Cyber High-Performance Training session in San Antonio in November 2024. The ANG Cyber HPT program is an intensive training experience designed for advanced cyber operators and leaders, targeting performance optimization and next generation capabilities for the modern cyber warrior. Throughout the training, Airmen were able to share experiences with colleagues and with some of the world’s leading experts in human performance.
11.08.24 ~ 121ST ARW | 121ST ARW
Staff Sgt. Jill Maynus / Ohio National Guard Public Affairs
Air defender, honor guard trainer, goes viral on social media
Staff Sgt. Trey Davidson, a security forces defender with the 121st Air Refueling Wing, has taken social media by storm. Davidson, the lead trainer for the Ohio Air National Guard Honor Guard, has garnered a large social media following after he started posting a series of videos showcasing his unique rifle spinning talents.
10.15.24 ~ 179TH CW
Master Sgt. Brian Ellison / 126th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
200th RED HORSE provides expertise during Polish air base site planning surveys
Members of the 200th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers supported an expeditionary site planning survey that assessed Polish air bases and airports on their capabilities and runway strength for potential future use by U.S., allied and partner forces.
10.01.24 ~ 121ST ARW | 121ST ARW
Senior Master Sgt. Ralph Branson / 121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
Ohio National Guard Airmen deploy to North Carolina to support Hurricane Helene recovery efforts
Airmen with the 121st Air Refueling Wing's Fatality Search and Recover Team, part of the Ohio Homeland Response Force, prepare to deploy to North Carolina in support of Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 1, 2024. The unit will provide unique critical response capabilities, answering the call from a state in need.
09.12.24 ~
180TH FW
Airman 1st Class Camren Ray / 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
180th FW Airmen complete ACE stress test
Airmen with the 180th Fighter Wing participate in an Agile Combat Employment stress test in Swanton, Ohio, Sept. 12, 2024. The stress test is meant to push load crew limits and expose any potential vulnerabilities or shortcomings that need improved. The load crew was trained for 40 hours prior to the stress test.
Airman 1st Class Camren Ray / 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
180th FW Airmen complete ACE stress test
Airmen with the 180th Fighter Wing participate in an Agile Combat Employment stress test in Swanton, Ohio, Sept. 12, 2024. The stress test is meant to push load crew limits and expose any potential vulnerabilities or shortcomings that need improved. The load crew was trained for 40 hours prior to the stress test.
09.07.24 ~ 179TH CW
Airman Kylie Davidson / 179th Cyberspace Wing Public Affairs
Airman competes in Miss Ohio Scholarship Program
Staff Sgt. Grace Riegel, a public affairs specialist at the 179th Cyberspace Wing, competed for Miss Ohio in Mansfield, Ohio, June 8-15, 2024. The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program consists of five phases of competition: private interview, onstage question, health and fitness, talent and evening gown.
08.05.24 ~ 180TH FW
Senior Airman Nicholas Battani / 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OHNG Airmen participate in Exercise Northern Lightning 2024
Ohio Air National Guard Airmen participated in 2024 Northern Lightning alongside more than 1,000 service members from nearly 25 units across the country at the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, Aug. 5-18, 2024. During this two-week exercise, OHNG Airmen had the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to integrate with joint forces, focusing on air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, dissimilar aircraft air tactics and offensive and defensive counter air, with realistic surface-to-air and air-to-air threats.
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07.24.24 ~ 179TH CW
Tech. Sgt. Alexis Wade / 179th Cyberspace Wing Public Affairs
Side by Side: Father and son share a journey in military service
Senior Master Sgt. Steve Dotson, a bioenvironmental engineering specialist, and his son Staff Sgt. Braydon Dotson, a cyber defense operations specialist, both assigned to the 179th Cyberspace Wing, participate in the Blackfeet Tribal Health - Operation Walking Shield Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) medical mission together at Browning High School in Browning, Mont., July 24, 2024. While they each had different roles at the IRT, both men were extremely grateful to have this opportunity to serve together.
06.21.24 ~ 178TH W
Senior Airman Colin Simpson / 178th Wing Public Affairs
From Ohio to Alaska, Airmen unite for advanced space intelligence
Airmen assigned to the Ohio Air National Guard's 126th Intelligence Squadron support and train Airmen and Guardians of the 213th Space Warning Squadron at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska, June 21, 2024. The Polar Surge partnership is a joint effort between the 178th Wing, based in Springfield, Ohio, and the Alaska Air National Guard's 213th SWS to provide space surveillance data to the NORAD Space Control Center.
05.31.24 ~ 178TH W
Airman 1st Class Josh Kaeser / 178th Wing Public Affairs
Airman helps rescue man from submerged vehicle following collision
178th Wing 1st Lt. Paul Dangelo and Champaign County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Culler jumped into a pond to save a man from a sinking vehicle after a collision near Springfield, Ohio, May 31, 2024. The two men risked their lives pulling an injured man out of a completely submerged vehicle, going above and beyond their call of duty.
05.16.24 ~ 121ST ARW | 121ST ARW
Senior Airman Ivy Thomas / 121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
121st ARW conducts readiness exercise validation to ensure mission capability
The 121st Air Refueling Wing conducted Operation Buckeye Resolve in May 2024 at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio. The three-day, 24/7 basewide exercise demonstrated the wing’s ability to perform various aspects of its mission, including deployment processing, loading and launching aircraft, defending the base, emergency and attack procedures and casualty care.
05.14.24 ~ 178TH W
Senior Airman Colin Simpson / 178th Wing Public Affairs
178th Wing hosts Air Force units from across US during El muster
More than 150 Airmen from 16 engineering installation squadrons across the country participated in a weeklong muster in June 2024 at the 178th Wing in Springfield, Ohio. The muster provided Airmen in the EI career field an opportunity to discuss issues impacting their mission to deliver communications infrastructure and capabilities to support and expand the IT capabilities of the entire Department of Defense and ensure the cyber network necessary for future conflicts.
05.05.24 ~ 180TH FW
Senior Airman Nicholas Battani / 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
180th FW nurse gives back to her community
Master Sgt. Ashley Young, senior enlisted leader of the 180th Medical Group, was profoundly impacted while serving Ohio’s citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. A prior operating room nurse, Young has decided to pursue a master’s degree in public health at the University of Toledo while also working as part of a UT multidisciplinary health care team that provides comprehensive HIV/AIDS care services.
04.23.24 ~ 180TH FW
Airman 1st Class Sarah Stalder Lundgren / 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
180th FW Airman balances military career, school, community service
Senior Airman Nina Van Tassel, an intelligence operations analyst assigned to the Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing, stands in front of an F-16 fighting Falcon on the flight line at Toledo Air National Guard Base in Swanton, Ohio, April 14, 2024. Van Tassel, a Toledo, Ohio native, uses the Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program to pay for college while she serves her country and volunteers in her community.
03.12.24 ~ 178TH W
Airman 1st Class Colin Simpson / 178th Wing Public Affairs
179th Wing marks first MQ-9 Reaper landing during Operation Advanced Wrath
An MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the California Air National Guard’s 163rd Attack Wing was temporarily stationed at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base, Ohio in March 2024 during the Advanced Wrath training exercise, in support of U.S. Special Operations Command. The arrival of the MQ-9 in Springfield marked the first military flight operation conducted at the base in over 13 years.
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02.02.24 ~ 121ST ARW | 121ST ARW
Tech. Sgt. Wendy Kuhn / 121st Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
121st Airmen return from deployment
Airmen from the 121st Air Refueling Wing are welcomed home from an overseas deployment upon their return at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 2, 2024. The 121st Air Refueling Wing provides combat-ready Airmen to provide security and defense of the state and nation.