KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A Tennessee Army National Guard medical flight crew responded to an emergency air evacuation mission after a camper was attacked and injured by a bear while sleeping in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park area, June 18.

CAMDEN, Tenn. – Mayor of Benton County, Brett Lashlee, is set to embark on his fifth deployment as a member of the armed forces.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After 36 years of dedicated service, Lt. Col. Bradford Asplund, a Powell native, retired from the Tennessee Army National Guard on May 31.

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. – When COVID-19 swept across the United States and throughout Tennessee in March 2020, Spc. Anthony Spencer knew it was his duty to help his community and state during this time of distress. A trained healthcare specialist with the Tennessee National Guard and lifelong Scout, he had the skills and character to do what he knew was right.

WAVERLY, Tenn. – Terri Doughten, a Troy native and Tennessee National Guardsman with Waverly’s Detachment 1, 267th Military Police Company, was promoted to staff sergeant during a ceremony on June 6.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Members of a Tennessee National Guard aviation unit have deployed following a farewell ceremony at Nashville’s Berry Field Air National Guard Base, on June 12.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – During a ceremony at the Chattanooga’s Westin Hotel, Emerson Brock commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Tennessee Army National Guard from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s ROTC program on May 15.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Rutherford County’s JROTC program teamed up with the Tennessee Army National Guard to host the JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge at various locations throughout Murfreesboro from June 3-10.

WOODBURY, Tenn. –When the Tennessee National Guard needed volunteers to help Tennessee’s Department of Health fight the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of Soldiers and Airmen volunteered. One Soldier that immediately answered the call was Sgt. Jessie James, a motor transport operator with Tullahoma’s 1175th Transportation Company. A Manchester native, James was not going to miss the opportunity to serve.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Staff Sgt. Timothy Cordeiro, a Clarksville native and photojournalist with the Tennessee National Guard’s 118th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, promoted to sergeant first class in Nashville, June 6.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – With Gov. Bill Lee’s expansion of the STRONG Act on May 17, there is no better time for Tennessee National Guardsmen to take advantage of incentives and benefits regarding their civilian education. While programs like the GI Bill and Federal Tuition Assistance have been around for some time, improvements to the Tennessee STRONG Act offer more educational options than ever before. Guardsmen can graduate with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or attend a technical school almost completely debt-free.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee National Guardsmen from the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, headquartered in Knoxville, helped commemorate Tennessee’s 225th anniversary of statehood with celebratory cannon fire at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park on June 1.

MURFRESSBORO, Tenn. – When COVID-19 began spreading across Tennessee in March 2020, Sgt. Justin Chambers, a combat medic with Smyrna’s 208th Area Support Medical Company, was attending college at Middle Tennessee State University and working for the Rutherford County Emergency Management Service. A Spring Hill native, Chambers knew that his military training would be helpful during the pandemic.

SMYRNA, Tenn. – When COVID-19 appeared in Tennessee, Guardsmen from across the state were ready to serve their community. Thousands volunteered to help in the fight against COVID-19, which gave some Guardsmen valuable experience while protecting the state.

LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn. –Samuel Gray, a Lawrence County High School graduate, enlisted into the Tennessee Army National Guard on Feb. 1 and is leaving for basic training on June 1.