As of June 27, about 2,300 Air and Army National Guard members remained on duty in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, assisting communities with flood relief. This number is down from the peak of 5,700 earlier this month, with the Guard’s flood actions having concluded in Indiana, for example. But in Illinois, more than 1,100 Guardsmen remained active, monitoring levees that are protecting farmland. And in Missouri around 800 Guardsmen continued to fight the rising waters in lower Mississippi River counties. Meanwhile, California officials called for more Guard air support to fight wildfires that have ravaged the state. Already C-130s fitted with special equipment have been dropping water and flame retardant on the fires, along with Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters, while RC-26 surveillance aircraft and Kiowa helicopters have been performing fire-spotting missions. Ironically, senior California lawmakers, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), expressed concern to the White House in May over the Administration’s delays in modifying two California ANG C-130s for firefighting missions. (Includes NGB report by Army SSgt. Jim Greenhill)
Dick Cheney’s Legacy with the Air Force
Nov. 6, 2025
Dick Cheney, who died Nov. 3 at 84, is best remembered by most Americans as among the most powerful Vice Presidents in history, a consummate Washington insider who had previously served in the Nixon administration, was Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford, a Congressman for a decade, and Secretary…
