Gen. Steven Nordhaus

On Veterans Day, we honor the extraordinary legacy of American veterans. For 390 years, in times of war and peace, our men and women in uniform stepped forward to defend our fellow citizens. Today, you carry that living legacy forward. Whether you are currently deployed overseas, responding in your communities, or serving with dedication in your home units, you are a link in an unbroken chain of Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen who stood ready to defend our freedom. Thank you for your unwavering dedication to defending our great Nation and safeguarding our hard-won freedom.  Through our collective strength, we stand Stronger Together, Stronger Tomorrow. #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere

Meet Tech. Sgt. Daniel Sage, a Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants specialist at the Air National Guard’s Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center in Mississippi. From keeping aircraft fueled to ensuring units have the resources they need to train and operate, POL specialists play a critical role in keeping our force combat ready and lethal. Though their work often happens behind the scenes, it is essential to everything we do! #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere

Honored to stand alongside senior service leaders to represent the 435K-strong @USNationalGuard at the @Commanders’ Salute to Service game today. A great opportunity to highlight the strength, readiness and dedication of the Soldiers and Airmen who serve our communities and defend our Nation every day. #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere – at Landover, MD

Extremely impressed with the @ArkansasGuard's sniper instructors and the caliber of training they provide at the Army National Guard Sniper School. Sgt. 1st Class Hieu Dinh, and Staff Sgts. Austin Nistler and Jonathon Hjelle, provided outstanding instruction on the range and led me through a realistic sniper stalk lane, showcasing the precision, discipline and expertise this craft demands. The school plays an important role in developing highly skilled, lethal marksmen who bring an elite capability to our force. These warriors are exceptional at what they do! #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere

Great day engaging with Army National Guard leaders at Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs, @ARNGDirector’s Green Tab Commanders’ Conference. Our Army National Guard commanders, senior enlisted leaders and Soldiers must be ready to lead, fight and win whenever and wherever our Nation calls. I also got some sniper range time with Arkansas’ incredible National Guard sniper instructors and students on Camp Robinson. These elite, skilled Soldiers embody the discipline, precision and attention to detail required by our most lethal joint teams. Thanks to Maj. Gen. Chad Bridges and the Arkansas National Guard for the opportunity to train alongside such a talented group of warriors! #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere

Today, I spoke with leaders and professionals supporting our National Guard special operations units at the SOFTAG Conference in Mississippi.  Mississippi is also home to two critical elements in our National Guard’s readiness and warfighting enterprise: the Air National Guard's Combat Readiness Training Center and the Army National Guard's Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot. These teams deliver critical training, maintenance and sustainment capabilities that keep our warriors ready for the mission. One of the Guard’s greatest strengths is the breadth of our capabilities across both the Army and Air Force. From preparing units to operate in demanding, realistic environments to maintaining the aviation platforms our warfighters depend on, these organizations build combat readiness for the Joint Force. Thank you to the Mississippi National Guard team for your professionalism, expertise and continued commitment to keeping our force ready and lethal! #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere

Great to fly the F-16 with Arizona’s 162nd Wing. On the ground, I caught up with Col. Brant “Pelt” Putnam, wing commander; Maj. Titus “Redact” Wong, ACA director of operations; and Capt. Matus “Skosh” Bartalsky, a Slovak Air Force student pilot, to hear all the things happening at the 162nd Wing. As the Air Force’s primary F-16 training unit for American and international pilots, the wing has trained aviators from 25 countries, building partnerships on mutual trust and shared interest. While pilots from around the globe earn their wings, the 162nd’s aerospace control alert detachment stands ready 24/7 to protect the Nation’s Southwest airspace. Your National Guard is ready, lethal and committed to being the best—Homeland, Warfight and Partnerships! #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere – at Tucson, AZ

The Army National Guard's Western Army Aviation Training Site in Arizona is one of the @USArmy's premier helicopter training and aviation maintenance facilities. Command Sgt. Maj. Kendrick and I caught up with Chief Warrant Officer 4 Randall Peterson, WAATS instructor pilot, and 1st Sgt. Valerie Douglas, WAATS deputy commandant, to talk about how they prepare our Soldiers to meet the demands of the future fight. Training hard today to win tomorrow—that’s readiness. #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere

Command Sgt. Maj. Kendrick and I had a great visit with our Arizona Guardsmen, seeing the state’s MQ-9 Reaper operations and Army National Guard Western Army Aviation Training Site. The 214th Attack Group’s MQ-9 Reapers provide troops on the ground with a constant eye in the sky to gather intelligence, maintain surveillance and strike targets with precision when needed. These same capabilities also help state and national leaders assess emergencies and respond faster at home. WAATS is one of the Army’s premier training sites for attack and scout helicopter crews. Its state-of-the-art flight simulator complex helps aviators across all Army components sharpen their skills and maintain combat readiness. Thank you for all you do to keep our force ready and lethal! #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere

In New Mexico, CSM Kendrick and I met with Sgt. 1st Class Richard Aragon, who has led teams on dozens of disaster response missions, saving many lives. When a seizing infant couldn’t be reached by helicopter or vehicle during last week’s statewide severe flood response, he and his Soldiers walked several miles to reach the family and help make the rescue possible. His leadership and expertise continue to help save lives and protect property in New Mexico communities. I’m proud to serve alongside Soldiers like him. #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere

Great to spend time with our Guardsmen in New Mexico alongside Command Sgt. Maj. Kendrick to hear how they’re supporting global operations, while simultaneously responding to natural disasters in their own communities. Following severe flooding across the state last week, New Mexico’s Soldiers and Airmen are supporting interagency partners with high-water rescues and ongoing recovery efforts. From regional security and theater logistics overseas, to rapid, lifesaving response at home, these Soldiers and Airmen exemplify the National Guard’s dual mission: providing combat-ready forces to our services and the Joint Force, while responding in the Homeland when disaster or crisis strikes. #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere

To our deployed teammates, thank you for your incredible service on this Day of the Deployed! Whether you are deployed globally or securing our communities at home, you are what makes the National Guard an elite & lethal warfighting & response force. #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere

One Team, one fight! Leveraging our Guard warriors’ lethal capabilities and deep operational experience makes the entire Joint Force stronger.

There is no substitute for experiencing the operational environment firsthand. This week, I joined Maj. Gen. Efferson, acting director of the @AirNatlGuard, at @WrightPattAFB for high-G centrifuge training with the outstanding team at the 342nd Training Squadron’s Acceleration Training Flight. This elite team prepares approximately 1,200 U.S. and international fighter aircrew annually to recognize physiological threats, master the Anti-G Straining Maneuver and perform under the extreme demands of (9G) high-performance flight. As the @USAirForce's only centrifuge training program, the 342nd TRS plays a critical role in training our warfighters to increase combat capability and strengthen Total Force readiness. #FlyFightWin – at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH

Great to be at #AUSA2026 to see the pace of innovation and emerging tech with our industry partners. Outstanding to hear from @SecWar, the service secretaries, Gen. LaNeve, and other leaders, on the strategic direction of the @USArmy and the future of autonomous systems within our Joint Force. Our National Guard warfighters are ready to put these capabilities to work—faster, together with industry, for the warfight and the homeland. #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere – at Washington, DC

Congratulations to the Army National Guard for earning second place in the 2026 @USArmy Best Squad Competition! This squad's performance is a clear indicator of the discipline, teamwork and warfighting excellence our Soldiers bring to every mission. These Warriors represented the Army Guard at the highest level and exemplified the strength of our operational force. #AlwaysReadyAlwaysThere – at Washington, DC

Congratulations to Greece and the @FLGuard! Partnerships are a force multiplier. This one builds on decades of U.S.-Greece defense ties and the National Guard’s 117 global partnerships through the @DeptofWar National Guard State Partnership Program. #StrongerTogetherStrongerTomorrow

Great to see Air Force win today; even better to see the future leaders of our Joint Force. Our Nation’s military is in great hands!

Go Air Force, Sink Navy!!

Great to start gameday with PT alongside @SecWar, @officialCSAF and Air Force Academy cadets—future warriors! Go Air Force!