Photo By Milt Spalding | U.S. Army Maj. Gregory Granderson cooks in preparation of a cookout in honor of the...... read more read more
FRANKFORT, Ky.—Kentucky National Guard Soldiers and senior leaders gathered to celebrate the organization’s 234th birthday at Boone National Guard Center, June 24.
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj.Jesse Withers challenged every member of the Kentucky National Guard to consider the role they would play in shaping its future.
"One thing has always defined the Kentucky National Guard—we never settle. We are always looking ahead, always asking how we can improve, and how we can better serve our Soldiers, our communities and our commonwealth,” Withers said. “As we celebrate this anniversary, I leave you with a challenge—between now and our next anniversary, what will you do to become better? What will you do to make the Kentucky National Guard better?"
The United Service Organizations (USO) provided food for the event, and the National Guard Association of Kentucky provided a cake.
Jen Hansen, center operations specialist for the USO, attended the event. She said USO involvement at such events is an important aspect of the organization’s work.
“The USO is all about being a home away from home for Service members and their families, so we love to come out to these different events to just bring that piece of home to Service members wherever they are,” Hansen said. “That's really what the USO is about—just being that morale boost and being able to plug into all the training events or just fun events like this.”
The Kentucky National Guard traces its lineage to 1775, when Kentucky was part of Fincastle County, Virginia, making it one of the oldest military organizations in the United States. Since its founding, the Guard has embodied the tradition of the citizen-Soldier, with generations of Kentuckians answering the call to serve their communities, the commonwealth, and the nation.
Throughout its history, Kentucky Guardsmen have supported military operations in every major American conflict while also responding to disasters and emergencies at home. That dual state and federal mission remains the cornerstone of the Kentucky National Guard today, as Soldiers and Airmen continue a legacy of readiness, service and commitment to protecting both the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the United States.
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2026 10:45 |
| Story ID: | 572315 |
| Location: | FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 14 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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