Spc. Brendan Hays and Spc. Jacob Thomas of the 617th Military Police Company escort the winner's trophy to the Winner’s Circle at the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, May 2, 2026. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Marissa Keith)
Nearly 150 Kentucky Army National Guard Soldiers gathered for a departure ceremony at Boyd County Community Center in Catlettsburg, Ky., on May 30, 2026. Soldiers from the 201st Engineer Battalion were joined by friends and family for the ceremony to wish them well before deploying to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Spartan Shield.
