Alaska

National Guard delays staffing changes for Alaska Air National Guard

Published

2 years ago

April 21, 2024

National Guard delays staffing changes for Alaska Air National Guard

The National Guard’s country-wide plan to level out personnel numbers is being pushed back a year for Alaska’s Air National Guard. Instead of going into effect this October, the National Guard Bureau will push implementing the new changes to Sept. 30, 2025. That delay, Alaska’s congressional delegation says, will allow “the Air National Guard to complete a more comprehensive assessment of the impact the proposed changes will have on critical Alaska missions, and decide whether the proposed changes should occur at all.”

The change was announced on Friday, April 19. The National Guard’s plan, Program Element Code Leveling (sometimes referred to as “code leveling” or “PEC leveling”), would have cut 80 Active Guard and Reserve positions in the Alaska Air National Guard. ARG members of the Alaska ANG are essentially full-time active-duty personnel. Instead of making those cuts this year, the Alaska Air National Guard will use the extra time for a wider analysis of what PEC leveling would mean for operational readiness.

The National Guard’s other 53 units covering the other states and U.S. territories, are still set to complete cross leveling by Oct. 1.

The Alaska ANG carries out a number of important missions, including handling urgent emergencies and playing a key role in defense strategy. Alaska ANG’s 2,400 members staff air defense missions under the purview of U.S. Northern Command, while crews also provide aerial refueling for U.S. military planes. Given harsh weather conditions and the remote nature of many communities, rescue operations are often done by air, and due to the risks are handled by the Air National Guard. There can often be several missions in one day.

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The National Guard Bureau’s plan called for cutting 80 full-time active positions in the Alaska ANG, including several pilots and pararescuemen. Other jobs would be cut were more than a dozen of what are called “scope watchers,” the guardsmen who crew early warning systems. Task & Purpose reviewed an analysis made by the Alaska ANG, which said that the proposed cuts under the plan would lead to shortages as high as 50% on those missions.

The PEC leveling plan was heavily criticized both by state officials and Alaska’s three-member congressional delegation, citing national security concerns. Under the National Guard Bureau’s plans, the 80 AGR positions that would be lost would be replaced by 88 “dual-status technicians” with lower wages that the Alaska ANG said wouldn’t be able to meet the actual needs of those around-the-clock alert missions. Members of the Alaska ANG also voiced concerns over what the changes would mean for pay and benefits. The National Guard Bureau told Task & Purpose earlier this month that the proposed changes would not impact readiness.

After the delay was announced, the state’s congressional delegation applauded the decision. In a joint statement all three members, Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Rep. Mary Peltola all pointed to the important role the Alaska ANG has in public safety and emergency services for people in Alaska.

“These cuts would have undermined not only our state’s security, but our national security as well,” Sen. Dan Sullivan said.

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Alaska

Musician performs under the aurora in Nenana — without gloves, in 17 degrees

Published

5 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Musician performs under the aurora in Nenana — without gloves, in 17 degrees

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A musician with Alaska Native roots recorded an hour-long live set in Interior Alaska beneath the aurora.

Chastity Ashley, a drummer, vocalist and DJ who performs under the name Neon Pony, celebrated a year since she traveled to Nenana to record a live music set beneath the northern lights for her series Beats and Hidden Retreats.

Ashley, who has Indigenous roots in New Mexico, said she was drawn to Alaska in part because of the role drums play in Alaska Native culture. A handmade Alaskan hand drum, brought to her by a man from just outside Anchorage, was incorporated into the performance in February 2025.

Recording in the cold

The team spent eight days in Nenana waiting for the aurora to appear. Ashley said the lights did not come out until around 4 a.m., and she performed a continuous, uninterrupted hour-long set in 17-degree weather without gloves.

“It was freezing. I couldn’t wear gloves because I’m actually playing, yeah, hand drums and holding drumsticks. And there was ice underneath my feet,” Ashley said.

“So, I had to really utilize my balance and my willpower and my ability to just really immerse in the music and let go and make it about the celebration of what I was doing as opposed to worrying about all the other elements or what could go wrong.”

She said she performed in a leotard to allow full range of motion while drumming, DJing and singing.

Filming on Nenana tribal land

Ashley said she did not initially know the filming location was on indigenous land. After local authorities told her the decision was not theirs to make, she contacted the Nenana tribe directly for permission.

“I went into it kind of starting to tell them who I was and that I too was a part of a native background,” Ashley said. “And they just did not even care. They’re like, listen, we’re about to have a party for one of our friends here. Go and do what you like.”

Ashley said the tribe gave her full permission to film on the reservation, and that the aurora footage seen in the episode was captured there.

Seeing the aurora for the first time

Ashley said the Nenana performance marked her first time seeing the northern lights in person.

“It felt as if I were awake in a dream,” she said. “It really doesn’t seem real.”

She said she felt humbled and blessed to perform beneath the aurora and to celebrate its beauty and grandeur through her music.

“I feel incredibly humbled and blessed that not only did I get to take part in seeing something like that, but to play underneath it and celebrate its beauty and its grandeur.”

The Alaska episode is the second installment of Beats and Hidden Retreats, which is available on YouTube at @NeonPony. Ashley said two additional episodes are in production and she hopes to make it back up to Alaska in the future.

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Alaska

Over $150K worth of drugs seized from man in Juneau, police say

Published

17 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Over 0K worth of drugs seized from man in Juneau, police say

JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) – An Alaska drug task force seized roughly $162,000 worth of controlled substances during an operation in Juneau Thursday, according to the Juneau Police Department.

Around 3 p.m. Thursday, investigators with the Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs (SEACAD) approached 50-year-old Juneau resident Jermiah Pond in the Nugget Mall parking lot while he was sitting in his car, according to JPD.

A probation search of the car revealed a container holding about 7.3 gross grams of a substance that tested presumptively positive for methamphetamine, as well as about 1.21 gross grams of a substance that tested presumptively positive for fentanyl.

As part of the investigation, investigators executed a search warrant at Pond’s residence, during which they found about 46.63 gross grams of ketamine, 293.56 gross grams of fentanyl, 25.84 gross grams of methamphetamine and 25.5 gross grams of MDMA.

In all, it amounted to just less than a pound of drugs worth $162,500.

Investigators also seized $102,640 in cash and multiple recreational vehicles believed to be associated with the investigation.

Pond was lodged on charges of second-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, two counts of third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, five counts of fourth-degree misconduct involving a substance and an outstanding felony probation warrant.

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Alaska

Sand Point teen found 3 days after going missing in lake

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Sand Point teen found 3 days after going missing in lake

SAND POINT, Alaska (KTUU) – A teenage boy who was last seen Monday when the canoe he was in tipped over has been found by a dive team in a lake near Sand Point, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Alaska’s News Source confirmed with the person, who is close to the search efforts, that the dive team found 15-year-old Kaipo Kaminanga deceased Thursday in Red Cove Lake, located a short drive from the town of Sand Point on the Aleutian Island chain.

Kaminanga was last seen canoeing with three other friends on Monday when the boat tipped over.

A search and rescue operation ensued shortly after.

Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team posted on Facebook Thursday night that they were able to “locate and recover” Kaminanga at around 5 p.m. Thursday.

“We are glad we could bring closure to his family, friends and community,” the post said.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated when more details become available.

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