Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States Army

CAMP GRAYLING, Mich. – Nine soldiers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment, Michigan Army National Guard, participated in a two-week unmanned aerial system program that began May 31, 2026, as the Michigan National Guard expands its UAS training initiative.

The Michigan National Guard’s UAS program provides service members with no prior experience the training needed to understand regulations, develop flight proficiency and safely operate unmanned aerial systems in support of unit missions. Once certified, operators can utilize and integrate UAS into their units. The training can also tailor instruction to specific unit capabilities, including drone-strike simulations.

“The goal of this training is to expose [service members] to the challenges and opportunities provided by a piece of equipment like that,” said Army Maj. Brandon Shortner, the battalion’s executive officer. “That’s making such an impact on the modern battlefield.”

Students began in the classroom for an overview of regulations and systems before moving to flight simulators. Once proficient, they transitioned to field training with a level one UAS, the smallest drone class, maneuvering through an obstacle course that replicates real-world conditions. Instructors adapted the course difficulty based on mission requirements and individual skills.

“Every unit has a different mission set, and every mission set will require a different platform,” said Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Aric Petersen, UAS Training Center supervisor for the Michigan National Guard.

After demonstrating competence on the level one drone, the soldiers will progress to live-fire training to learn demolitions and how to arm the platforms.

In February, the War Department designated the Michigan National Guard’s Camp Grayling as the nation’s first national range for deep uncrewed aerial systems training, resulting in an increased emphasis on UAS training and capability development across the force. Camp Grayling is the largest National Guard training facility in the U.S.

“It’s an incredible honor to be part of a small group of individuals selected to do this,” said Army Spc. Aleksandr Blain, an infantry team leader assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment. “We are looking forward to developing these skills.”

Blain was the first of the trained 126th Infantry Regiment drone pilots to execute a drone strike using a first-person view drone June 10. Army Sgt. 1st Class David Burr, an infantry platoon sergeant assigned to the battalion, assisted Blain with the strike as the drone navigator. The navigator role is critical to ensuring UASs reach targets accurately and safely.

The strike was completed using a two-drone hunter-killer team composed of an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform used to crosstalk with the pilots to confirm targets prior to the strike and a first-person-view system equipped with a fixed-angle camera, giving operators a real-time view from the aircraft’s perspective.

The drone is flown entirely by the pilot, enabling precise maneuverability and continued operation in contested environments where GPS may be unavailable or degraded.

The first-person-view drones are piloted completely by manual control, so they find what is called acrobatic mode, which means the pilot has full control over the drone; it doesn’t hover.

The two-week training course not only enhanced the unit’s tactical performance but also boosted morale among the small group of participants.

“Being on the cusp of innovation is always fun,” Blain said. “It’s uncharted territory.”

Related Links

The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil

State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil

The National Guard on Facebook | Facebook.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Flickr | Flickr.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Instagram | Instagram.com/us.nationalguard

The National Guard on X | X.com/USNationalGuard

The National Guard on YouTube | YouTube.com/TheNationalGuard

Source: United States Army

ZAGREB, Croatia — More than 100 cyber professionals from seven European nations and seven U.S. National Guard state partners participated in Combined Adriatic Cyber Endeavor (CACE) 2026, a multinational cyber defense exercise hosted by the Croatian Armed Forces at the Petar Zrinski Barracks, June 1-11.

The Croatian Cyber Command hosted the largest regional cyber exercise for the first time, bringing together participants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovenia, along with their respective U.S. National Guard State Partnership Program counterparts from New Jersey, Maryland, Minnesota, Iowa, Maine, Vermont, and Colorado.

“We do things vastly differently across countries, across states,” said Maryland Air National Guard Warrant Officer 1 Nicholas Custead, assigned to the 276th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, who served as an exercise planner and member of the red team. “So, having everybody in the same room allows us to pool our ideas and come up with the best solutions. It’s the best way to collaborate.”

The two-week exercise began with academic instruction, scenario development, and final preparations before transitioning into the operational exercise. Each state and its partner nation formed a defensive cyber blue team and a white cell for the exercise, while Croatia and some National Guard members supported an offensive red team. The exercise represented the latest evolution of a regional effort designed to strengthen cooperation, coordination, and cyber defense capabilities among Adriatic+ partner nations.

“These exercises are unique opportunities to have actual hands-on experience and see what it takes to combat a threat, impacting the region,” said Paul Winter, senior vice president for professional services at SimSpace. “There’s a lot of planning and prep for these activities, and our team has been really grateful for the teamwork of the host nation.”

A significant NATO milestone of the exercise was the first-ever interconnection of SimSpace cyber ranges operated by Croatia and Slovenia. The exercise centered on a fictional military mission in which participating teams were tasked with defending the shared unclassified network. Blue team participants conducted threat hunting, incident response, reverse engineering, and network defense operations while documenting findings, developing remediation plans, and submitting situation reports.

The white team served as the exercise control element, overseeing coordination, scenario management, participant guidance, and overall governance. White team members were responsible for ensuring the exercise met its training objectives, maintained realistic conditions, enforced established rules, and evaluated participating teams. The red team planned and executed simulated adversary activities designed to challenge the blue team network defenders, while the Croatian green team and Simspace staff developed and maintained the network infrastructure and cyber range environment used throughout the exercise.

“It’s about coordination, collaboration, and everyone working together,” said Maj. Dubravko Jerković, Croatian Cyber Command commander and exercise director. “I think the whole point of this exercise is the communication, exchanging information, and getting to know the people, so we build the maturity of cyber in our region.”

The virtual training environments were provided through a U.S. security cooperation investment and donated to the Croatian and Slovenian armed forces in late 2023. During the exercise, the interconnected ranges expanded training capacity and enabled participants to operate across the larger, complex cyber environment.

“It is important as a cyber range provider not to just provide the solutions, but to really enable the partner nations to run and operate as self-sufficient as possible,” said Lee Rossey, chief technology officer and co-founder of SimSpace. “We want to fade into the background and enable them to be able to design, execute, and run as much as possible on their own.”

Officials said the successful integration demonstrated the growing cyber capabilities of both nations and established a foundation for future multinational training events. Several participating nations either have received or are expected to receive similar virtual training environments, creating opportunities for additional regional cyber exercises in the future.

“Cooperation is very important,” said Aleš Čretnik, Slovenia national representative and cyber range chief/advisor for the Slovenian Ministry of Defense. “Establishing trust among the nations that actually know each other, especially the technical stuff, so that they know who they should contact for help or any other support in case of larger incidents.”

The exercise built on previous regional cyber cooperation efforts, including the Adriatic Regional Security Cooperation Cyberspace Exercise hosted in Postojna, Slovenia, in 2024. Throughout the exercise, participants worked side by side to defend networks, share technical expertise, and strengthen relationships among allied and partner nations.

“CACE 26 is an example of the growing maturity in cyberspace defense across the Adriatic region,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Patrick Brown, IMA to the Partnership Division, U.S. European Command J69, who also previously served in the Maryland Air National Guard’s 175th Cyberspace Operations Group. “This year, Croatia took the lead, demonstrating the increasing capability and ownership of our Allies and partners in the cyber domain after years of USEUCOM-led cyberspace security cooperation in the region, including the National Guard’s State Partnership Program. As our Allies and partners independently plan, resource, and execute multinational exercises, it showcases a more capable, resilient, and interoperable cyber force to defend Alliance territory, which increases regional stability.”

Eight Airmen assigned to the Maryland Air National Guard’s 175th Cyberspace Operations Group and one Soldier assigned to Maryland Army National Guard Cyber Protection Team 169 joined three members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) Cyber Operations Center at the exercise. It was the first time that an AFBiH cyber expert led their Maryland counterparts as one of the seven blue teams.

“I’m most proud of how my team handled the situation, because we are the smallest team at this event, and I’m proud of the collaboration with other teams, and also our partnership with Maryland,” said AFBiH Capt. Armin Kolašinac, a vulnerability assessment officer at the Cyber Operations Center. “In the beginning, [Maryland] showed us everything, because we were new at this, but now we are catching up, and there are some things that we can also teach them. It’s significant for me, and it’s significant for my [AFBiH] colleagues because it shows that the partnership with Maryland is bearing fruit. We can see progress, and I can see that my teammates trust me.”

Related Links

The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil

State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil

The National Guard on Facebook | Facebook.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Flickr | Flickr.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Instagram | Instagram.com/us.nationalguard

The National Guard on X | X.com/USNationalGuard

The National Guard on YouTube | YouTube.com/TheNationalGuard

Source: United States Army

GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Montana Army National Guard firefighters trained alongside Airmen and state firefighters assigned to the 120th Airlift Wing Fire Department during a June 11 joint aircraft rescue firefighting exercise.

The training at the 120th Airlift Wing included classroom instruction and hands-on live-fire scenarios designed to strengthen aircraft rescue firefighting capabilities and improve interoperability across the Montana National Guard.

Participants received instruction on airfield operations, emergency response procedures and aircraft rescue firefighting tactics before applying those skills during live-fire exercises using an aircraft training simulator.

“This was an opportunity to cross-pollinate with the Air National Guard and gain valuable experience on an active airfield,” said Capt. Timothy Lenihan, commander of the Montana Army National Guard firefighting detachments.

“Using a live-fire aircraft trainer and operating aircraft rescue firefighting vehicles provided our Soldiers with training opportunities that are difficult to replicate elsewhere,” Lenihan said.

Prior to the live-fire training, participants learned how to safely operate on an active airfield, including vehicle movement procedures, communication requirements and coordination with air traffic controllers.

“One of the most important skills we’re teaching today is how to communicate effectively with the FAA tower,” said Staff Sgt. Graydon Irish, training officer for the Montana Army National Guard firefighting detachment. “Clear, concise radio communication is essential for safely operating on an active airfield.”

The training provided Soldiers an opportunity to operate specialized aircraft rescue firefighting vehicles, respond to simulated aircraft emergencies and work directly with experienced aircraft rescue firefighters. Soldiers practiced vehicle positioning, fire suppression techniques and coordination in conditions designed to replicate a real-world aircraft emergency.

Irish said exposing Soldiers to the aviation environment builds confidence and familiarity before they are required to respond to an actual incident.

“Before Soldiers can confidently operate in an aviation environment, they need exposure to it,” Irish said. “Listening to experienced airfield operators and then communicating with the tower themselves helps build that confidence.”

Beyond the technical skills gained during the training, leaders said the training strengthened relationships between Army and Air National Guard personnel and improved their ability to work together during emergencies.

Army firefighting units bring capabilities designed for austere and tactical environments, while the 120th Airlift Wing Fire Department specializes in aircraft rescue firefighting and airfield operations. Training together allows both organizations to better understand each other’s procedures, equipment and capabilities.

“I think Army and Air National Guard units have different standard operating procedures,” Lenihan said. “If we’re responding to the same crisis or emergency and we’ve never worked together before, then we don’t know how to operate together. Training together now helps us work more effectively as a team in the future.”

Brig. Gen. Trent Gibson, the adjutant general of the Montana National Guard, said the training demonstrates the value of integrating capabilities across the Montana National Guard and building relationships before emergencies occur.

“When Soldiers and Airmen train together, they build the trust, communication and shared understanding needed to respond effectively when Montana communities need us most,” Gibson said. “Training like this strengthen our readiness and ensure we can bring the full capabilities of the Montana National Guard to any mission.”

The training also highlighted future opportunities for collaboration, including technical rescue, rope rescue and hazardous materials training, further expanding the capabilities of both organizations.

“Whether we’re wearing an Army or Air Guard uniform, our mission is the same,” Irish said. “Protect lives, protect property and be ready to respond when Montana needs us. This training helps ensure we can do that together.”

The training strengthened readiness across the Montana National Guard while providing Soldiers, Airmen and state firefighters with valuable experience operating in a realistic aircraft emergency environment.

Related Links

The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil

State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil

The National Guard on Facebook | Facebook.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Flickr | Flickr.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Instagram | Instagram.com/us.nationalguard

The National Guard on X | X.com/USNationalGuard

The National Guard on YouTube | YouTube.com/TheNationalGuard