Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States Army

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U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

ARCHERS POST, Kenya — U.S. service members, Kenya Defence Forces and local civilian medical teams delivered critical healthcare to Samburu County communities during a Medical Civic Action Program, MEDCAP, as part of Justified Accord 2026, Feb. 26–27, 2026.

The combined team of U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and KDF treated approximately 1,200 patients across two days at Archers Post Sub-County Hospital and Laresoro Dispensary, providing essential role one care while strengthening multinational partnerships and improving crisis response readiness.

The MEDCAP served as a practical training opportunity during the multinational exercise, allowing medical professionals to operate in austere conditions while delivering direct care to underserved communities.

“This year we doubled the size of the team and for the first time had a joint team of Army and Air Force from components one, two and three, increasing overall Department of Defense interoperability and readiness,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Amanda Owens, civil affairs officer assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF).

Owens also highlighted how new medical technology enhanced patient care during the mission.

“The portable ultrasound machines, which to my knowledge weren’t brought to previous MEDCAPs, enhanced the level of care the team was able to provide to the community, which otherwise has no ultrasound capability,” she said.

Medical providers used the portable ultrasound systems to diagnose conditions that might otherwise go undetected in remote environments.

In addition to general medical services, dental providers addressed a significant gap in local healthcare access. The Massachusetts National Guard dental team delivered oral hygiene instruction, triaged patients for preventive and restorative care, and performed extractions on teeth deemed non-restorable.

U.S. Army Maj. Diana Li, a dentist assigned to the Massachusetts Army National Guard Medical Detachment, worked alongside KDF Capt. Daniel Arusho, a dentist with the Kenya Defence Forces, to treat patients who often have limited access to dental care.

“No dental services are currently available at Archers Post Hospital or Laresoro Health Centre,” Li said. “Our team was honored to provide essential dental care to the local communities.”

U.S. Army Capt. Elijah Taylor, a physician assistant with the Massachusetts Army National Guard’s 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, said the technology proved critical in evaluating serious conditions.

“Dr. [Lt. Col.] Benjamin Krainin and I also did cardiac and lung ultrasounds to evaluate for, and identify heart failure,” Taylor said.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Benjamin Krainin, MD, brigade surgeon for the 173rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), added that the equipment enabled providers to diagnose and monitor patients in a resource-limited setting quickly.

“I performed a few dozen bedside ultrasounds, predominantly to assess fetal well-being in pregnant patients — and found twins,” said Krainin. “Every provider likely saw between two and three times the patient load that would have been handled on a typical emergency room shift.”

Beyond improving diagnostic capability, the MEDCAP exposed U.S. providers to diseases and conditions rarely encountered at home.

“MEDCAPs are an opportunity for U.S. providers to be exposed to disease processes that are rare or nonexistent in the United States, enhancing our deployed clinical skills,” said U.S. Army Maj. Ryan Haug, a physician assistant with Special Operations Detachment–Global, Rhode Island Army National Guard. “The opportunity to engage with partner forces and collaborate to care for people in need enhances interoperability and reinforces our country’s dedication to an important ally.”

Haug’s participation also highlighted the National Guard’s ability to leverage partnerships across multiple states through the State Partnership Program, bringing together expertise from across the force.

For Air National Guard medics, the mission offered training opportunities unavailable in most stateside settings.

“In JA26, I play the role of an aerospace medical technician, also known as a medic,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kyle Kendall with the 104th Medical Group, Massachusetts Air National Guard. “It’s extremely important that we bring our airmen to Africa because there are so many skills we aren’t able to train on [in a military setting] back in the United States, such as caring for pediatric, geriatric and pregnant patients.”

Kendall said ultrasound technology proved especially valuable in diagnosing conditions during the mission.

“In the medical world, ultrasound is continuing to grow in its usage and could potentially replace a stethoscope,” he said. “We were able to diagnose many different conditions that we normally would not have.”

At Laresoro Dispensary, the team treated approximately 585 patients in a single day, providing assessments, medications and follow-up care to residents from nearby communities.

KDF personnel emphasized that the MEDCAP also reinforced professional military cooperation and operational readiness.

“Today we are conducting a medical camp as a culmination of joint training activities with the U.S. military and other partner nations in exercise Justified Accord 26,” said KDF Col. Mohammed Omar, a MEDCAP organizer. “We are learning new skills, sharing experiences and preparing ourselves for operational activities. Training is a continuous process so that we remain ready for missions.”

Members of the Massachusetts National Guard highlighted the dual benefit of humanitarian assistance and professional development during the exercise.

“Kenya has been our state partner for the past decade, so we’re strengthening the relationship we have with Kenya while also strengthening our medical skills,” said U.S. Army Capt. Bridget Keefe, a medical-surgical nurse with the Massachusetts Army National Guard Medical Detachment. “Here I was able to fully immerse myself in hands-on patient care and bring the skills I use as a surgical intensive care unit nurse in my civilian job into this mission.”

Medical leaders overseeing the mission said the MEDCAP demonstrated how joint and multinational teams can rapidly deliver care during humanitarian crises while improving readiness across the force.

“In JA26, I serve as the medical operations officer for the MEDCAP activities in Samburu County,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Katherine Murphy, deputy commander for administration and global health engagement liaison for the Massachusetts Army National Guard. “Our Soldiers and Airmen had the opportunity to train, validate and execute critical tasks while working directly with our KDF health partners and community health workers.”

Murphy noted that the integration of point-of-care ultrasound alongside multinational medical teams significantly improved diagnostic capability and clinical outcomes.

“Bringing our Soldiers and Airmen here helps build trust with our partner nation, increases interoperability and improves learning opportunities with our Kenyan partners,” she said.

Led by U.S. Africa Command and organized by SETAF-AF, Justified Accord 2026 is the largest U.S. military exercise in East Africa. Hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, the exercise includes personnel from approximately 15 partner nations.

The exercise strengthens multinational interoperability in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response while preparing regional partners for missions with the United Nations and African Union.

For Murphy and many of the participating service members, the mission represented more than training — it was a chance to make a lasting impact.

“Getting to be part of JA26 is one of the biggest highlights of my career,” said Murphy. “This is why I joined the military — to make an impact not just on one person, but many.”

About SETAF-AF

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.

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Source: United States Army

The tranquil sound of prayer echoed off the sterile walls of the main hall where rows of bunks were lined up for patients to rest at the aid station.

Leading the Rosary prayer was a former infantryman known affectionately throughout the Iowa National Guard as “Sully”, who along with the chaplain, selflessly brought religious support to those on sick call who were physically unable to attend the actual service due to illness or injury.

Nestled amongst the medical equipment and supplies in the cramped space were a half-dozen Soldiers who were here to support training for the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard (IAARNG) before they deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. They were too ill to attend the Sunday chapel service held earlier that morning at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) in Fort Polk, Louisiana, in June of 2025

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“Chaplains have to serve a wide variety of faiths,” said Army Maj. Steve DeHaan, Chaplain, Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 734th Regional Support Group (RSG), IAARNG. “Finding someone like Sully, who had a heart for and was willing to lead the Rosary and help others. I think one of the significant things from that, was that it inspired.”

Sgt. 1st Class Michael “Sully” Sullivan, Assistant Operations Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO), HHC, 734th RSG, IAARNG, grew up on a 180-acre family farm in Fonda, Iowa, where both cattle and pigs were raised. There were only 22 students in his graduating class in the tiny northwest hamlet. He excelled at golf in high school, culminating in his team making state for the first time in school history.

Sullivan also played football, basketball, and baseball. As a catcher in baseball, he was scouted by colleges. Yet off the field, he began making decisions that would cost him some of those opportunities. During his senior year, he was cited for an open alcohol container violation and faced an ultimatum with his coach. Either ride the bench or quit. Sullivan chose the latter and went to work instead of suiting up for the varsity squad that season. Due to his actions, he also was not allowed to participate in the state golf tournament with the team he had helped get there.

After graduating from high school, he moved away for a few years then moved back to Fonda where he found work as a mechanic at a shop specializing in hydraulics. It was here that Sullivan was introduced to the Iowa Army National Guard.

A chief warrant officer who ran the business invited him along to drill one weekend at the Field Maintenance Shop #10 in Boone, IA. “He took me into the shop and I was like, ‘I work on trucks every day of the week. I don’t want to do it on drill weekend’,” said Sullivan. “Then he took me over to the AASF (Army Aviation Support Facility) and I saw my very first helicopter, and I fell in love, and that’s how I started my career.”

He enlisted near the end of 1989 and went to basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, then advanced individual training (AIT) at Fort Eustis, Virginia, where he trained on CH-47 Chinooks for six months. After completion of initial entry training, he found work as a mechanic at an agricultural machinery dealership. He then received further training and in the early 1990s became one of the first crew chiefs in the state on the newly fielded UH-60 Black Hawk.

By all appearances, Sullivan was on a path of success in both civilian and military life. However, that path diverged around this time. “I started hanging with a pretty rough crowd,” he said. “They were bikers, they liked to party. I got my own Harley and partied pretty hard and got into the bad side of it.”

Sullivan ultimately failed a urine analysis for a controlled substance in the autumn of 1996 and was discharged, which he said devastated him. Methamphetamines were becoming prevalent in his hometown, so he decided on a fresh start and moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he found employment at a country club golf course.

Sullivan was thriving once again working as a mechanic at the golf course and as the shop manager. He also met his wife Tammy and started a family. He credits being a father on what helped him get clean. Then fate intervened with the attacks on 9/11.

He said he was standing inside a hole working on a sewer line on the golf course when the towers went down. A coworker expressed his desire to re-enlist with the Marine Corps, but health issues prevented it. “It got me thinking,” Sullivan said. “Well, maybe I can get back in. So, I got hooked up with a recruiter.”

It was a several yearlong process, but he was finally sworn back into the military on January 11, 2005. On that day, he committed to himself to never being a bad Soldier ever again. However, due to his past indiscretion he was barred from rejoining aviation. The only option was a 25C-Radio Operator-Maintainer and then later he reclassed as an 11B-Infantryman to gain an Active Guard Reserve (AGR) full-time position in 2008.

He has been AGR ever since which included a deployment in 2010-11 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, as part of Task Force Red Bulls with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, IAARNG.

Sullivan takes full ownership of his battles with substance abuse. “I took the drug abuse way too far,” he said. “That was all on me. It wasn’t on anybody that I was with. I just got addicted to it. I found out where I can continue to get it and just continue to abuse.”

Sullivan, a lifelong Catholic, credits his faith for helping him stay sober and contributing to him being a better Soldier. He rarely went to church but at the urging of a friend he went to mass at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Des Moines. Sullivan said, “I stepped into St. Anthony and I just started bawling. I found it. I found that happy place and I’ve been at St. Anthony ever since.”

Sullivan has faced other adversities as well. Since childhood he has had a form of shakes or trembling that got progressively worse over time. Doctors at one point thought he had Parkinson’s disease. Finally, after an MRI a neurologist informed him that he had an extremely bad case of tremors. His mother, brother, and son all have the same hereditary condition.

The good news was that it was treatable. The bad news was that the surgery, called Deep Brain Stimulation, was very dangerous and intrusive which in rare cases results in death. “They drill holes in your head”, said Sullivan. “They shove wires down into your brain then they hook it up to a little module, kind of like a pacemaker. It gets activated and then you can control it from a phone”

After consulting with family, Sullivan opted for the two-stage surgery which was undertaken in July and August of 2025. It was a success, albeit with a few side effects like slurred speech or the inability to say certain words. Overall, he was happy he went through the complex surgery saying, “I wish I had done it 20 years ago. Yeah nice. It’s incredible!”

Besides this most recent health turnaround, another significant milestone was fast approaching for Sullivan. After 29 years of military service he will officially retire in March of 2026. Asked what he will miss the most, he said, “The laughter. How a Soldier can get put into some of the [expletive] conditions in the [expletive] place on the face of the earth and they can still find laughter, still find something humorous. I’ll miss that.”

Sullivan also said he would miss being able to interact with all kinds of people from all different kinds of places that do all kinds of different things. He said each one of them has their own special story.

His institutional knowledge will be greatly missed once he hangs up his uniform for the last time in March. It pales in comparison to those interactions Sullivan described with fellow Soldiers. Whether it is offering spiritual guidance to those in need or helping those who may be struggling with substance abuse. Sullivan’s commitment to his brothers and sisters in arms was unwavering and an inspiration to so many who have crossed paths with him.

Sullivan’s inspiration and impact will have a lasting impact on the organization, one that he may not even know the full extent of. Maj. Dehaan reflected on that morning at JRTC right before the Middle East deployment where no Catholic priests or services were available.

“I think one of the significant things from that was it inspired a number of chaplain assistants who were Catholic that were going to deploy”, said DeHaan. “It opened their eyes, ‘Oh, this is something I can do’, to fill the need particularly for Catholic Soldiers that were about to deploy.”

According to DeHaan, several chaplain assistants – stateside and down-range – have emulated Sullivan’s example and started leading the Rosary Prayers in the absence of Catholic priests. “That was an unintended gift”, said DeHaan. “But it was still a gift that he was able to show a number of Soldiers.”

Speaking on Sullivan’s authentic and proactive care for Soldiers, Dehaan explained, “He has that magnetic personality for people who are hurting and in need and he’s there for them. It was his heart from his experiences. He had a heart to help others.”

Sullivan’s journey from struggle to redemption stands as a testament to hard work and unwavering faith. His ability to share some of his darkest moments with humility and vulnerability reflected a hope that others might avoid the same self‑destructive path he had experienced.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the Military Crisis Line at 988, then press 1, or access online chat by texting 838255.

Source: United States Army

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – In a state where communities are separated by vast terrain, and severe weather can isolate regions without warning, resilient communications are essential. More than 30 radio operators positioned at 28 locations across Alaska participated in Exercise Arctic Connect, linking a network of federal, state and volunteer organizations.

Participants represented elements of the Alaska Organized Militia, including the Alaska Army and Air National Guard and the Alaska State Defense Force, alongside members of the Civil Air Patrol, the State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and representatives from the National Guard Bureau. Together, they worked to validate high-frequency radio pathways and strengthen Alaska’s statewide communications plan.

“High-frequency communications are inherently influenced by environmental conditions,” said Lt. Col. Herbert Gladwill, Alaska National Guard joint staff director of communications and cyber. “Weather, space weather and propagation variability all play a role, especially in Alaska. Arctic Connect allowed us to identify those challenges, communicate through them and strengthen the network before we need it in a real-world event.”

A simple exchange becomes a radio check in the exercise.

“Harpoon 1-2, this is Midnight Sun 1, radio check, over.”

A brief pause spans the 545 miles of Arctic terrain, mountains, and tundra between Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Nome.

“Midnight Sun 1, this is Harpoon 1-2. I read you loud and clear. How me?”

The response cuts clean through the static.

That exchange is reassurance that when distance, weather or infrastructure fail, communication does not. Exercise Arctic Connect was designed to test exactly that.

Some stations established strong connections immediately. Others required adjustment.

Signal personnel inside the Joint Operations Center at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson could clearly receive transmissions, but outbound traffic was not initially confirmed, a reminder that in high-frequency operations, antenna alignment and power output determine whether a signal carries cleanly or fades into static.

Teams collaborated in real time, refining configurations, adjusting frequency tuning and working methodically to move yellow indicators back to green.

The exercise became less about a single transmission and more about a network of professionals learning, adapting and reinforcing one another.

That collaboration reflects Alaska’s broader emergency response framework. Each mission partner plays a distinct role in supporting communities during disasters and contingency operations.

“Our responsibility is to the people of Alaska,” said Col. Christy Brewer, Alaska National Guard director of joint operations. “That means ensuring we can maintain command and control across a state where terrain, weather and distance test every system. This exercise validates the partnerships and redundant pathways that allow us to respond decisively when communities need us.”

Arctic Connect reinforced the Guard’s role as a communications bridge across Alaska’s vast and often unforgiving landscape. The exercise ensured that leaders and responders can remain connected when it matters most.

“Resilience in communications isn’t accidental,” Gladwill said. “It’s built deliberately. Every antenna we tune, every alternate pathway we validate, and every adjustment we make strengthens the architecture that supports our mission.”

When the next call goes out, “Midnight Sun 1, this is Harpoon 1-2,” the answer will not rely on perfect conditions. It will rely on preparation.

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Source: United States Army

RAYONG, Thailand – The joint annual military Exercise Cobra Gold 2026, held in Thailand, has successfully concluded after two weeks of intensive training, humanitarian efforts and cultural exchanges.

The United States and Thailand co-hosted the 45th annual Exercise Cobra Gold, bringing about 8,000 troops from 30 nations together to participate in military training and humanitarian civic assistance projects from Feb. 24 to March 6. Cobra Gold allows allies to strengthen their partnership by working together and demonstrates the U.S. commitment to regional security in the Indo-Pacific.

“The region’s security is dependent upon and determined by all of us,” said Gen. Ukris Boontanondha, chief of Defense Forces Thailand.

Cobra Gold is the largest joint exercise in mainland Asia. It is a testament to the enduring U.S.-Thai alliance and a powerful platform for building partner military capabilities. The exercise exemplifies the U.S. commitment to advancing improvements in multinational speed of crisis response, mission effectiveness and combat capability.

“The U.S.-Thai alliance is one of America’s oldest and most enduring defense partnerships,” said U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Sean K. O’Neil during the opening ceremony.

Washington National Guard and Thailand are partners in the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.

O’Neil highlighted the partnership, saying, “Cobra Gold would not be possible without our Thai allies.”

This annual exercise, co-sponsored by the Royal Thai Armed Forces and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, brought together a robust multinational force to address shared goals and security commitments. Some of the partner nations were Thailand, the United States, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea and Singapore.

“What makes Cobra Gold 2026 unique is its the 45th iteration,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Prendergast, commander of the 40th Infantry Division, California Army National Guard. “It’s great to bring all these multinational players in to build partnership, readiness and regional stability.”

Cobra Gold 2026 included more than 15 training events with the goal of strengthening the partnership between the U.S. and Thailand, while also improving regional security by investing in readiness, posture and advanced capabilities to increase combined deterrence in contested environments.

The Cyber Exercise, or CYBEREX, was part of Cobra Gold that brought together more than 150 cyber personnel from eight participating nations, all working together against a fictitious enemy seeking to disrupt computer systems and gain the upper hand in combat.

A scenario simulated during CYBEREX involved coordinated cyberattacks shutting down an air defense radar and an electrical grid within moments. An air traffic control tower was overwhelmed in a distributed denial-of-service attack. Logistics were interrupted, the flow of information was staunched and a cruise missile slipped past and hit its target.

The opposing force for the exercise was made up of participants from all partner nations. They employed a curated set of recent, common exploits and attack types to replicate what cyber personnel may face in a real-world scenario.

“Tactical Cyber Operations have operational-level impact. It’s really important to translate tactical cyber operations into the operational level,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Paul Lucero, assistant director of operations, with 262d Cyberspace Operations Squadron, 252d Cyberspace Operations Group, 194th Wing, Washington Air National Guard. “If not, it’s cyber doing it for the sake of cyber, not to support the commanders’ mission.”

Lucero said this year’s theme for the CYBEREX was integration, translation and realism.

“It’s no longer a matter of if you will be breached,” Lucero said. “It is when.”

U.S. Army National Guard Capt. Antonio Montez, an aviation liaison officer at Cobra Gold 2026, said the exercise presents an opportunity for U.S. service members to work jointly with national forces, leveraging each other’s assets and expertise to overcome whatever problems arise.

“The benefit of being a Guardsman is that we have these long-standing relationships with a lot of the Thai military already from the state partnership exchanges,” Montez said. “Having these relationships already has us working with a good flow, and we can better overcome these problems that we encounter.”

Prendergast also enjoyed the engagement with the Royal Thai Armed Forces partners.

“They are welcoming, they want to build readiness and partnership. It’s just great to be with them on all the different events, from the [command post exercise] to the marine strike, to the amphibious landing, to the counter amphibious landing, our Thai partners have truly been wonderful to work with,” Prendergast said.

Exercise Cobra Gold 2026 reinforced the U.S.-Thailand alliance and demonstrated the collective commitment of 30 nations to a free and open Indo-Pacific through enhanced interoperability, rapid crisis response and shared humanitarian values. The enduring partnerships and friendships forged on the training fields and in the communities will continue to strengthen regional security and readiness for years to come.

Even as units return home in the coming days, military planners already are looking to Cobra Gold 2027 to continue building on this regionally important exercise. As Boontanondha said during the opening ceremony, “Cobra Gold 26 is more than just training, it’s forging everlasting friendships.”

Contributing to this report: Sgt. Matthew Sprowl and Spc. Christopher Chavero

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