Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that the District of South Dakota collected $9,516,233.90 through criminal fines, restitution, loan defaults, bankruptcy, forfeiture, and affirmative civil enforcement efforts in FY2025. Moreover, the District of South Dakota worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $16,747,398.58. Of the total collections, $8.9 million was derived from criminal cases. A significant portion of this amount—$8,801,058.91—was returned to victims of crime, underscoring the Office’s commitment to ensuring justice and support for those adversely affected by criminal acts. The remainder was deposited into the Crime Victims Fund, a crucial resource that provides financial assistance to victims across the United States for costs arising from violent crime such as medical expenses, lost wages, mental health counseling, funeral expenses, and more.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Bangladeshi national Saiful Islam, 39, will make his initial appearance in Laredo, Texas, today after being extradited from Brazil. An indictment in the Southern District of Texas was unsealed today charging Islam for his role in a conspiracy that smuggled numerous aliens through Central America to the United States.
According to court documents, Islam participated in a wide-ranging human smuggling operation and assisted other smugglers by facilitating the travel of aliens from São Paulo, Brazil, and other locations in South America, Central America, and Mexico so that the aliens could illegally enter the United States. The aliens were brought to the Southern border and were instructed to cross into the United States by wading across the Rio Grande River or by jumping a border fence.
Islam is charged with conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States, multiple counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, and conspiracy to encourage and induce an alien to enter the United States. If convicted of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of three or five years in prison and he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If he is convicted of conspiracy to bring and/or conspiracy to encourage and induce and alien to enter the United States, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck of the Southern District of Texas; and Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevensof U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Phoenix made the announcement.
HSI Phoenix and HSI Laredo are investigating this case with assistance from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border and Protection’s International Interdiction Task Force, HSI Mexico City, HSI Houston, HSI Calexico, HSI Monterrey, U.S. Border Patrol, the U.S. Marshals Service, and INTERPOL.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Brazil. The Justice Department thanks its Brazilian law enforcement counterparts for their assistance in this matter.
Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Cortez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by JTFA, the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 450 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 395 U.S. convictions; more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2026.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Fort Myers, Florida – Wilner Cenecharles has pleaded guilty to six counts of assisting in the preparation of false tax documents and two counts of filing false tax returns. Cenecharles faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison per count and has agreed to pay more than $65,000 in restitution. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The U.S. Navy celebrated a half-century of continuous operations at the John C. Stennis Space Center with a commemoration ceremony on April 7, 2026. The event marked five decades of naval oceanographic and meteorological excellence on the Gulf Coast, a legacy that is pivotal to the nation’s security and maritime superiority.
WASHINGTON — The 25th Infantry Division is accelerating Army transformation in the Indo-Pacific by integrating long-range fires, unmanned systems and networked sensing capabilities to operate effectively across diverse environments.
Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees, commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division, said the division has focused its transformation efforts on enabling forces to “see, sense and strike at distance,” particularly in complex environments such as the Philippines.
Under Division Artillery (DIVARTY), the division transitioned from traditional cannon-based formations to long-range precision fires, significantly increasing its ability to strike across extended distances. Within months, units fielded High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, to support distributed operations.
“In about 180 days, we went from a towed cannon battalion to a long-range fires battalion with 16 HIMARS weapon systems,” said Col. Daniel Von Benken, division artillery commander. “We can now do the things that we said we needed to do.”
Leaders said HIMARS provides a common launcher capable of firing a variety of munitions, allowing units to adapt to evolving operational requirements. This includes integration with emerging capabilities such as the Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, designed to extend the Army’s long-range strike capacity.
“The benefit of the HIMARS is its capability — it’s a common launcher system,” Bartholomees said. “As we build more munitions over time, it provides a range of options so we can strike at a variety of distances.”
The transformation also included reorganizing personnel and creating new formations to integrate emerging technologies. Under DIVARTY, units repurposed soldiers from traditional artillery roles into new capabilities, including formations focused on loitering munitions and one-way attack drones.
“So much like we repurposed a cannon battalion into a HIMARS battalion, we took a lot of our folks and created what’s called a Launched Effects battery,” Von Benken said. “That formation allows us to integrate loitering munitions and one-way attack drones to fill gaps between our capabilities.”
These systems complement long-range fires by providing additional options in contested environments, particularly during early contact with enemy forces.
“It’s not just about getting a rocket launcher into position,” Von Benken said. “It’s about how we fill those gaps with other types of munitions so the first time we make contact with an enemy force, it’s not a fighter jet.”
Leaders said experimentation has been critical to integrating these capabilities, allowing soldiers to test emerging technologies and provide direct feedback to developers and acquisition professionals.
“They bring it out to us and we have to teach soldiers how to use it,” said Command Sgt. Maj. John Curry, senior enlisted leader. “Those young soldiers are testing it to see does this work for the person who’s actually going to use it.”
Capabilities that prove effective are then incorporated into training and multinational exercises across the Indo-Pacific, including operations in the Philippines, where U.S. forces train alongside regional partners in realistic environments.
“We walk them out to the Philippines on our campaign, while we use it in our campaigning exercises,” Curry said. “Our multinational partners are seeing what is possible inside of their own footprint.”
Leaders said forward positioning and sustainment remain central to enabling operations across the region’s vast distances, with efforts focused on improving access, infrastructure and the ability to employ capabilities within theater.
“What we’re asking for is the ability to use, procure or build these capabilities in theater,” Curry said.
DIVARTY’s role in synchronizing fires, sensors and emerging technologies across the division has been central to the transformation effort. Leaders said integrating sensing capabilities such as radar, electronic warfare and intelligence systems with long-range fires enables a broader approach to targeting across dispersed formations.
“As we modernize, strike is important, but the sensing aspect is just as critical,” Von Benken said. “We are building the ability to see and sense at distance to enable those effects.”
Leaders said the pace of transformation has been enabled by flexible funding and rapid experimentation, allowing the division to adapt to emerging technologies and operational demands.
“Without the flexibility to do what we just described, we would not be able to move to the best technology,” Bartholomees said. “The technology is moving so fast that the old system will not work.”
Officials said the division’s efforts reflect how the Army is evolving to operate in the Indo-Pacific, where integrated fires, unmanned systems and networked capabilities are required to support distributed operations.
Bartholomees stated that continued experimentation with soldiers, industry and partners will remain essential as the Army refines capabilities for future operations in the region.
FORT BENNING, Ga. – Six of the National Guard’s most lethal Ranger-qualified Soldiers will compete for the coveted title of ‘Best Ranger’ at the 42nd annual Lt. Gen. David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, April 10-12.
The National Guard is represented by three two-man teams: U.S. Army Capt. Erik Gorman and Capt. Christian Thompson; 1st Lt. Zachary Thompson and Sgt. 1st Class Robert Flora; 1st Lt. Talan Saylor and Cpl. Brendan Fox.
There are 61 total teams from across the Army in this year’s competition.
The annual event, showcasing the ‘apex of leadership,’ serves as a tribute to the Ranger legacy and aims to determine the best two-person Ranger team across the Department of War. The competition is a grueling three-day trial that tests the limits of their physical and mental endurance.
“This is absolutely going to be a surreal experience, to say the least,” said Gorman of the Alaska National Guard. “I hope to take back motivation and inspiration to my state.”
Competitors will cover more than 100 miles while carrying equipment weighing upwards of 80 pounds, as they complete tasks designed to test the full spectrum of Ranger skills, including marksmanship events, obstacle courses, land navigation, water survival tests, and endurance movements across land.
“I feel like when I get older, I’m going to look back and be glad that I competed,” said Fox. “A lot of great Soldiers, great Rangers, have done this in the past and I hope to be like those guys. I want to be as great as the former competitors, the best of the best.”
Not every team that competes is guaranteed to finish.
Throughout the competition, teams will be evaluated on their cumulative performance across the dozens of events, with cuts made along the way, narrowing the field to only the top teams come the final day. For the teams still standing, the last day will bring a final set of challenges before the ‘Best Ranger’ team is named during an awards ceremony April 13.
As National Guard Soldiers prepare to compete alongside members from across the total Army, their participation underscores the Guard’s readiness, lethality, and ability to perform at the highest levels of military excellence.
WASHINGTON — On a cool March morning in Old Dominion University’s Constant Hall, Army ROTC cadets attended class like any other day.
Cadet Wesley Myers arrived to class early to set up a presentation. Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, ODU professor of Military Science, briefed the class on cadet command briefings, an exercise that prepares cadets for officer leadership roles in the Army, teaching them to plan and coordinate missions.
The students didn’t know that they would soon put their cadet training into action.
As class presentations concluded, the cadets prepared to leave class. Shah wished the cadets a good weekend and mentioned that he would be having surgery, so the cadets would not see him as often.
Then a nervous looking man entered the classroom.
“Is this the ROTC classroom?” Cadet Samuel Reineberg recalled the man saying. “Or is this a seminar?”
The class fell silent.
Cadet Cecilia Fosso and Shah quietly nodded their heads yes.
Then the man suddenly shouted “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for “Allah is great,” Myers recalled. He then reached into his waistband and pulled out a Glock 44 pistol.
At 10:43 a.m., the man fired his weapon in Shah’s direction and then on the students.
“My first thought was ‘is this a drill?’” Cadet Oshea Bego said. The class had just recently discussed force protection and how to safeguard U.S. forces and assets. Then the cadets began to drop to the ground. Some huddled under their desks to shield themselves from the bullets.
Shah charged and attempted to subdue the shooter.
Cadet Louis Ancheta, seeing his professor risk his life by shielding cadets from the gunshots, rushed to Shah’s aid. Ancheta uncorked his knife as he ran towards the shooter, feeling a bullet graze his body. Then Shah turned the shooter away from Ancheta. The cadet then thrust the knife into the shooter as quickly and as many times as he could.
“If [Shah] didn’t charge at him there’s a possibility that I wouldn’t be here,” Bego said. “There’s a possibility he could have turned his gun, and I could have been next.”
Several more cadets joined the scuffle punching and stabbing the shooter. Myers noticed the perpetrator still had his shooting hand free, holding the pistol upward.
Then Myers grabbed the weapon and tried to secure the firearm against the wall.
Ancheta and the other cadets eventually brought the shooter to the ground, still struggling to remove the weapon from his hand. Finally, Myers squeezed his fingers beneath the man’s hand and pulled the weapon away. Myers released the magazine and pulled back the slide, revealing the shooter had one more round to fire. He placed the weapon on a table for law enforcement.
The cadets eventually ended the life of the shooter to prevent further attacks.
Ancheta, feeling sudden pain, asked his fellow cadets for help. Cadets learn basic combat medical care and how to treat a fallen comrade in the field. Suddenly the cadets had to use those skills to help their friend, who suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen. They bandaged his wound and put his arm on a tourniquet.
Reineberg caught Shah as he fell to the ground. Shah suffered a gunshot wound in his upper leg.
“It was just what I thought I had to do in that moment, to get there and do what I could,” Reineberg said. “It’s different when it’s not a mannequin and it’s your friend.”
Bego called the ODU chief of police while Fosso sent out an alert on the ODU ROTC battalion group chats. Cadet Jeremy Rawlinson, who also attacked the shooter, found police officers and led them towards the classroom and the victims.
Members of the S.W.A.T. team later arrived and rendered further aid to Ancheta, applying a chest seal and placed him on a stretcher. Ancheta would undergo surgery to repair his wounds.
Several of the cadets would later learn the tragic news that Shah had passed away from his injuries while watching a news livestream.
“There was definitely this sense of ‘could we have done more?’” Bego said.
Old Dominion University made a stone tribute to Army Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, who shielded his ROTC students from gunshots fired by a campus shooter. (Photo Credit: Courtesy)VIEW ORIGINAL
Fallen Mentor
A painted rock sits near Constant Hall on ODU’s campus bearing Shah’s name. Colored handprints by cadets decorate the stone with the words “Be Bold, Be Quick, Be Gone,” Shah’s slogan for motivating his students. The cadets painted the stone as a tribute to their fallen professor.
“I take solace in knowing that he was conscious and awake for all of that,” Rawlinson said. “He got to see all the training that he and the rest of the cadre had been giving us for the [past] few years. He got to see us instantly do that in action.”
A white banner that reads “Shah Strong” contains the signatures of his ROTC students. Shah, a native of nearby Chesapeake, Va., enlisted in the Army as an aviation operations specialist in 2003 before graduating from Old Dominion University in 2007 and commissioning into the Army. As an AH64 Apache pilot he logged 1,200 flying hours including 600 in combat.
His assignments included serving as an operations and training officer for the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia. In the 3-17 Air Cavalry Squadron, Shah oversaw modernization efforts for attack helicopters before returning to his alma mater to teach and mentor ROTC students.
The cadets said the memory of Shah’s actions remain with them today.
“He’s a hero,” said Ancheta, who received a Purple Heart for the wound he sustained. “He tried to save us.”
Bego recalled one instance during the summer of 2025 when his mom met Shah.
“One of the last things he told my mom when they met this summer was that he would take care of me,” Bego said. “He followed through on that word.”
Several of the cadets later attended and spoke at Shah’s funeral service on March 22.
Said that Shah grew close with many of his students, often treating cadets like family. As the leader of ODU’s ROTC Monarch Battalion, enrollment rose by 50% in his first year.
“It’s never easy to lose a friend and mentor,” he said. “And especially such a great teacher. I never thought that I would have to speak at his funeral. Everyone looked up to him. He was the standard to follow.”
Katherine Shah, Lt. Col. Brandon Shah’s wife, expressed her thoughts and emotions following the incident regarding her husband’s actions that day.
“Brandon and I shared 18 beautiful years together,” she said. “He was everything people say he was and more. A protector, a hero, the kind of man who made you feel safe just by being there. He was the father every son dreams of having, and the husband any woman would be blessed to stand beside.”
“But what made Brandon truly extraordinary was who he was in the everyday moments,” she added. “He was a teacher, a Soldier, and a leader, someone who could change your perspective, lift you up, and make you better just from a single conversation. In his final moments, he did what he had always done; he protected.”
“He placed himself as a shield for the people he loved, making sure his kids would have the chance to carry on his legacy, his name, and his mission for years to come. We love him with all of our hearts. And every day we have left, we will live in a way that makes him proud. We will make sure the world knows his name and that it stands for pride, strength, and courage. That man… my man… Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah.”
For Shah’s actions in risking his life to save others during the incident, he was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit and the Purple Heart.
For cadet actions during the shooting, Cadets Myers, Ancheta, Reineberg, Rawlinson, all were awarded Meritorious Service Medals in a ceremony from Secretary of the Army Dan P. Driscoll and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer. Acheta also received the Purple Heart, along with another fellow cadet, after suffering wounds from the event.
Four additional cadets received Meritorious Service Medals, and one cadet received the Army Commendation Medal for their actions during the shooting event. The members of the 2026 ODU Army ROTC class will graduate from the university and be commissioned into the Army on May 14 as second lieutenants leading Soldiers in their initial assignments as Army officers.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Brandon Murray, 41, of Jamestown, NY, and Latika Saintkitts, 35, of Buffalo, NY, with narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. In addition, Saintkitts is charged with distribution of crack cocaine and fentanyl.
ISIOLO, Kenya — U.S. Army scientists employed advanced biosurveillance techniques and emerging diagnostic technologies during Justified Accord 2026 to identify potential disease threats and bolster force health protection for multinational personnel training across East Africa, March 1–14.
U.S. Soldiers assigned to the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa conducted vector surveillance and field laboratory testing at the Humanitarian Peace Support School in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Kenya School of Infantry, collecting and analyzing insects capable of transmitting infectious diseases. This effort provided exercise medical planners with real-time environmental health data while testing expeditionary laboratory capabilities in operational conditions.
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, collects a tick as part of a vector surveillance team positioned across Justified Accord 2026 locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with WRAIR – Africa, led teams positioned across exercise locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members.
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, collects a tick in a test tube as part of a vector surveillance team positioned across Justified Accord 2026 locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
“The more techniques we produce and the more data we collect, the better we can refine our methods,” Eads said. “When we deploy these capabilities operationally, we already have a proven system that protects the warfighter.”
Teams conducted environmental assessments in training areas to identify locations where vectors were most likely to thrive, then collected and transported specimens to a mobile laboratory for pathogen analysis.
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, collects a tick as part of a vector surveillance team positioned across Justified Accord 2026 locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
“Vectors are the mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies, which could possibly carry diseases that could infect our warfighters,” Eads said.
Researchers analyzed collected samples using molecular diagnostic equipment capable of detecting pathogens associated with endemic diseases in the region.
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, uses the tick drag sampling technique by dragging a white cloth sheet across vegetation to collect ticks that latch onto the fabric as part of a vector surveillance team positioned across Justified Accord 2026 locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
Findings confirmed by Eads included Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, a tick-borne virus found in insect samples at the Humanitarian Peace Support School; Dengue virus, a mosquito-borne disease; and Leishmania parasites, transmitted through sandfly bites, found in samples at the Kenya School of Infantry.
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, collects a tick as part of a vector surveillance team positioned across Justified Accord 2026 locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
U.S. Army Maj. Luis Pow Sang, a microbiologist with WRAIR – Africa, conducted nucleic acid extraction and polymerase chain reaction testing to identify biological threats.
“We brought new technologies to JA26, including the magnetic induction cycler PCR system, [which is] a compact, high-speed platform that allows us to run real-time testing in the field,” Pow Sang said. “We also introduced nucleic acid extraction kits using magnetic beads. This is the first time we’ve used these capabilities during an exercise like JA26.”
The portable laboratory systems enabled scientists to process samples and provide results directly to exercise medical planners, allowing timely assessments of potential health risks to personnel.
U.S. Army Capt. Roger Arguello, a physician assistant with 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment, Massachusetts Army National Guard, highlighted the impact of rapid testing on readiness.
U.S. Army Maj. Luis Pow Sang, a microbiologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, performs a nucleic acid extraction and polymerase chain reaction test to identify potential biological threats within the specimens located across Justified Accord 2026 locations by testing mosquitos, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
“We were informed of these findings and are diligently monitoring symptoms of these conditions across our formation,” Arguello said. “The rapid field testing has increased our medical readiness and awareness.”
U.S. Army Maj. Luis Pow Sang, a microbiologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, performs a nucleic acid extraction and polymerase chain reaction test to identify potential biological threats within the specimens located across Justified Accord 2026 locations by testing mosquitos, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
The JA26 biosurveillance mission was supported by the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance program, established by the U.S. Department of War, to integrate research capabilities with operational training. Lessons learned included optimizing sample collection, improving coordination with medical planners, and refining mobile laboratory operations in austere environments.
Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest East African exercise. The exercise enhances multinational interoperability for humanitarian assistance, crisis response and missions with the United Nations and African Union.
By integrating biosurveillance, emerging diagnostics and operational training, scientists and Soldiers demonstrated how innovation supports force health protection and strengthens readiness for multinational missions.
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.