Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Army

RAMSTEIN, Germany — More than 400 students at Ramstein Elementary School recently received a hands-on lesson in science thanks to volunteers from Public Health Command Europe.

Over the course of one week, entomologist Captain Jordan Cornell and Preventive Medicine Sergeant Devin Gay spent Monday and Wednesday mornings visiting first- and second-grade classrooms, introducing students to the life cycle of insects and the role entomology plays in public health. Through interactive discussions and real-life examples, Cornell and Gay explained what defines an insect, what insects do in the environment and why understanding them matters.

For many students, the highlight of the visit came when the team brought live cockroaches to the classroom. Students were given the opportunity to observe and touch the insects if they wished. The experience sparked excitement, curiosity, and plenty of questions.

“The kids truly enjoyed it,” Cornell said. “I’m always amazed by the questions children ask. They’re curious, engaged, and genuinely excited to learn. Seeing that enthusiasm, especially when they discover they share a passion for bugs, is incredibly rewarding.”

The visit also gave students a rare opportunity to meet a subject matter expert from Public Health Command Europe. In addition to teaching about insects, Capt. Cornell spoke about his profession and how entomology supports public health by helping prevent the spread of insect-borne diseases.

Teachers at Ramstein Elementary School welcomed the opportunity. Beatrice Whitely, a teacher at the school, said both staff and students had been eagerly anticipating the visit.

“We were all very much looking forward to this experience,” she said. “Students were able to relate to Capt. Cornell’s presentation about insects and the types of life cycles as they have studied life science as part of the curriculum.”

Students echoed that excitement. Olivia, a second grader who participated in the lesson, said she loved learning about insects, even if some of them were a little unsettling. “It was so cool to learn about bugs,” she said. “The cockroaches were huge and kind of creepy, but I hope they comes back soon.”

The entomology team volunteered their time to reach more than 400 children during the week, reinforcing lessons they had already begun in the classroom and expanding their understanding through real-world examples.

Looking ahead, Cornell is working toward establishing a more robust volunteer partnership between Public Health Command Europe and Ramstein Elementary School. His goal is to eventually invite students to visit the laboratory and entomology department, allowing them to see firsthand how insects are studied and how that work supports the health and safety of the military community.

Source: United States Army

CINCU, ROMANIA – In the rolling hills of central Romania, eight NATO nations gathered at the Land Forces Combat Training Center Getica with their eyes fixed on the virtual battlefield for the initial phase of Dynamic Front 2026.

This year, U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to Multi-Domain Command Europe had the unique opportunity to train alongside NATO Allies and partners as they executed a command post exercise utilizing the Romanian simulation center in Cincu.

Modern warfare continues to shape artillery operations and requires a multi-domain approach to effectively fight and win. Exercises like Dynamic Front 26 are critical to test capabilities that counter anti-access/ area denial (A2/AD), and counter mass and momentum through multi-domain kill webs.

Through numerous years of training, NATO Allies and partners have proven their ability to execute live-fire missions together. As a result, Multi-Domain Command Europe has now shifted the strategic focus to simulation and command and control to test multinational integration of fires across a distributed battlefield.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Caleb Ayers, master gunner for launcher fires and a lead planner for the exercise assigned to Multi-Domain Command Europe, emphasized how Dynamic Front leverages technology to increase interoperability and maintain the advantage.

“The purpose of the exercise at this moment is to test artillery cooperation across Europe. Dynamic Front helps everyone to operate in a distributed battlefield through the Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities (ASCA) connections,” said Ayers.

ASCA is a software program designed to allow shared data using the same tactical internet network across multiple nations. The technology creates a common digital language, increasing the speed and accuracy of multinational fire mission processing and reducing the likelihood of errors.

“You can have missions going across multiple countries with one control. For Dynamic Front 26, we have our control here in Romania, but we have missions that can go to Germany, Poland, and Spain. We can disperse across the entire theater and maintain that communication,” said Ayers.

During execution of the command post exercise, ASCA served as the universal translator and allowed NATO participants to act as a unified front to protect the Alliance. Regardless of nationality or location on the battlefield, the exercise confirmed U.S. and NATO’s ability to share information instantly and accurately to deliver precision fires.

Spanish Armed Forces Lt. Col. Francisco Morejón, commander of the 1-63 Multiple Launch Rocket System Battalion, Field Artillery Command Spain, spoke on how his unit effectively utilized these systems to communicate over 1500 miles away.

“This exercise is very important because it demonstrates the interoperability we have in terms of fires and command and control systems. We receive fire missions from 8th Brigade (Romania) and we translate it into real targets using the same command and control systems to connect to our platoons in Spain,” said Morejón.

Through the simulation, NATO forces replicated realistic scenarios and tested their ability to operate collectively in complex, contested operational environments. The command post exercise affirmed U.S. and NATO’s commitment to deterrence and stability across the European theater.

Ultimately, Dynamic Front continues to demonstrate how Allied forces fight as one team when it matters most. U.S. and NATO forces have now transitioned to the live fire portion across four different countries to validate the digital command and control with tangible, real-world effects.

Source: United States Army

WASHINGTON — Feb. 4, 2026 — The Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) announced today it has awarded a $5.2 million agreement to Perennial Autonomy for the Bumblebee V2 counter-drone system to provide U.S. forces with a low-cost, low-collateral kinetic interceptor to defeat illicit drones at home and abroad.

The agreement was awarded January 30, 2026, with deliveries scheduled to begin in March. The Bumblebee V2 is a next-generation FPV multirotor drone. The system is designed to physically intercept and neutralize hostile small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). This is achieved through a drone-on-drone collision when the Bumblebee V2 directly engages the threat, rendering both aircraft inoperable. This method provides a precise countermeasure that minimizes collateral damage, making it a safe and effective option for protecting troops on the battlefield and critical infrastructure in the homeland.

“This decision puts kinetic Counter-sUAS capability into the hands of our troops immediately,” said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Matthew Ross, Director, JIATF-401. “The Bumblebee V2 provides a cost-effective, reliable interceptor that can neutralize threats without endangering our own forces or surrounding infrastructure. On the modern battlefield, where drones are a constant threat, having a low-collateral kinetic option is not just an advantage, it is increasingly becoming essential for protecting our forces.”

The Bumblebee V2 will be operationally assessed by the Army’s Global Response Force in support of the recently established Lieutenant General Gavin Joint Innovation Outpost (JIOP). This assessment will ensure the system meets the nation’s toughest demands for units who train to rapidly deploy on high-stakes missions across the globe, aligning with the JIOP’s goal to accelerate the delivery of top-tier technology to warfighters.

“The Bumblebee V2 is fully NDAA compliant and is equipped with cutting-edge software that allows it to identify, track, and collide with other drones,” added U.S. Army Maj. Cole Price, Assistant Capability Manager, JIATF-401. “This provides a crucial capability for our forces to counter the growing threat of autonomous systems.”