Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Kwamaine Jerell Ford has been charged with targeting professional athletes through a phishing scam and thereafter engaging in a fraud and sex trafficking scheme. In 2019, in the Northern District of Georgia, Ford was convicted of computer fraud and aggravated identity theft for perpetrating similar phishing attacks and spending nearly $325,000 by using his victims’ stolen financial information.
Source: United States Army
USAG BAVARIA – HOHENFELS, Germany – During a bright, chilly Saturday in the hilly U.S. Army installation at Hohenfels, Germany, the streets came alive as more than a hundred runners and walkers took part in the Shamrock 5K fun run / walk March 14, 2026.
The annual event, which typically includes many dozens of community members, received a boost in numbers from 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment; the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team; and more from the 1st Armored Division from Fort Bliss, Texas, who were on hand because of training they are taking part in.
Angela Lane, the deputy garrison manager for U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria – Hohenfels, spoke to the crowd of runners at the Rodney J. Harris Sports and Fitness Center.
“Whatever your reason for coming down here, I appreciate you,” Lane said. “This is a small community, and I appreciate when you guys come out like this. This just strengthens our bond as a community, and just makes us ‘Better in Bavaria.’”
Runners lined up behind a colorful, inflatable arch. The throng of runners began by pounding through the complex of buildings on Pershing Road before exiting onto General Patton Drive, stretching and dispersing through the length of Camp Nainhof before rounding the corner at the airfield and footing it to Camp Linderberg. The faster runners looped back and were cheered on by participants who joined the event more for the fun than for the record.
The event, according to event organizer and fitness coordinator Kimberly Spalsbury, is non-competitive.
“Everybody in the community can come out and take part in it and not feel like it’s a competition,” she said. “We want it to be fun, family-friendly. Bring your young kids, bring your big kids, bring your pets.”
There were several young participants during the run. A few dogs also took part in the event. While the bibs were green, many other runners took a cue from the forthcoming St. Patrick’s Day to dress in green, including as bearded leprechauns.
The first finishers, however, were Soldiers from Fort Bliss, who finished in less than 23 minutes. Leading the pack was Anthony Flores of G Company, 2-37 AR. He encouraged his unit to show up for the run in addition to taking the run seriously.
“I love it for myself because it helps you clear the mind and keeps yourself healthy,” he said.
As many of the serious competitors arrived, volunteers with the local chapter of the American Red Cross, encircled their heads with completion medals. The runners then took a second to recuperate, some sitting on the flagstones outside the fitness center after giving it their all.
The Service Credit Union and American Red Cross handed out snacks and drinks to help runners recover their strength as more and more runners arrived, cheered on by the group gathered at the fitness center.
To see more photos from the run, visit the page here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usagbavaria/albums/72177720332549250.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Mikellen Clements, Kemith Calvin, and Laytayah Gross have been charged with firearms trafficking and conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Clements has also been charged with 42 counts of making false statements during firearms purchases and aiding and abetting the same.
Source: United States Army
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U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa
ROME – March 16, 2026 – Approximately 40 nations and more than 300 senior leaders and personnel will participate in the African Land Forces Summit 2026 (ALFS 26), scheduled for March 22–24, 2026, in Rome, Italy. ALFS is an annual forum that convenes African land force commanders alongside U.S. and partner-nation military leaders, as well as representatives from academia, government and industry, to address shared security challenges.
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) will host the 2026 summit. Since its inception, ALFS has been held across the United States and Africa, including in the U.S. (2010 and 2022), Uganda (2012), Senegal (2015), Tanzania (2016), Malawi (2017), Nigeria (2018), Botswana (2019), Ethiopia (2020), Côte d’Ivoire (2023), Zambia (2024) and Ghana (2025). The Rome summit marks the first time this premier forum will be hosted in Europe.
The theme for ALFS 26, “Empowering shared security through intelligence, innovation, and industry,” reflects a growing emphasis on connecting military leadership with private-sector expertise. The summit is designed to bridge the gap between defense institutions and industry partners, enabling collaborative approaches to modern security requirements.
Over the course of the two-day event, participants will engage with a distinguished group of defense, industry and academic thought leaders to explore strategies that strengthen regional stability and reinforce a framework of shared security among participating nations.
“The 2026 African Land Forces Summit in Rome represents a significant milestone as a U.S. Army-led forum intentionally designed to connect African senior leaders with global industry expertise,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Andrew C. Gainey, commanding general of SETAF-AF. “This summit emphasizes the integration of dual-use technology and capital investors with African land forces as we are looking to address an evolving security environment through industry and innovation.”
A key component of the summit will be engagement with capital investors, who will join defense leaders and industry innovators to discuss emerging solutions and technologies that support modern land forces. These discussions will focus in part on dual-use technologies that provide both civilian and defense applications.
“Our goal is to create an environment where meaningful exchanges between defense leaders, industry innovators and investors lead to tangible cooperation, shared responsibility and a more secure future for both America and the African continent,” Gainey added.
By fostering nontraditional partnerships and strengthening collaboration across military, industry and investment communities, SETAF-AF and its African partners aim to build a more resilient, technologically advanced security environment that promotes long-term peace and stability for Africa and the United States.
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.
Follow SETAF-AF on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn & DVIDS
Media Contact:
Neil A. Ruggiero
U.S Army Southern European Task Force, Africa – Public Affairs: setaf_media@army.mil
Source: United States Army
VICENZA, Italy – When Maj. Brian Bailey pulled into an Austrian rest stop, plumes of black smoke billowed from a tractor-trailer cab engulfed by flames.
Nearby were two people on the ground, dangerously close to the fire. Adrenaline raced through Bailey’s body as he ran toward the blaze. A woman screamed “Help my husband!”
Bailey, a chaplain at U.S. Army Garrison Italy, was returning to Vicenza from a course in Grafenwöhr, Germany, on March 8 when he pulled into to rest area in Angath, about 40 miles northeast of Innsbruck.
One victim, the truck’s driver, was severely burned and unresponsive. The second man, a Lithuanian passerby, had pulled the driver out but fell five feet during the rescue, shattering his leg. His wife had been calling for help.
Bailey, a Tennessee native and Iraq veteran, had been in tense situations before. Soldier training, to include the Combat Lifesaver Course and Combat Medical Ministry training kicked in.
“Those courses prepared me to be a first responder for physical and spiritual injuries and when faced with the reality of the situation,” Bailey said. “The skills I had been taught allowed me to act.”
The trucker, a man from Uzbekistan, was severely burned and bloodied. Bailey and another bystander – a Polish man named Bongo – carefully moved the trucker away from the flames. They gently placed him beside the Lithuanian – Bailey called him Otto – who was on a trip with his wife and nephew.
Bailey helped cut away the trucker’s burned clothes and assessed his injuries. He had shallow breathing and a fast, weak pulse. He and Bongo prepared to conduct CPR, clearing his airway, tilting his head back and elevating his feet. Worried that his heart may stop, Bailey ran into the rest stop and, using his high school-level German, convinced staff to get an automated external defibrillator.
Back outside, they continued to monitor the victims’ vital signs. Bailey told other people to call for help and spoke to the emergency dispatcher through a bystander’s phone, sharing information while continuing to provide care.
Otto, the Lithuanian, was in extreme pain. They didn’t want to move him any further so they did their best to shield him from the heat of the flames, growing higher as the fire consumed the whole front of the truck nearby.
Several loud explosions erupted from the burning cab. Other truckers, using handheld extinguishers, attempted to put the fire out, but their efforts were in vain.
The first Austrian paramedics to arrive didn’t have gear to move the injured. Then Austrian police and ambulances arrived. Bailey helped them move the injured to a safer spot for further care.
“We first placed the burn victim on a litter and moved him to a grassy area away from the fire,” Bailey said. “We then returned for the second man with the broken leg, and I assisted a paramedic in stabilizing his leg with an air splint.”
As the medics worked, Bailey spoke to Otto, offering encouragement. Bailey helped lift Otto into an ambulance, that transported him to the nearby Kufstein District Hospital, according to Austrian news outlets. The driver was airlifted by helicopter to the Murnau am Staffelsee Hospital in Bavaria with severe burns.
During the Initial investigations, police said a technical defect in the driver’s cab caused the fire, according to Austrian news reports.
Reflecting afterward, Bailey thought of his training as an Army chaplain and passages from the Bible – things that helped him process the stressful event. Bailey’s religious beliefs have been at the forefront of his mind since the incident. He believes that his involvement was not by chance. He speaks humbly of the steps he took that afternoon, from the first aid to the comforting words of encouragement that he offered.
“My deepest wish was for my actions to point not to myself, but to the profound hope and compassion that Jesus speaks of,” Bailey said. “I am humbled to have been a small part of the care for the wounded, and I pray that my service brought a glimmer of that divine hope to a very dark situation.”
Source: United States Army
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – The yearly Army Emergency Relief (AER) campaign kicked off on installations across the world on March 1. The campaign, which runs until June 14, educates Soldiers about the types of AER assistance available to them and provides the opportunity for them to donate to help fellow Soldiers.
To jump start this year’s campaign, the garrison hosted several kick-off events, including breakfasts at dining facilities in Baumholder, Kaiserslautern and Landstuhl, and a cake cutting in Sembach.
Jessee Dean, AER specialist with USAG Rheinland-Pfalz Army Community Service, said the garrison’s goals for this year are to reach a 20 percent participation rate for all active duty soldiers and to notify all active duty members of the services AER provides.
Dean said that during last year’s campaign, USAG-Rheinland-Pfalz contributed $31,585 to the campaign. This year’s goal is to exceed that total and take in at least $32,000 in donations.
The Army Emergency Relief fund has provided soldiers and Army families with over $2 Billion in financial assistance to nearly four million people over the last 84 years.
“AER is one of the best organizations helping soldiers and families,” said USAG Rheinland-Pfalz Command Sergeant Major Randy Rivera, noting that AER provides soldiers with zero-interest loans, grants and a variety of different types of financial assistance, including scholarships for dependent spouses and children for up to a four-year degree.
Rivera also explained that AER offers grants for soldiers and families’ permanent change of station (PCS) travel and emergency leave. They offer coverage for up to $500 or 50 percent of the price of airline tickets for emergency leave, and even financial assistance for things like car repair.
AER is solely funded by donations from active duty, U.S. Army Reserve, Army National Guard and retired Soldiers, and other organizations whose goal is to support Soldiers during times of financial difficulty.
If you are interested in donating, head to https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/donate/ and select one of the two donation options – standard online donation via bank card, eCheck or PayPal, or a recurring payroll allotment. Additionally, cash and check donations can be given via DA Form 4908, which can be obtained through and turned into AER Unit Representatives.
For more information on the Army Emergency Relief Fund Campaign and how to support, visit the official AER website at https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org, contact your unit AER representative, or reach out to Dean at +49 (0) 9641-70-541-9012
U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz sets, serves and secures the total force community, enabling power projection for the European Theater.
Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/usag_rp
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Two owners of a pharmaceutical wholesale company were sentenced Friday to a total of 38 years in prison for orchestrating a complex, nationwide drug diversion scheme that harmed vulnerable HIV-positive patients, placed countless others at risk, and corrupted the supply chain for prescription drugs in the United States.
“Patrick and Charles Boyd did not just commit fraud and cost taxpayers millions of dollars, they preyed upon some of the most vulnerable members of our society: HIV patients who depend on life-saving treatments to manage their disease,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Fraud schemes like this one undermine the integrity of our supply chain for necessary prescription drugs. These defendants will rightly spend years in prison for their reprehensible conduct, which took advantage of people for illicit profit. This case is another example of how the Criminal Division, our United States Attorney partner in the Southern District of Florida, and law enforcement will pursue and seek convictions of those who defraud our systems, endanger our citizens, and seek to line their pockets with fraud proceeds.”
“These defendants treated life-saving HIV medication like street contraband,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They bought drugs off the street from black-market suppliers, shipped them in dirty boxes and discarded packaging, falsified paperwork, and pushed those medications back into the legitimate pharmaceutical supply chain. The consequences were real. HIV patients received bottles containing the wrong drugs, and at least one patient lost consciousness after ingesting medication that should never have been in that bottle. As a former military prosecutor, federal prosecutor, and trial judge, I have seen how greed can drive dangerous schemes. When criminals gamble with patient safety for profit, federal prison is the result.”
“Friday’s sentence underscores the extreme danger these defendants created,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “They took life‑threatening actions that showed an alarming disregard for human life in service of nothing more than a payday. Their criminal scheme endangered vulnerable patients, put entire communities at risk, and undermined the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid. HHS‑OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners — and using every tool in our arsenal — to pursue and dismantle illegal black‑market rings that seek to corrupt the nation’s drug supply and exploit taxpayer‑funded health care programs.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, brothers Patrick Boyd, 47, and Charles Boyd, 43, of Easton, Maryland, founded and owned Safe Chain Solutions, a wholesale distributor of pharmaceutical medications located in Maryland. Charles Boyd was the CEO, while Patrick Boyd served as a Managing Partner who oversaw the company’s sales division. The evidence presented at trial showed that Patrick and Charles Boyd conspired with at least five black-market suppliers to purchase HIV drugs obtained through patient “buyback schemes” at steep discounts. One of their suppliers testified at trial that he purchased HIV drugs from patients on the street, removed the original prescription labels, and packaged the bottles in cardboard boxes — sometimes scavenged from trash on pick-up days — before shipping them to the defendants. On one occasion, this supplier used a diaper box he found on the street to ship the drugs. Many of these bottles were dirty, unsealed, and showed obvious signs they had previously been dispensed, such as the two depicted below:
Trial evidence showed that pharmacies complained to Safe Chain Solutions about their illicit conduct. For example, pharmacies reported to Safe Chain Solutions that they received bottles with entirely different drugs in them as early as August 2020.
In another documented complaint, one of their pharmacy customers sent the defendants a photo of the condition in which he received HIV drugs from them:
The customer informed Patrick and Charles Boyd that these bottles of HIV drugs did not meet “safety standards . . . and may present risk for our patients” and returned the drugs.
Evidence admitted at trial included an article shared between the defendants discussing these serious risks, just days before the customer complained. According to the article, “The schemes hurt individuals with HIV, cost taxpayers millions of dollars and drive up the viral load in communities, exposing others to the illness and spoiling the city and state’s mission to drive the number of new HIV diagnoses to zero.”
Despite these early complaints, Patrick and Charles Boyd continued buying cheap, diverted HIV drugs from the same black-market suppliers for many months, and continued selling the drugs to pharmacies along with falsified paperwork designed to fool their customers and regulatory agencies.
A patient who received a bottle of prescribed HIV medication sold to a pharmacy by the defendants testified at trial that Seroquel, an anti-psychotic drug, was actually in his bottle. He testified that he unwittingly ingested the Seroquel and lost consciousness for 24 hours. Evidence at trial established that missing even a single dose of HIV medication can increase a patient’s viral load and heighten community transmission risk in areas with high HIV infection rates. There was at least one additional documented complaint where another HIV patient unwittingly ingested a different drug that was in his bottle.
The trial evidence also established the many elaborate steps Patrick and Charles Boyd took to conceal their criminal conduct from detection. They worked with the black-market suppliers behind the back of their own Director of Compliance, who testified that she repeatedly raised concerns throughout the conspiracy but was ignored. They also enlisted attorneys as part of their cover-up. One of those attorneys testified at trial, describing how the Boyd brothers concealed and misrepresented material information while seeking legal advice about pharmacy complaints and reporting obligations to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the evidence, the defendants failed to report numerous incidents to the FDA involving pharmacies that had received incorrect or tampered medications.
Between April 2020 and September 2021, Patrick and Charles Boyd bought and resold more than 28,000 bottles of these black-market HIV drugs. They paid more than $92.8 million for the drugs, which they sold to pharmacies for a profit. Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurers were billed and paid for these illicit drugs.
In October 2025, Patrick and Charles Boyd were convicted at trial of conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce; conspiracy to traffic in medical products with false documentation; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; two counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce; and two counts of wire fraud. Patrick Boyd was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Charles Boyd was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In addition to the prison sentences, the defendants were ordered to pay $21,850,000 in forfeiture.
A third defendant, Adam Brosius, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud with the Boyds and was sentenced to 97 months in prison in connection with his role in the scheme.
HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacqueline Zee DerOvanesian and Alexander Thor Pogozelski for the Southern District of Florida, with the assistance of Assistant Chief James V. Hayes of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Source: United States Army
SEMBACH, Germany — Far from the familiar formations of the U.S. Army, a select group of American Soldiers is deeply embedded within the military forces of their European allies. Each year, U.S. Army NATO brings these exchange officers together for a crucial training and leader development event, ensuring they remain ready and connected while serving in isolated assignments across seven countries.
This initiative is part of the Military Personnel Exchange Program, a cornerstone of security cooperation since 1954. The program is designed for the reciprocal exchange of personnel, placing U.S. Soldiers in allied units and vice versa. According to Todd Scatini, the MPEP program manager for U.S. Army Europe and Africa, it’s a powerful framework for building partner capacity and integrating forces at the unit level. The program, he said, allows the U.S. to tangibly demonstrate its commitment by having a presence directly within allied formations.
The annual gathering is more than just a training requirement; it’s a vital opportunity for connection and shared understanding.
“It’s always good to bring the folks in to put a face to a name and have a discussion about what’s going on in your part of the world,” said Col. Jeremiah D. Pope, commander of U.S. Army NATO Brigade.
Beyond the immediate benefits of camaraderie, the program plays a vital role in the strategic fabric of the alliance. This broader perspective was emphasized by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Kareem (Monty) Montague, an exchange officer assigned to the French Forces Command in Lille, France.
“I think this training is incredibly important because we are all stationed across Europe, working regularly with our European partners,” he said. “And there is a benefit to bringing all of us together once a year, not just to meet annual training requirements, but to share lessons learned and integrate our understanding of the unique challenges we all face.”
Montague stressed that the true power of the program lies in building the deep-seated trust that is essential for combined operations.
“If we’re going to fight with allies, we have to understand them, and there has to be a mutual trust that’s only gained over time,” he explained. “The more people who have experiences serving in those allied formations and take those experiences back to the U.S., the better we understand our allies and the more effective we’ll be on the battlefield, which is where it all matters.”
This visible presence of American Soldiers in allied ranks sends a clear message of solidarity. Capt. Paolo Bonventre, a military exchange officer with the Folgore Airborne Brigade in Livorno, Italy, sees this as a fundamental aspect of his role.
“I think right off the bat, it is important because it provides a presence and shows our commitment to our allies, that we are invested in our relationship with them,” he said.
The program’s influence also cascades through the ranks. Scatini highlighted that U.S. Army sergeants major are teaching in NCO academies in the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy. “In terms of impact and ability to educate and inspire an allied NCO Corps,” he said, “those sergeants major are senior leaders to a generation of noncommissioned officers that then go out and become the backbone of our partner armies.”
For the officers themselves, the annual training is a welcome chance to build their own support network. “This is a time for me to be able to meet these guys, get some perspective from them, and make those connections with them,” Bonventre noted.
Recognizing the challenges of being in isolated assignments, the leadership of U.S. Army NATO ensures that robust support is always available.
“Don’t suffer in silence,” Pope urged the exchange officers. “The U.S. Army NATO support staff, whether it’s finance, medical, administrative, whatever it is, we have a section to help you take care of that… I have an open-door policy. Just come right down and talk to me.”
U.S. Army NATO provides direct support to approximately 60 MPEP Soldiers and their families across Europe and also supports roughly 1,000 Soldiers assigned to NATO billets at 84 locations in 24 countries.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Yesterday, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Joshua Nass, an attorney licensed to practice in New York, with attempted Hobbs Act extortion for enlisting an individual to threaten and force a former client and his son into paying Nass $500,000.
Source: United States Army
PICACHO STAGE FIELD, Ariz. — Soldiers with the 2-285th Assault Helicopter Battalion, Arizona Army National Guard, trained alongside federal, state and local firefighting partners during helicopter bucket aerial firefighting qualification hosted by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, March 5, strengthening the state’s ability to rapidly respond to wildland fires.
The training ensures Arizona National Guard Soldiers remain prepared to combat wildland fires from the air. It included classroom instruction and field drills designed to test coordination between helicopter crews and firefighting ground crews. Personnel with the 2-285th AHB, DFFM, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and local fire departments practiced interagency operations to train and qualify in calling for and executing aerial water drops. Trainings like these enhance collaboration between military and mutual aid agencies while reinforcing the Army National Guard’s dedication to readiness and emergency response.
“This training is critical for ensuring our crews are ready to respond effectively to wildland fires when called upon,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephan Hilgendorf, 2-285th instructor pilot. “Flying with the Water Bucket requires precision, teamwork and clear communication with ground crews to deliver water safely and efficiently where it’s needed most. The opportunity to train alongside firefighting professionals in real-world scenarios strengthens our ability to integrate into joint operations and protect lives, property and natural resources, directly supporting our communities.”
More than 40 UH-60 Black Hawk pilots and crew chiefs successfully qualified in aerial firefighting for the 2026 season. Each crew member is essential to mission execution. While the pilots navigate the aircraft, crew chiefs play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of aerial firefighting operations.
“The crew chief is the one who truly directs the helicopter bucket,” said Staff Sgt. Tyler Mowbray, 2-285th crew chief. “We are the pilot’s eyes on the ground and the steady hand ensuring 600 gallons of water is picked up, flown and delivered with precision and safety. Without our constant vigilance and communication from the cabin, the bucket is just dead weight; with us, it’s a mission-critical tool.”
Given Arizona’s unique conditions, where fire season is not confined to a single period, and wildland fires can ignite year-round, it is essential for the Arizona National Guard to maintain a constant state of readiness. Through real-world training and interagency coordination with local mutual aid partners, the battalion remains committed to being always ready and always there to respond to emergencies at home.
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