Category: Security

Source: United States Army

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U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

State Partnership Program representatives from North Dakota, officials of Togo’s National Civil Protection Agency, and civil affairs Soldiers assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) took part in a tabletop exercise in Lome, Togo, June 11.

The TTX culminated a three-day academics portion, “Exercise Let’s Prepare 2026,” a disaster-relief training package designed to improve the Togolese government’s ability to respond to a variety of emergency scenarios. The academic portion was part of Operation Lignite Coast 2026, an overarching training experience conducted June 8-18.

U.S. instructors consisted of a team from the Peace Garden State, who were a mix of civilian state personnel and National Guard Soldiers. North Dakota and Togo have been partners through the National Guard’s SPP for over 12 years.

“Togo has been eager to learn from the U.S. military,” said U.S. Army Capt. Euston Harp, team chief for Civil Affairs Team Togo, Alpha Company, Civil Affairs Battalion, SETAF-AF. “The information these government officials have received during this training period will enable the Togolese government to improve its capacity in providing incident response and assuming greater responsibilities as a partner in the region.”

CA Team Togo’s part in the TTX involved offering key expertise and best practices to leverage core specializations in disaster response and humanitarian aid, as well as civil-military coordination and civil integration.

Harp explained that the TTX’s goal was evaluating response abilities and applying classroom instruction in a discussion-based environment, which would help identify potential planning gaps, clarify organizational roles and improve team coordination.

The TTX’s final portion consisted of groups of key leaders from Togo’s NCPA presenting solutions to three notional incidents. These scenarios included a large traffic accident on a bridge, a group of capsized, large-capacity canoes (carrying up to 60 people), and a cholera epidemic occurring in the aftermath of a flood. In composing their briefs, the teams employed the training they’d received over the previous three days. Building on the course’s content, delivering these presentations also helped prepare for a practical training exercise the groups would undergo the following week.

Sherry Adams, North Dakota state health officer and Southwestern District Health Unit executive officer, has worked in emergency preparedness and response since 2004, and she is certified by North Dakota and the Federal Emergency Management Agency as an incident command instructor. She has made 15 trips total to Africa throughout her career, having taught incident command in Benin, Ghana and previously in Togo.

“What always impresses me every time I come to Africa, is how serious students are to understand, learn and train — and they do such a professional job,” Adams said. “For example, the TTX groups took the time to make very detailed maps as part of their briefs, which wasn’t required, and that’s why I love to teach over here. By using all the right terms, the maps they drew, and the diagrams they had, they demonstrated that they truly learned … and as an instructor, it just makes you really happy when you see your students do so well.”

Adams explained that her normal job responsibilities in North Dakota are quite different, but these trips to Africa put her in her “happy place” with a break from her normal routine and the opportunity to teach emergency preparedness.

“I love planning and preparing, and when I go to a country that has very few resources and I see how they make the most of everything, it really puts everything in perspective,” Adams said.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Al Roehrich, a lead planner for the North Dakota National Guard and deputy director of the North Dakota Domestic Operations Branch, pointed out that one of the intended benchmarks with partnership programs is to strengthen them to a point where they are on “cruise control,” and that every completed event moves the program with Togo closer to that level. He also noted that North Dakota’s relationships with various Togolese agencies remain strong while collectively building partner capacity to manage both domestic and regional security.

“They always appreciate it when we come over here, but they also get the benefit of going to the U.S. in small teams to visit North Dakota to see our training and how we conduct business,” Roehrich said. “We have a lot of the same problems, especially from an emergency services perspective. They might not deal with blizzards and snowstorms like we do in North Dakota, but we both have fires and floods, so we still see a lot of the same issues. This is shared learning at the end of the day.”

Roehrich emphasized that the overall goal always focuses on building capacity and relationships with partners in Togo, particularly with the NCPA on this trip. While North Dakota’s emergency preparedness experts provided the lead content for instruction during Lignite Coast, the opportunity to confer among colleagues generally positions both sides for better success going forward.

“We always look to build upon capacity from past events and exercises,” Roehrich said. “We conduct annual exercises with all of our partner countries, and Togo’s NCPA has been a great partner in emergency preparedness and disaster response in 2026. Any time we can get partners together to talk about ways to improve, it always makes us better collectively because we also learn a lot from their best practices that we can bring back to North Dakota and possibly implement them in our own procedures.”

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

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Raska assumed responsibility as the senior enlisted advisor of the 21st Special Troops Battalion, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, during a transfer of responsibility ceremony held at Panzer Kaserne, Kaiserslautern, Germany, June 8.

A native of Whitehouse, Texas, Raska brings more than 23 years of Army experience to the battalion. After attending Basic Combat Training in 2003 and Advanced Individual Training in 2004, he earned the designation of Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician. Throughout his career, he has served in a variety of leadership and operational positions within the EOD community.

His assignment to the 21st Special Troops Battalion marks the first time he has served outside the EOD career field.

“This is the first non-EOD job that I’ve done in my career, so the challenge of the dynamics of the organization and what we do is all very new to me, and I’m looking forward to it,” Raska said.

Raska attributes much of his success to the adaptability developed through years of conducting complex EOD missions. He believes flexibility, accountability and teamwork are key components of successful organizations and effective leadership.

One of the milestones he is most proud of is graduating from EOD school, which he described as one of the most challenging experiences of his career. His interest in the field began after attending a presentation by an EOD team from Fort Sam Houston, where he first learned about the profession and its mission. Years later, he returned to serve as the first sergeant of that same company after its relocation to Fort Hood, Texas.

As he begins his new role, Raska plans to draw upon the lessons learned throughout his career to support the battalion and its Soldiers.

“If you do your job well, we will go far beyond anyone’s expectations,” Raska said. “That’s all I ask of anybody, do your job and do it well.”

Although the battalion’s mission differs from his previous assignments, Raska believes the principles of leadership remain constant. Through a focus on accountability, teamwork and professional excellence, he hopes to help the 21st Special Troops Battalion continue building readiness and accomplishing its mission across the European theater.

Source: United States Army

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. — Forty New York Army National Guard Soldiers from the 42nd Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade coordinated aviation support during Vibrant Response 2026, a large-scale homeland response exercise held April 22–29 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana.

The exercise prepares military forces to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive incidents within the United States. This marked the first time New York Army National Guard Soldiers participated in Vibrant Response, which was first established in 2009.

Vibrant Response is a command post exercise, meaning no aircraft physically flew during the training. Instead, units operated in a simulated environment designed to test coordination, communication and decision-making during a large-scale domestic emergency.

The annual exercise brought together active-duty, Reserve and National Guard units alongside the Federal Emergency Management Agency, local law enforcement and emergency responders to strengthen coordination during national emergencies.

The New York Soldiers supported both Task Force 76 and Task Force 46 during the exercise as part of the LOWCOM structure, which coordinates specialized response capabilities during domestic emergencies.

“The overall objective is to validate the task force’s ability to respond to a CBRNE event within the United States and integrate with other military units to provide defense support of civil authorities,” said Maj. Richard Siracusano, the Task Force 76 aviation officer.

As the aviation element supporting the LOWCOM mission structure, the 42nd ECAB simulated rotary-wing aviation operations during a nuclear response scenario. Soldiers coordinated simulated casualty evacuation missions, personnel movement, supply transport and aviation support operations in areas where infrastructure was considered damaged or unusable.

“Our aviation unit plays an important role in any defense support of civil authorities operation,” Siracusano said. “We are able to move personnel and supplies quickly across areas where roadways or bridges may be impassable.”

Throughout the exercise, Soldiers operated in a fast-paced environment where missions and updates were continuously pushed from higher headquarters, requiring rapid decision-making and communication across multiple sections.

“The objective is to certify a task force’s ability to respond to a national emergency,” said Maj. Matthew Ian Robbins, Task Force 46 aviation officer in charge assigned to the 42nd .

For many junior Soldiers, the exercise was their first experience working inside a tactical operations center and supporting a mission at this scale.

“I came in not really knowing what to expect,” said Spc. Kira Belladora. “At first it was challenging, but now I feel a lot more confident understanding my role and how everything connects.”

Leaders intentionally introduced uncertainty early in the exercise to replicate real-world conditions where incomplete information and rapidly changing situations are common.

“There was a lot of learning at the beginning,” Robbins said. “We asked junior Soldiers to step into roles they normally wouldn’t fill, and now they’re operating with confidence.”

Soldiers gained experience in mission planning, staff operations and communication while learning how their responsibilities support the larger mission.

“We have a lot of new Soldiers that have never seen how a tactical operations center operates,” said Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie Kyle. “Getting this exposure is great for them because now they are receiving hands-on experience.”

Leaders said the exercise reinforced the importance of coordination between military units and civilian agencies during domestic emergencies.

“It really shows how the military integrates with local, state and federal partners during a crisis,” Siracusano said. “That’s especially important for National Guard Soldiers.”

“From day one to now, the growth has been tremendous,” Robbins said. “I’m confident junior Soldiers can continue executing the mission.”

Source: United States Army

LATHAM, New York — The New York Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division “Rainbow” Band will mark the 250th anniversary of American independence with eight patriotic concerts being held across New York starting on June 25.

The 90-minute concerts by the 23- Soldier band feature patriotic marches like “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and “Over There.”

The band’s smaller groups, “The Bear Mountain Brass” and the “Governor’s Own Brass Quintet” will be playing tunes that reflect American history and culture. These include ‘Star Wars’, the “Revolutionary War Medley,” and ‘Sweet Dreams’.

The concert series kicks off on June 25 with an appearance at the Cortland Waterfront Performance Stage in Verplanck at 7 p.m.

The tour ends with two performances in New York City and one on Long Island.

On July 3, the band will perform at 6:30 p.m. at the Fort Wadsworth-Gateway National Recreation Center on Staten Island prior to the fireworks show.

On the 4th, the band will play on board at the U.S.S. Intrepid Museum at 10 a.m., during the International Naval Review and International Aircraft Review.

Finally, at 6 p.m. on July 4, the band will perform at the Jones Beach Bandshell in Wantagh.

Other appearances are:

June 26, the Schaghticoke Fairground in Schaghticoke at 7:15 p.m.

June 27, the Buffalo Canalside Boardwalk State in Buffalo at 4 p.m.

June 28, the Niagara Falls Visitor Center at 11 a.m.

June 29, the Alphonso Dimino Memorial Bandshell in Academy Park in Lewiston at 7 p.m.

June 30, Music in the Park at the Village Ball Park in Silver Creek at 6 p.m.

The 42nd Infantry Division Band, nicknames the “Rainbow Band” because the 42nd Infantry Division is the “Rainbow Division” was constituted in 1943 when the 42nd Infantry Division was reactivated for World War II. The band can trace its roots back to New York militia bands created in the 19th Century.

The band is based at Camp Smith Training Site in Cortlandt Manor and serves as a musical ambassador for the 42nd Infantry Division and the New York Army National Guard.

The band conducts an annual concert tour, performs at military events, and marches in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City each year.

The band is commanded and led by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ethan Wagner.

Each member of the band is a trained Soldier. In 2004 and 2005 the band was mobilized and deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, where band members performed security duties when they were not entertaining Soldiers

Source: United States Army

HLUSAKA, Zambia – Representatives from the North Carolina National Guard, Botswana, Malawi, Moldova and Zambia gathered for the North Carolina State Partnership Program Domestic Response Workshop at Zambia Army Headquarters June 8-12.

Hosted by the Zambian Defence Force, the workshop marked the first time a Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program partner nation with North Carolina hosted a multinational event on its own soil. Moldova participated virtually.

The workshop highlighted each nation’s past disaster responses, civilian-military collaboration and opportunities for regional disaster preparedness and future cooperation.

“This is the first time we have had an opportunity to gather five partner nations in one location outside of the United States,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Aaron Youngblood, North Carolina National Guard chief of domestic operations. “It was an amazing opportunity for us to come together in Zambia and focus on something different from what we experienced when we hosted it in North Carolina.”

The discussions highlighted a growing emphasis on preparedness, mitigation and emergency management rather than responding only after disasters occur.

“The frequency and intensity of disasters are continuously increasing,” said Ryan Kenney, North Carolina Emergency Management deputy branch manager of emergency services. “Our partners are taking a proactive approach to emergency management rather than reacting to a disaster.”

Throughout the workshop, participants shared after-action reports from past disasters, exchanged lessons learned and discussed interagency coordination frameworks between civilian and military agencies.

Representatives found that despite geographic differences, they face similar disaster challenges, including floods and droughts.

“Disasters do not respect borders, whether you are prepared or not,” Youngblood said. “They happen, and there are many commonalities among the nations we are partnered with.”

While each nation operates under different domestic response structures, participants agreed that continued collaboration and information sharing are essential to improving disaster preparedness.

For the Zambian government, hosting the workshop provided an opportunity to deepen relationships with its SPP partners and strengthen regional disaster response networks.

“We launched the partnership [with North Carolina in 2024] and agreed that we would share information,” said Norman Chipakupaku, National Disaster Response Management Division national coordinator. “This workshop came at the right time. We want to continue sharing experiences, prepare for future disasters and help build resilience within our countries.”

As the partner nations concluded the workshop, representatives emphasized the growing multinational relationships through the North Carolina State Partnership Program and their shared commitment to building resilient communities with a common understanding of disaster preparedness and response.

“This highlights the importance of the partnership and Zambia’s ownership to host an event like this,” said U.S. Army Col. Patrick Szvetitz, North Carolina National Guard director of strategic plans and policy. “The maturity of our State Partnership Program is evident during this workshop, where Zambia can host four countries in person and one virtually to improve our emergency response to the people we serve.”

Related Links

The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil

State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil

The National Guard on Facebook | Facebook.com/TheNationalGuard

The National Guard on Flickr | Flickr.com/TheNationalGuard

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

The National Guard on X | X.com/USNationalGuard

The National Guard on YouTube | YouTube.com/TheNationalGuard

Source: United States Army

LINCOLN, Neb. – Cyber Tatanka 2026, a massive cybersecurity exercise designed to test and strengthen the digital defenses of critical infrastructure, concluded June 12 after two weeks of simulated, highly sophisticated cyberattacks.

The fifth annual exercise brought together 243 participants from federal, state, military and private sector organizations at Kiewit Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. The June 1-12 event served as a collaborative proving ground for defensive cyber operations.

“Cyber Tatanka is Nebraska’s premier defensive cyber range exercise,” organizers noted in planning documents, highlighting its mission to safeguard regional networks against emerging threats.

“When this started five years ago Cyber Tatanka was a military-led event,” said Brig. Gen. Robert Hargens, Nebraska Air National Guard assistant adjutant general. “It has since transformed into a civilian-led event. There’s an incredible amount of planning and work that goes into doing this event, so I want to thank Cyber Strong Nebraska for putting this on.”

The importance of the cyber realm is echoed in the exercise’s name. Tatanka is a word used by members of the Lakota tribes to describe the bison that ranged across a seven-state region of the central and northern American Great Plains, said Ryan Carlson, a retired Nebraska Army National Guard major. Carlson helped develop the original exercise concept with several leaders of Nebraska public infrastructure organizations to give cyber defense specialists an opportunity to learn more about network protection efforts and collaborate with fellow computer and network defense specialists, while also testing their organization’s cyber response plans in a safe yet realistic virtual environment.

“The indigenous people relied on the bison for their way of life. It was their food. It was their shelter. It was their clothing. It was their tools,” Carlson said. “It was something they greatly respected, and it was something they realized they needed to protect to support their way of life.”

“We see interconnected systems as kind of that same thing,” Carlson added. “Interconnected systems are extremely important to maintaining our way of life. And they are something that we must protect.”

The exercise is led by Cyber Strong Nebraska, a nonprofit organization established to plan and conduct it. The Nebraska National Guard participates in and supports the Army’s Innovative Response Training program and is one of several major partners, including multiple private, public and educational institutions.

The first week of the event focused heavily on academic training and network validation. The second week shifted to a live-fire range phase hosted on a simulated business enterprise network provided by Cloud Cyber Range. Defensive teams faced daily vignettes with threat actors that grew progressively more sophisticated.

“The person is the program,” said Dana Turner, a director for Cyber Strong Nebraska. “If you’re not stress-testing your people on realistic conditions on a regular basis, you have no idea how they will perform when it actually matters.”

The exercise drew key international partners through the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program. Two service members from Tanzania and one from the Czech Republic integrated into the defensive enclaves to collaborate and share best practices with the Nebraska National Guard teams.

The exercise’s participating countries included the United States, Austria, the Czech Republic, Jordan, Chile and Tanzania. Domestically, attendees spanned five states and territories: Texas, Colorado, Vermont, Nebraska and Guam.

“Seeing the threats in real time and going through the tools that we have together has helped me understand it better,” said Czech Armed Forces 2nd Lt. Jakub Richder, an exercise participant who graduated last year with a master’s degree in the cyber defense field and joined the Czech’s 92nd Cyber Warfare Group. “This has been a great experience, seeing how another military works and how they communicate. This experience will definitely help me come back home as a better cyber soldier.”

A broad coalition of Nebraska infrastructure and business pillars anchored the civilian side.

“Nation states used to go after each other’s military targets and government systems,” Turner said. “That has shifted. They now go after utilities in small Nebraska towns, the regional hospital, the corner pharmacy, the community bank. The target set has expanded to include everyone, people who never signed up to be on the front lines of a geopolitical conflict.”

“You cannot defend a threat landscape that broad with a single organization, a single organization or chain of command, you need a coalition,” Turner added.

During its five-year run from 2022 to 2026, Cyber Tatanka has trained 750 military, civilian, academic and government professionals. That cohort includes 250 U.S. military personnel and more than 50 international allied military personnel.

“We are stronger together than we are apart,” Turner said. “Cyber Tatanka is the answer to that problem.”

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