Category: Security

Source: United States Army

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U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

AGADIR, Morocco – The inaugural African Lion drone academics class graduated more than 20 service members from four nations, trained on cost-effective small unmanned aircraft systems at Southern Zone Headquarters in Agadir, Morocco, May 5.

Students from Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria and the United States participated in this first-of-its-kind training as part of U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise, led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF).

The training served as a fusion center of training and technology, allowing partners to collaborate on solutions to persistent security threats. Aligned with the U.S. Army Transformation Initiative, the academics included emerging sUAS capabilities, putting the initiative’s aim of a more lethal force into practice.

“Our continuous transformation initiative is built on bottom-up innovation,” said Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll. “Putting capability in the hands of the warfighter, experimenting and learning how Soldiers actually use it, is critical to this effort. This drone academy is the manifestation of that idea — U.S. Soldiers training shoulder to shoulder with our partners, building skills and sending lessons back into their formations.”

The drone academics featured two simultaneous courses, an eight-day sUAS planner course and a 10-day sUAS operator course, taught by instructors from the 7th Army Training Command. U.S. trainees came from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the Utah Army National Guard‘s 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

The sUAS planner course gave students the knowledge and skills to integrate sUAS into the broader scheme of maneuver, with a focus on airspace deconfliction, multidomain integration, strike capabilities and intelligence, and surveillance and reconnaissance synchronization.

“Over eight days, planners covered everything from capabilities gap analysis and warfighting functions to airspace management, counter-UAS and electronic warfare,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Derrick Guyton, sUAS master trainer with the 7th Army Training Command Combined Arms Training Center and noncommissioned officer in charge of drone academics. “They built that into course of action development, then spent the last two days running mission rehearsals. By graduation, they could integrate sUAS team employment, UAS orders and symbols, and meteorology into the broader scheme of maneuver.”

The sUAS operator course gave service members the proficiency to plan, operate and maintain sUAS in a tactical environment, react to emergencies and provide real-time reconnaissance to commanders.

“Operators spent 10 days training on sUAS components, operational considerations, vehicle identification, meteorology, battery management, electronic warfare, aerodynamics, night operations, mission planning, airspace deconfliction, camouflage and concealment, with hands-on familiarization across a variety of systems,” Guyton said. “They had to pass emergency procedure tests, and they finished with four days of flying.”

The training connected a live drone feed to the combined joint task force innovation cell, demonstrating that real-time imagery can be used in both training and operations. The capability supports a broader push to compress the kill chain and sharpen how operational headquarters see, sense and strike.

“What we are seeing in African Lion are partner forces learning and using emerging technology together, so they can apply this capability against their own persistent security challenges,” said U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and Africa. “This is a great example of partners stepping up, fusing intelligence and technology, and how we can enable them to take the lead on their own challenges and contribute to regional security.”

Morocco’s permissive environment, including an open electromagnetic spectrum, uncongested airspace and austere, combat-realistic terrain, enables training difficult that is to replicate elsewhere.

“Operators are leaving here able to plan a mission, fly several platforms, react to emergencies and provide commanders with real-time reconnaissance,” Guyton said. “Planners are leaving able to integrate sUAS operations into the broader scheme of maneuver, from airspace deconfliction to targeting.”

Drone academics will continue to grow and develop, supporting shared security interests through sustainable, partner-led solutions. African Lion remains the premier venue for multinational training and innovation across the region.

About African Lion

AL26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise, designed to strengthen collective security capabilities of the U.S., African nations and global allies. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) from April 20 to May 8, 2026, and hosted in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, AL26 involves over 5,600 personnel from more than 40 nations, using innovation to drive partner-led regional security.

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

Source: United States Army

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U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

ZIGUINCHOR, Senegal — Military medical personnel representing the U.S., Senegal, Italy and Austria concluded a multinational medical readiness exercise in southern Senegal to end African Lion 26, May 8.

From April 25 to May 8, U.S. Army medical professionals from the Vermont National Guard worked alongside Senegalese Armed Forces healthcare providers and allied medical teams from Austria and Italy. Training took place at multiple medical facilities across Senegal, where participating forces exchanged expertise and refined their ability to provide effective care in complex environments.

This training event focused on critical wartime medical skills, including point-of-injury care, blast and trauma management, surgical treatment and patient recovery through rehabilitation.

“Over the past two weeks, our team worked side by side with our Senegalese partners, completing 350 patient encounters,” said U.S. Army Col. Christopher Gookin, commander of the Vermont National Guard Medical Readiness Detachment. “That’s the greatest strength of these medical readiness exercise missions — not just what is provided, but what is gained through partnership.”

Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), this MEDREX prepared military medical personnel to operate outside traditional clinical settings while strengthening multinational interoperability.

“Medical readiness exercises allow multinational medical teams to exchange expertise and strengthen their ability to operate in complex environments,” said U.S. Army Col. Scot Tebo, command surgeon for SETAF-AF. “Training alongside our Senegalese, Austrian and Italian partners improves coordination, readiness and our collective ability to provide care during operational missions.”

This year’s MEDREX proved highly successful, with participants treating more than 350 patients throughout the exercise. The mission enabled multinational medical teams to collaborate in unfamiliar and operational environments, strengthening interoperability, readiness and adaptability.

Throughout the exercise, medical teams worked side by side to improve coordination, strengthen professional relationships and enhance readiness to deliver care in operational environments.

The MEDREX also highlighted the longstanding partnership between Senegal and the Vermont National Guard through the Department of War National Guard State Partnership Program, which has fostered decades of military cooperation and training exchanges.

The exercise reinforced enduring partnerships among participating nations and built the trust and coordination needed to respond to shared security challenges.

About African Lion

African Lion 2026 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise, designed to strengthen collective security capabilities of the U.S., African nations and global allies. Co-led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) from April 20 to May 8, 2026, and hosted in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, AL26 involves over 5,600 personnel from more than 40 nations, using innovation to drive partner-led regional security.

African Lion content can be found on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS).

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

Source: United States Army

CLAY KASERNE, Germany — U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria community members took center stage at this year’s U.S. Army Installation Management Command – Europe Tournament of Plays (TOPPERs) Awards April 25, 2026 at USAG Wiesbaden, earning recognition for their outstanding achievements in U.S. military theater programs.

The TOPPERs Awards is an annual event held by IMCOM-Europe to recognize military community theater productions across Europe. More than 600 Army Europe leaders, entertainment staff and program participants attended the gala dinner and awards show, which was hosted by IMCOM-Europe deputy director Col. G. Kirk Alexander.

The program has a long tradition. It is one of the longest-running Army Entertainment Europe events, with show judging from February to mid-April.

USAG Bavaria’s success at this year’s TOPPERs Awards reflects the garrison’s continued commitment to supporting the arts and enriching the lives of Soldiers, civilians and Family members across its communities.

Twenty-five people from USAG Bavaria were nominated for TOPPERS awards this year, with five ultimately receiving honors.

Sgt. Michael Bradle, afternoon show DJ and multimedia producer for American Forces Network Bavaria, won the award for Outstanding Military Debut Performance in a Play or Musical for his role as William Barfee in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, marking an impressive introduction to the military community theater stage.

“In all seriousness, I wasn’t expecting anything more than a nomination, if anything at all,” Bradle said. “Even after I sat down, I was still shaking a bit as I processed the fact that I just won an award. I’m very honored to have been selected by the judges.”

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was technically my second production with Bavaria Performing Arts, my first being Shakespeare In The Park,” he continued. “For Shakespeare, I wasn’t really planning to take a starring role and had no idea of my acting ability.”

Bradle credited the camaraderie among the cast and crew for the production’s success. He also encouraged others to get involved in the performing arts.

“If you want to, do it,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re good at until you do it.”

He also encouraged people possessing a variety of talents to join a stage crew.

“The performing arts doesn’t just need actors,” Bradle said. “We need set designers, painters, and even musicians. Every little bit helps to make each production incredible.”

Bavaria’s Performing Arts team had a standout evening, earning recognition across multiple categories:

• Outstanding Set Design for a Musical: Rachael Harper
• Outstanding Military Debut Performance in a Play or Musical: Sgt. Michael Bradle
• Outstanding Youth Performance in a Play: Taisa Bradley
• Outstanding Military Performance of a Female Role in a Musical: Spc. Elise White
• Outstanding Lead Performance of a Male Role in a Musical: Jason Smith

Find more pictures of the event here.

Find a list of a the nominees here.

Source: United States Army

WIESBADEN, Germany — Celebrity chef and talk show host Robert Irvine visited U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden on May 5 as part of the Armed Forces Entertainment “Fueling the Fight” tour. Irvine, a former British Royal Navy cook, has dedicated his post-military career to supporting service members and transforming military dining.

On Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, Irvine met with units, toured the installation, and offered a special meal for community members.

“It’s very important for the Robert Irvine Foundation, and myself, to support the men and women,” said Irvine. “Nutrition stands for resiliency, retention, recruitment, and readiness. And if we fuel their bodies with great nutrition, feed these Soldiers properly, they can do the job correctly.”

The tour is designed to boost morale and promote wellness through food, fitness and community.

“It’s great to see that Chef Irvine is here. I’ve met him previously once in the past when he was at Fort Stewart, and it’s good to see that he’s continued to show love and support to the troops, always looking out for us, and always looking for ways to improve our daily lives here,” said Staff Sgt. Ivy Roberson IV, Vice President of Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers. “And he’s all about getting us the best food possible, making sure that we have the fuel that we need [so] we can be ready every single day for whatever we’re asked to do.”

During a lunch engagement, Irvine and his team met with members of B.O.S.S, sharing his passion for food and wellness.

“For us, seeing someone like that come here to visit us just to talk to us, just to sit with the Soldiers is really good,” said Roberson. “To see that no matter what happens, there is someone thinking about them, especially someone who’s as successful and as creative as Chef Irvine is.”

As part of the tour Irvine and his team of chefs prepared a special dinner for service members and their families dining at the Stronger Together Cafe (DFAC) on Clay Kaserne, feeding up to 350 service members.

Source: United States Army

DAEGU, South Korea — U.S. and Republic of Korea Army logisticians gathered across two events in April to share expertise in military logistics and strengthen combined readiness on the Korean Peninsula.

Col. Jason P. Book, commander, 403rd Army Field Support Brigade, delivered a guest lecture at the ROK Army Consolidated Logistics School in Daejeon, April 23. He spoke to 40 newly promoted ROK Army majors attending the Logistics Branch Advanced Course on the topic of “Contested Logistics,” covering the threats surrounding the Korean Peninsula and the challenges facing military logistics operations today.

The majors, who are preparing to return to field assignments, engaged in discussions with Book on the operational realities shaping logistics planning in the current environment.

As a follow-up, the group traveled to Camp Carroll in Waegwan, April 27 to visit the Army Prepositioned Stocks-4 site, operated by the Army Field Support Battalion – Northeast Asia. Centurion Battalion staff provided briefings on APS-4 fleet readiness, maintenance, and supply activities. Book also quizzed the majors on material from the April 23 session, prompting further discussion as the group toured the facility and observed U.S. Army vehicles stored there.

Lt. Col. Rosilyn C. Woodard, commander, AFSBn-NEA, engaged with the visiting officers and highlighted the battalion’s role in sustaining APS-4 readiness. Her involvement underscored the close coordination between brigade and battalion leadership in supporting the engagement.

Officers who took part in the visit said the two events gave them a broader understanding of Army theater logistics concepts and doctrine relevant to ensuring stability in the region, while also offering a meaningful opportunity to consider the future direction of ROK Army logistics as they prepare to return to field assignments.

The events were part of the 403rd AFSB’s ongoing effort to engage with ROK counterparts and support the U.S.-ROK alliance. The two organizations said they plan to continue fostering exchanges between U.S. and ROK logisticians in the future.

Source: United States Army

PABRADE, Lithuania — For brothers Adam and Aaron Eyerly, service to the nation has not only been a career but a shared legacy spanning generations of deployments and parallel paths that repeatedly bring them back together.

Prior to both serving with V Corps in Lithuania for Saber Strike ’26, they spent their childhood years in Kansas City, Missouri, rooted in military service. Their father, Damon Eyerly, a retired master sergeant in the U.S. Army, served in civil affairs and later deployed to Iraq and Jordan, providing an example of leadership and service that would influence both sons.

Although separated by seven years in age, they each forged distinct paths.

Adam first enlisted as a 35F (intelligence analyst) in the U.S. Army before commissioning through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Missouri University of Science and Technology. He branched into ordnance and logistics, deploying to East Africa before transitioning into civil affairs. He serves as the headquarters and headquarters company commander of the 510th Regional Support Group, 7th Mission Support Command.

Aaron pursued a parallel route, enlisting as an 11B (infantryman) before commissioning through ROTC at Park University in Parkville, Missouri. Branching into the infantry, he transitioned into civil affairs with deployments to Qatar, echoing the path of his older brother and father.

Though their careers developed on separate timelines, their professional paths often intersect.

“Having gone through our careers together both as Soldiers and Army civilians, it’s been invaluable that we can run ideas off each other and have a deeper connection,” Adam said. “Every chance we get to serve together, I love getting to brag about my little brother.”

One such moment came when both served in the same civil affairs company and trained together at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana — a rare opportunity for siblings to operate side by side in a demanding environment.

Serving as the civil affairs team chief with the 418th Civil Affairs Battalion, 308th Civil Affairs Brigade, 353rd Civil Affairs Command, Aaron continues to work alongside his brother in one of the largest exercises on the eastern flank.

“It’s always an honor to serve alongside Adam in training exercises,” Aaron said. “These moments are what you dream of, but to make it a reality is always fun, and I am happy to call him my older brother.”

Their story is one of family traditions, parallel careers, and a mutual dedication to the mission. From enlistment to becoming commissioned officers, and from separate deployments to shared training rotations, both demonstrate how a personal calling can evolve into a shared family bond.

The 510th Regional Support Group, 7th Mission Support Command, headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and co-located in Poznan, Poland, provides base operation support to seven installation sites across the Baltics. As the rotational unit in Poland, the 510th Regional Support Group enables the readiness of V Corps and NATO forces across the eastern flank.

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Source: United States Army

POZNAN, Poland— Training a few can save many. U.S. Army Reserve Spc. Arina Warren and Sgt. Kayla Iyore did exactly that April 29 by coordinating Red Cross First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training for service members on the eastern flank.

The training aims to save lives through faster response times, improved workplace safety and increased readiness while reducing risk and costs. It also builds confidence and cohesion within the ranks and demonstrates organizational responsibility.

“It was exciting to be a part of something that can impact not only service members, but civilians and their families in the community,” Warren said. “This is only the start; we have also facilitated a class in Powidz.”

Chandler Morgan, a Red Cross liaison at Camp Kosciuszko, said that until March 2025, Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, was the only forward location providing Red Cross-certified training. He noted the local program is structured differently than those in the continental United States.

“These CPR trainings provide participants the ability to recognize signs of cardiac arrest and provide immediate care,” Morgan said. “More than 166 lives have been saved as a direct result of this training over the past year, including eight at overseas military bases.”

Soldiers learned first aid treatment including lifesaving trauma care, casualty movement and field-medical decision-making, similar to U.S. Army Tactical Combat Casualty Care or Combat Lifesaver courses.

Before the hands-on portion, Soldiers must complete an online first aid class to establish foundational knowledge, improve performance and meet certification requirements.

The class was held on the top floor of the Morale, Welfare and Recreation center at Camp Kosciuszko. The open area supported 10 to 15 Soldiers with the equipment needed to create new first responders.

“This class isn’t about checking a box; it’s about equipping Soldiers with a lifesaving skill,” Iyore said. “This makes a difference in unpredictable situations, whether on duty, at home or in the community.”

As representatives of the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) program, Iyore and Warren will continue to create programs and opportunities for service members.

The 510th Regional Support Group, 7th Mission Support Command, is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and co-located in Poznan. The unit provides base operation support to seven installation sites across the Baltics. As the rotational unit in Poland, the 510th Regional Support Group enables the readiness of V Corps and NATO forces across the eastern flank.

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Source: United States Army

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas – Gathered in small groups around acetate-covered maps littered with marker lines and circles, U.S. Army and German Bundeswehr students discussed large-scale combat operations during one of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College’s longest running exchange exercises, Eagle Adler.

The exercise is part of CGSC’s Command and General Staff Officer Course’s elective season and is a joint exercise focused on division and corps level planning.

Eagle Adler includes more than a dozen students from CGSC’s German equivalent.

Like many exercises across the Army, Eagle Adler creates opportunities for Soldiers to develop critical warfighter skills.

For students at CGSOC, those include ability to think and fight in a joint environment with any ally or planning process, Rob Smith, assistant professor in CGSC’s Department of Army Tactics and exercise lead explained.

“Exercises like this strengthen critical thinking by exposing students to how different partners approach problems and apply their experience to tactical problem sets,” he said.

Eagle-Adler adds approximately 100 additional hours of planning exercise to the students’ experience.

The two-part exercise includes planning using NATO APP-28 and the Military Decision-Making Process.

The most recent iteration incorporated the use of artificial intelligence and command operating collaboration systems for planning product production.

Eagle Adler impacts U.S. and German students beyond building warfighter skills for large-scale combat operations in a complex, contemporary environment model.

Lt. Col. Marc-Andre Walther, assistant professor in CGSC’s DTAC, said planning is only a piece of the outcomes for the officers, citing the professional network building and understanding of current challenges of war.

“Professional military education aims to expand the knowledge and understanding of the operational environment of the students to enable them to plan and execute operations in complex and chaotic circumstances,” he said. “To quote [Carl Von] Clausewitz: ‘Knowledge must become capability’. The exchange directly contributes to that.”

Similar sentiment was shared by Lt. Col. Michael Utsch, German Army student.

Learning MDMP and sharing expertise of NATO planning processes, is only part of the lessons, he explained, building interoperability through trust and mutual understanding are secondary take aways.

“In a security environment that is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable, it is clear that we have to face future challenges together. Our strength lies in standing together as allies, united by shared values, mutual trust and a common commitment to peace and security,” Utsch said. “Experiences like this exchange remind us that cooperation is not just a principle, but a necessity. The relationship we build here today will be essential for the missions we may face together tomorrow.”

Eagle Adler is a close replica of a joint planning environment. Students like Utsch and Maj. Mark Marten, U.S. Army logistician, will likely find themselves in upon graduation, making the “reps and sets” from the exercise critical to warfighter capability.

“We’ve got the time and space to really sit down and plan through some complex problems and issues that we would face when we work together downrange,” Marten said. “This is probably the best time and only opportunity we have to calmly plan through very complex problems.”

Lasting just over a week, Utsch described how professional trust was evident quickly, allowing students to focus less on getting to know each other, and learn about each other’s military abilities.

This trust and a whiteboard allowed Utsch and Marten to identify similarities in planning and logistics, generating lasting interoperability, Utsch explained.

“Even though the German students have very similar life experience, as well as training and planning considerations, they approach certain things like risk and how they mitigate and plan through uncertainty in a different way than American students do,” Marten explained. “Having an opportunity to understand what they could be thinking, or how they would approach a certain problem provides us insight as well as clear, concise language to get through some of the interplay of confusion when it comes to translation.”

According to Walther and Smith, the longevity of the exercise is a continued collective commitment to education of military leaders and allied national security objectives.

Next academic year, Eagle Adler will celebrate it’s 60th year of the joint planning exercise.