Category: Security

Source: United States Army

KERKRADE, The Netherlands – Once every four years the city of Kerkrade becomes the stage for the World Music Contest (WMC), one of the biggest wind music events and competitions in the world. Between July 9 and Aug. 2, 2026, around 20,000 musicians from all over the world participate and over 300,000 visitors attend the numerous concerts, shows and competitions.

The WMC hosts a wide variety of musical genres and cultural influences as wind, brass, marching, concert and percussion bands all participate in their respective categories. Military bands also participate in the contest, such as the Musikkorps der Bundeswehr (Music corps of the German Armed Forces) and the Marinierskapel der Koninklijke Marine (Dutch Marine Band).

Kerkrade, much like many places in South Limburg, has a special and historical relationship to wind music. When coal was discovered in the 19th century, brass and harmony bands became a cultural and social backbone for the region.

They offered a foundation for future traditions such as the WMC. The concept of an international festival for wind music first came about during the recovery phase following World War II and turned into reality in 1951, when the first edition took place. Local Mining corporations often had their own bands which also participated in the early iterations of the WMC. It has since developed into a leading festival with a significant role in the development of wind music worldwide. The winners of the competitions are considered the world champions in their respective categories for the next four years.

Alongside the contests there are non-competitive and free events as well. “Blow! WMC óp d’r maat, WMC in ‘t sjadspark” and “WMC Fringe”. Blow! takes place in Kerkrade’s market square, WMC in ‘t sjadspark takes place in Kerkrade’s city park. WMC Fringe has multiple venues with shows at different times.

With such a large audience, the city center will be much busier, particularly near the main concert venues and around the concert performance times. Roads may be congested and parking difficult to find. Make sure to follow the directives given by traffic controllers when they are present. Stay vigilant when visiting crowded places and report any suspicious activity to local security or law enforcement agents.

Source: United States Army

BAUMHOLDER, Germany – U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz teamed up with the District and City of Baumholder to host a three-day festival honoring 75 years of German-American partnership in the region and 250 years of U.S. independence, July 3-5.

The festival took place at the former Baumholder Airfield, which is now a U.S. Army training area located inside a German military training area. The event drew crowds of Germans and Americans alike, with upwards of 20,000 guests estimated to have attended on July 4. Fest goers enjoyed live music and entertainment, fair food, carnival rides, military displays and a fireworks display to mark America’s 250th Independence Day.

The event made headlines. A crew from ABC News produced several live shots from the fest throughout the day on July 4 as part of Disney’s America 250 25-hour live broadcast. Local news SWR produced a lengthy piece featuring interviews from fest attendees, local leaders and event organizers.

To demonstrate the unique friendship between Americans and Germans in Baumholder, each nation hosted a day of the fest. On July 4, the Americans led the celebration in honor of Freedom 250, while on July 5, the German community took the helm, showcasing the culture, heritage and hospitality of the region.

“This back-to-back celebration perfectly captures the essence of our relationship, standing side by side, sharing our cultures, our history and our future,” said Col. Jeffery Higgins, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz commander.

While the garrison always marks the 4th of July with an on-post event open to servicemembers and their families and escorted guests, this was the first time the event stretched across three days and took place outside the fence.

Higgins noted that putting the event together was “no small lift.”

“This is the most complex operation that United States Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz has ever conducted,” he said. “It required a full year’s worth of intense planning, coordination, sheer hard work and a handful of last-minute ‘Hail Marys’.”

Joe Wucik, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz operations officer in Baumholder, served as the lead planner for the massive undertaking. He said a highlight of the planning was meeting the challenge of integrating the processes and capabilities of organizations from two nations across military, government and commercial enterprises.

“The biggest challenge was the location of the event,” Wucik said. “The location was somewhat remote and required a thorough plan for parking and transportation to the site.”

He added that the team worked out a “robust” security plan that incorporated U.S. and German Army military police and Polizei capabilities to assure a safe and secure experience for all fest attendees.

“The event was a true success, providing quality food and entertainment to both U.S. personnel and our German partners,” Wucik said.

Higgins said the festival means more than mere entertainment.

“It is a celebration of American Independence and all those who defend those ideals,” he said, “and it is a testament to 75 years of shared lives, shared challenges and shared triumphs here in Baumholder.”

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 Army

CLAY KASERNE, Germany — U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden raised more than $115,000 during its annual Army Emergency Relief campaign, the most ever collected at the installation. On July 1, the garrison recognized its top representatives and units for their efforts.

Army Emergency Relief is a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to active-duty and retired Soldiers, their families, and the orphans and spouses of Soldiers. Its mission is to help service members overcome unexpected financial challenges and promote long-term financial stability.

During the 2026 campaign, community members in Wiesbaden raised about $115,000, including roughly $106,000 in active-duty donations, with 56.82percent active-duty participation, the highest in the United States Army and Europe and Africa area of responsibility.

“I cannot be prouder. I am moved,” said Briana Johnson, the garrison’s AER officer. “I have been here for four years and did not think that we could ever reach something this big. We started out at $30,000. That was amazing for us. Now we’re at $115,000.”

The garrison placed first in Europe for the fourth consecutive year and earned third place Army-wide in the medium category, despite competing against larger training bases.

“It means that our community understands the value of AER and the reason for the campaign,” Johnson said. “In Wiesbaden, we don’t chase standards, we set them.”

Johnson credited the campaign’s success to its network of unit representatives, who collect nearly all donations by speaking with Soldiers in person.

The garrison trained more than 50 representatives and placed them in every company in an effort to reach every Soldier.

Command Sgt. Maj. Andre Brown emphasized the importance of spreading awareness.

“We have to get the word out. We can’t stop just right now. We have to educate our formation. We have to educate our troops. AER gives way more than what we give to AER,” Brown said. “One hundred percent of us should be able to give something. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but something.”

AER operates on a donation-based model, with all contributions going directly to support Soldiers and their family members in need. During this campaign period 1,270 Soldiers contributed through online donations, organizations and AAFES.

“AER is unlike any other program that we have,” said Garrison Commander Col. Ringo Midles. “If you’ve been in the Army and you’ve been in a leadership role, you know that there is going to come a moment where people can find themselves in need. And AER is one of those places where you go where there’s assistance, and they’re built for that. They’re built to help.”

Since June 2025, 160 people in the Wiesbaden community have received a combined $575,994 in assistance. The most common needs were initial rent and security deposits, emergency travel, and privately owned vehicle repairs.

“We make sure that they have those resources to get where they need to be, or to fulfill those obligations, to take care of those people that mean most to them,” Midles said. “We are taking care of our own, and we are going into our own pockets to do that.”

Johnson reiterated that Soldiers and families in need can always reach out.

“This is your ACS team. When you have problems, when you have situations that you’re not sure how to help your Soldier, this is the team you need to come see. We will find some way to support you with wraparound services. That’s what AER and financial readiness, ACS, is. What we are here for, for you guys. So, remember us,” Johnson said.

She also highlighted several lesser-known AER benefits.

“AER also offers scholarships for dependent children, grants for Soldiers in the Career Skills Program transitioning out of the Army, and a one-time loan credit for Soldiers who complete a course at financialfrontline.army.mil,” Johnson said.

Top unit (top dollar amount contributed)

B Company,24th Military Intelligence Battalion, 66th Military Intelligence Brigade– $17, 254

Unit representative awards (active-duty Soldiers dollar amount contributions)

1st Place: Chief Warrant Officer 2 Senan Zangana, B Company, 2nd Military Intelligence Battalion,66th Military Intelligence Brigade–$17,254 (installation record)

2nd Place: 1st Lt. Feleisha Wright, Multi-Domain Command – Europe– $14,108

3rd Place: Sgt. Daniel Urbauer, A Co, 24 MI BN, 66th MI BDE–$9,097

Unit representative awards (Active-duty Soldiers participation)

1st place: Sgt. John Hollar, B Co, 24th MI, 66th MI BDE–207 Active-Duty Soldiers

2nd place: Sgt. Jordan Allen, B Co, 24th MI, 66th MI BDE–133 Active-Duty Soldiers

3rd place: Sgt. Anisa Allison, 228th Brigade Support Company –96 Active-Duty Soldiers Participation

Top unit (active- duty Soldiers participation)

B Co, 24th MI, 66th MI BDE

Unit representative spotlight excellence award:

Sgt. 1st ClassExavier Flores-Perez, 102nd Signal Battalion – Fordedication, creativity and optimism

Individual active-duty Soldier award: top dollar contribution (individual Soldier)

Sgt. 1st Class Trevonn Fuller – Highest dollar amount contributed: $2,100 (Empowering Soldiers, Enhancing Lives)

Source: United States Army

SMYRNA, Tenn. — Twelve Tennessee Army National Guard Soldiers became the first graduates of the Tennessee Army National Guard’s inaugural Small Unmanned Aircraft System Master Trainer Course at the Volunteer Training Site in Smyrna, June 29, establishing a new capability to expand unmanned aircraft expertise across the force.

Conducted by the 1st Battalion, 117th Military Police Regiment, the two-week pilot course prepared experienced SUAS operators to return to their units as instructors, evaluators, and program managers capable of building and sustaining unit-level unmanned aircraft programs.

“This is the most advanced training we’ve ever provided to Soldiers on these systems, and it’s just the beginning of what we are capable of,” said Jeffery Barber, chief instructor for the course.

Unlike the Army’s Basic SUAS Operator Course, which focuses on safe operation and employment of unmanned aircraft systems, the Master Trainer Course develops Soldiers to certify new operators, advise commanders on system capabilities, oversee training programs, and integrate SUAS into mission planning.

“Everybody attending the course already knows how to fly and has attended a pilot’s course or equivalent,” Barber said. “We dive deep into training methodology and understanding various platform capabilities so our graduates can train others and brief commanders on capabilities, what’s possible, and what risks they’re accepting.”

While most students previously completed the Army’s operator course, commanders could also nominate Soldiers with equivalent military or civilian experience, including those holding Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate certification, allowing experienced operators to enter the advanced program.

Throughout the course, Soldiers received instruction in SUAS doctrine, advanced meteorology, crew coordination, airspace management, risk management, Army regulations, instructor methodology, training management and flight proficiency. During the culminating field exercise at Volunteer Training Site Tullahoma, students planned missions, conducted aerial reconnaissance, analyzed terrain, collected imagery, and demonstrated their ability to safely employ unmanned aircraft systems in realistic operational scenarios.

“We ensured that all our graduates were tested and capable of flying and teaching any mission they may be called to perform in combat,” Barber said.

Students trained primarily on the Skydio RQ-28A, a lightweight quadcopter that provides infantry units with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities during day and night operations. They also received familiarization training on the Skydio RQ-28C and the Neros Archer.

“The technology and systems are changing so rapidly that we designed this course to remain flexible,” Barber said. “Our Soldiers must be able to quickly incorporate new platforms into their units while using the newest doctrine and lessons learned from current conflicts. It is our responsibility to ensure they return to their units with the best training and information available.”

For Travis Robinson, commander of the Multi-Purpose Company, 3rd Battalion, 278th Cavalry Regiment, the course represented more than advanced flight instruction.

“This course is very different from the Operator Course,” Robinson said. “It teaches us how to train Soldiers, manage records, control airspace, and understand the requirements behind building a successful program. If we, as leadership and command teams, don’t understand what it takes to be proficient at these systems, then it becomes a wasted asset.”

Robinson said unmanned aircraft systems provide commanders with greater situational awareness while reducing risk to Soldiers operating on the ground.

“Instead of putting eyes on, we can put eyes over,” Robinson said. “It gives us a different angle to see threats and provides us with a safer means to acquire valuable, real-time intelligence on the battlefield.”

The course directly supports the 278th Cavalry Regiment as it continues its transition from an Armored Brigade Combat Team to a Mobile Brigade Combat Team. As one of the Army National Guard’s first brigades selected for the transformation, the regiment is fielding emerging capabilities including the Infantry Squad Vehicle, advanced unmanned aircraft systems, extended-range precision fires, and electronic warfare.

“This training isn’t something you learn once and walk away from,” Robinson said. “The technology changes. The battlefield changes. If you don’t do this on a regular basis, you’re going to be left behind. Tennessee and the 278th are at the forefront of this new technology and will remain leaders in this field.”

The Tennessee Army National Guard plans to conduct another SUAS Master Trainer Course in 2027, pending evaluation of the pilot program by the National Guard Bureau.

Source: United States Army

Rockaway Twp., N.J. — Community members, military veterans, and local elected officials gathered July 2 to commemorate the opening of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall, paying tribute to the more than 58,000 Americans who lost their lives during the Vietnam War.

The opening ceremony marked the beginning of the Moving Wall’s several-day stay in Rockaway, where visitors will have the opportunity to reflect, remember, and honor those whose names are etched into the memorial.

Serving as the keynote speaker, U.S. Army Garrison Picatinny Arsenal Garrison Commander Lt. Col. Craig A. Bonham II, emphasized the importance of preserving the legacy of Vietnam veterans while recognizing the enduring sacrifices made by service members and their families.

“As we stand before the moving wall, we see thousands of names,” said Bonham. “But those names are far more than letters carved into stone. Each represents a life. A dream. A family. A story left unfinished.

“Some were sons and daughters. Some were husbands and wives. Some were brothers, sisters, classmates, teammates, and neighbors. They laughed, hoped, planned for the future, and loved those around them. Their sacrifice reminds us that the true cost of war is measured not only in battles fought, but in lives forever changed.

The garrison commander also acknowledged the unique role the Vietnam generation played in shaping today’s military.

“When many Vietnam veterans returned home, they often did not receive the welcome they deserved,” Bonham said. “Instead of parades and celebrations, some faced misunderstanding, criticism, and indifference. Despite these challenges, they carried on. They built families, strengthened communities, and continued serving their nation in countless ways.

“Today, we have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to ensure that their service is never forgotten.”

The ceremony featured the presentation of colors, the national anthem, an invocation, and remarks from community leaders who helped bring the exhibit to the town. Representatives from veterans organizations joined local officials in welcoming visitors to the memorial, underscoring the community’s commitment to honoring those who served.

Among those attending were members of the local veteran community, active-duty Soldiers, civic leaders, first responders, and residents spanning multiple generations. Families walked quietly among the panels following the ceremony, many pausing to locate the names of loved ones, friends, and fellow service members.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall is a half-size traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Since its creation, the exhibit has visited hundreds of communities across the United States, allowing those unable to travel to the nation’s capital an opportunity to experience the memorial closer to home.

For many veterans in attendance, the exhibit served as a deeply personal reminder of friendships forged in combat and lives forever changed by war. For younger visitors, it offered a powerful lesson in American history and military service.

“As the moving wall comes to our community, let it serve as a place where remembrance overcomes division, where gratitude replaces silence, and where honor is paid to those who gave so much for our country,” Bonham said.

“May we leave here committed to preserving their legacy, telling their stories, and ensuring that future generations understand the sacrifices made by the men and women of the Vietnam era.”

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall will remain on display in Rockaway through July 6, where it is open to the public 24 hours a day. Organizers encourage residents, schools, veterans’ groups, and visitors from surrounding communities to take time to experience the memorial and pay their respects.

Source: United States Army

AUSTIN, Texas – Army Reserve Soldiers leveraged cutting-edge technology to modernize administrative and planning tasks, demonstrating new artificial intelligence applications during a collaborative code-a-thon held at a company that focuses on search engine technology and generative AI, in Austin May 14, 2026.

Lt. Col. Jason Kim, deputy commander and AI product director, Army Reserve Applications Group (AAG), 75th U.S. Army Reserve Innovation Command, led the event, providing command leadership with a comprehensive summary of AI tools developed during the session. The leadership visit highlighted the strategic importance of integrating advanced digital capabilities into standard military operations. Kim works as director of data science and analytics in his civilian role.

The code‑a‑thon was designed to spark innovation and strengthen collaboration across the AAG, thus emphasizing the development of innovative, in‑house technological solutions. Soldiers experimented with practical AI applications to streamline daily administrative and operational tasks, ultimately enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and overall mission readiness.

“The code-a-thon is designed to foster innovation and collaboration among personnel by exploring practical uses of artificial intelligence,” Kim said while briefing leadership on the unit’s progress.

“As AI continues to disrupt commercial industries at a breakneck pace, it is vital that our current and future Soldiers learn to leverage these exact same capabilities to solve tactical and operational Army problems,” Kim said.

“We are no longer operating in a vacuum. We are actively competing against global adversaries who are leveraging these identical, low-barrier-to-entry commercial AI tools to exploit our tactical and administrative asymmetries,” he explained.

This year’s code-a-thon is the fourth iteration hosted by AAG and executing an event of this technical caliber within a military framework required eight months of intensive planning and coordination.

Planning and Coordination

The planning effort focused not just on logistics, but on creating a modern engineering environment. To achieve this, Kim outlined several key planning steps:

Quick alignment with operational partners to scope down complex, real-world Army problem statements.

Building on the existing foundation of operationalizing technical product development teams, using the exact same best practices and agile frameworks we run in civilian settings.

Coordinate and establish a secure, open-internet development environment and infrastructure that grants

AAG teams direct access to best-in-class, commercial-grade AI models.

Kim said the two‑week code‑a‑thon was built around two core objectives, both aimed at strengthening the Army Reserve’s ability to innovate rapidly and retain top technical talent.

“Our first goal was retention through training how we will fight,” Kim explained. “We wanted to show how we can operationalize our highly specialized technical Soldiers by pairing them with top‑tier AI capabilities to solve real‑world friction points.” He noted that retaining elite tech talent requires giving Soldiers meaningful technical problems rather than traditional, non‑technical tasks.

“This training proved how we can pair technical Soldiers with legacy Army problems and completely reimagine them with an AI‑first mentality,” he said.

Kim also highlighted a second objective: demonstrating the Army Reserve’s ability to deliver fast, tangible advancements that typically take far longer through traditional acquisition processes. “I wanted to prove that our force can generate real value for the Army in a fraction of the usual time,” Kim said. “And this code‑a‑thon showed exactly that.”

While physical challenges are often the backbone of traditional military team‑building, the dynamic shifts inside a technical unit. According to Kim, nothing builds cohesion faster than a “high‑stakes, time‑constrained product and engineering sprint.”

“When you throw 15 highly motivated individuals into a room and task them with building and operationalizing advanced AI models from scratch, like a novel multimodal Video RAG engine, you see barriers disappear immediately,” Kim said.

The code‑a‑thon environment forced software engineers, product managers, data scientists, and military domain experts to learn one another’s languages and depend on each other’s specialized skills. Soldiers frequently worked late into the night as the team pushed toward a hard deadline, creating a level of urgency rarely found in traditional training settings.

“That kind of pressure creates trust fast,” Kim explained. “The mutual respect and shared purpose that developed during this sprint far exceeded anything you could get from classroom instruction.”

The experience, he added, not only strengthened technical collaboration but also demonstrated what a modern Army team can achieve when unified around a mission‑focused engineering challenge.

During the event, Soldiers produced several advanced prototypes, including a video Retrieval‑Augmented Generation video tool for MP tactical operations, known as MP Sentinel -Video RAG, a TA‑50 computer vision application designed to eliminate the inventory tax or system overload and a “Soldier Passport” system built to streamline administrative readiness.

Team Building

As the code‑a‑thon progressed, leaders across Kim’s unit emphasized how the event not only accelerated innovation but also showcased the depth of technical expertise within the Army Reserve. Maj. Eric Metzler, an innovation team lead assigned to AAG, Mountain View Battalion, who led a team of data scientists throughout the sprint, said the experience highlighted the unique advantages the Reserve brings to complex problem‑solving.

“Leading a team of data scientists against some of the Army Reserve’s toughest problems has been very rewarding,” Metzler said. “There’s a deep bench of talent in the Reserve, and getting to point that talent and the civilian experience we have in AAG at real problems is a great spot to be in. We have a clear mandate to use new technology to get ahead of the next fight, and the Soldiers in AAG take that seriously.”

Metzler said the opportunity to lead a cutting‑edge AI development team was something he never expected to encounter at this point in his military career. “Honestly, I didn’t see anything like this happening at this stage,” he said.

“I came up as a Field Artillery officer on Active Duty, so working technical problems alongside a team of talented Reservists is a big shift, said Metzler, who also works as an Army Civilian data scientist for Army Network Enterprise Technology Command.

He explained that when he transitioned into the Army Reserve six years ago, he never imagined building AI proofs of concept or challenging senior leaders to rethink the future of training and warfighting. “I’m grateful I get to keep serving and stay in the fight in a new way,” he added.

OSJ 26 Video Rag Demo

The code‑a‑thon also served as a critical rehearsal with AAG leadership for one of the unit’s most important upcoming milestones: presenting the Video‑RAG prototype during OSJ 26. OSJ 26 (June 7-20), is historic milestone as the largest training event in the history of the U.S. Army Reserve, drawing an estimated 12,000+ Soldiers. The massive exercise comprises a Combat Support Training Exercise, Global Medic, and a dedicated Technical Evaluation. Together, these elements deliver a high-fidelity, multi-echelon, and joint operational environment specifically designed to sharpen unit readiness for Large-Scale Combat Operations.

Throughout the code-a-thon, Kim’s team of Innovators refined both the technical performance of the Video RAG system and the accompanying operational narrative in preparation for a high‑level briefing to the 200th MP Command, commanding and deputy commanding generals and commanding general of the 75th USARIC. This added layer of purpose transformed the event from a development sprint into a strategic showcase, ensuring the team was fully prepared to demonstrate how AI‑driven tools can directly enhance military police operations.

Col. Christopher Christian, then commander of the AAG, and the 75th USARIC OSJ 26 Task Force commander, provided guidance on the particulars to key up when presenting at OSJ 26, while taking note of what talking points to expand on when briefing to the generals.

“Lieutenant Colonel Kim’s team did an amazing job given the amount of time they had to – not only prepare the presentation for Video RAG but also prepare two other AI application demos for the AAG leadership visit. This goes to show the power of what highly capable Soldiers can do when equipped with the right AI tools,” Christian said.

“Based on what I saw, today, I’m confident Lieutenant Colonel Kim and his team will hit the key points for the Video RAG demonstration when presenting to the generals at OSJ.”

OSJ 26 Video RAG Presentation

Based on Col. Christian’s confidence in the team’s preparation, the presentation at OSJ 26 marked a pivotal opportunity for Lt. Col. Kim and his team of innovators to showcase the full potential of the Video RAG system. Building on the momentum generated during the code-a-thon, Kim’s briefing shifted from development to operational impact, highlighting how the prototype directly supports military police readiness and enhances mission execution.

His presentation served not only as a demonstration of technical achievement but as a forward-looking example of how advanced AI capabilities can be integrated into large-scale training environments to meet emerging Army Reserve priorities.

“Presenting at Sentinel Justice 26 was an incredible milestone because it completely validated our hypothesis. The future of Army Reserve exercises must feature technical Soldiers and operators co-building AI solutions together at the tactical edge. The five-day development sprint by just four of our AAG Soldiers, wasn’t just a tech demo, but it was a blueprint for what future collective training looks like,” said Kim.

“By approaching our legacy workflows with an AI‑first mindset, we’re able to remove many of the repetitive tasks that pull focus away from our core combat power,” he added.

The support from AAG and 75th USARIC senior leadership has been a masterclass in driving institutional agility. Their backing has been deeply enabling, Kim shared after the OSJ 26 presentation.

“Having the opportunity to share that vision with senior leadership across the 200th MP Command and demonstrate the art of the possible was an absolute privilege,” said Kim.

Source: United States Army

USAG BAVARIA – HOHENFELS, Germany – The military community at Hohenfels opened a festival July 3, 2026 that celebrated not only the longstanding local U.S.-German partnership but also the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.

The 52nd annual Hohenfels German-American Volksfest started off with a traditional keg-tapping in the fest tent accompanied by singing and the music of the local youth brass band.

“This weekend we celebrate two major milestones for our country and for our community partnership,” said Angela Lane, deputy garrison manager for Hohenfels, during the opening ceremony. “Tomorrow marks the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. It has been a quarter of a millennium since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, where our founding fathers laid out that all men are created equal and are endowed with certain unalienable rights: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

“The other important milestone was the growth of the training area 75 years ago,” Lane continued. “The U.S. Army expanded the training area westward in 1951, which helped the U.S. Army and its allies better train and better adapt to maneuver warfare.”

Col. Christopher Kirkpatrick, commander of Operations Group, Joint Multinational Readiness Center, spoke to the gathered crowd as well.

“Traditionally, Hohenfels opens this Volksfest earlier in the season, in the spring,” Kirkpatrick said. “There is beauty in the sharing of this day and people’s festival, that celebrates heritage and brings us together as neighbors.

“I’m proud to be here with all of you as free people who share a common cause and a genuine sense of care for one another,” Kirkpatrick continued.

Christian Graf, the mayor of Markt Hohenfels, for which the U.S. Army installation is named, also spoke on the occasion. He reflected not only on the historicity of the Volksfest but on the relationships that formed during the training area’s history.

“Countless connections, family ties, friendships that have emerged from that, and many shared celebrations and events all stand as testament to our good relationship,” Graf said. “Let us nurture this friendship and celebrate together. Exchanges between different cultures and nations serve international understanding and mutual respect and ultimately form the foundation for peace.”

Kirkpatrick swung the mallet and tapped the ceremonial keg, after which the brewers filled a few ceremonial mugs and the gathered crowd in the tent sang the traditional German song “Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit,” a song sung in cheer to invoke well-being.

Outside the tent, the festival was underway with rides spinning, families attempting to win prizes in games of luck and skill, and the smell of candied nuts, Mexican tacos, Polish pierogi, American burgers, German Würste drifting through the festival lanes.

The band “Members” played traditional fest music back in the tent as servers doled out liters of beer and crispy fried German entrees with potato salad sides.

As is traditional with a festival celebrating American independence, once dark settled, the night ended with fireworks. Festgoers gazed up at colorful explosions followed by a rain of crackling sulfuric sparks.

The festival continues through July 5. Visitors can explore historic and current German and American military vehicles July 4 and 5. Early arrivers July 5 can claim bus tour tickets to see more of the garrison and the training area.