Category: Security

Source: United States Army

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – The latest class of future combat medics is nearing completion of the 68W Healthcare Specialist Military Occupational Specialty Transition course at the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 166th Regiment – Regional Training Institute.

The 68W MOS-T course is a 59-day course conducted by the 166th RTI’s Medical Battalion Training Site that prepares Soldiers transitioning from other MOSs to become combat medics.

The course takes students through three phases, with a culminating event on the last day of training. During the culminating event, the students are put into simulated combat scenarios, including a mass-casualty event.

“In the culminating event we put them in as high of a fidelity simulation as we can and have them actually practice these skills that they’ve been training to do,” said Staff Sgt. Caden Schultheis, a 68W course instructor with the 4th Battalion, 166th RTI.

During phase one, students complete the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians course and become nationally registered as EMTs.

During phase two, students transition into the 68W MOS-T course, where they are introduced to a “sick call” and a limited primary care setting.

They are then transitioned into phase three, where they are trained on field medicine and practice on-the-line care.

“Learning everything that it takes to be a certified national EMT in three weeks, that was the most challenging part of it,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Hodson of the 728th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. “Once we got past phase one, we actually started getting more hands on.”

Hodson explained his admiration for the course and the knowledge it has given him, even stating that throughout his 18 years in the Army this course was the most challenging for him yet.

“I can’t say anything but great things about my experience in the course,” said Hodson. “It was challenging and completely applicable.”

“We [combat medics] prepare you in ways that others don’t,” said Schultheis. “We’re learning all sorts of different stuff when we get to our duty station, in addition to all the medical knowledge that will accrue. So, I would say it’s the best I’ve ever been in the Army, and it’s really worth the effort.”

Source: United States Army

PHANOM SARAKHAM DISTRICT, CHACHOENGSAO, Thailand — When a disaster happens and lives are in danger, time might be the most critical asset first responders have.

“We train together, [so] we can respond together swiftly, safely and respectively, supporting Thai authorities and local communities when called,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Prendergrast, commander, 40th Infantry Division, California Army National Guard.

U.S. joint services and partners from the Royal Thai Armed Forces and Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department conducted a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, or HADR, demonstration Feb. 27 during Exercise Cobra Gold 2026 at the Disaster Relief Training Centre in Phanom Sarakham District, Chachoengsao, Thailand.

“Cobra Gold demonstrates our enduring partnership with the Kingdom of Thailand and our collective commitment to readiness and life-saving humanitarian cooperation. Today’s HADR demonstration embodies that commitment,” Prendergrast said. “What we saw today is joint search and rescue teams, medical partners and civil-military coordination, which reflects practical training that will save lives if and when disaster strikes.”

The humanitarian assistance and disaster relief component of Exercise Cobra Gold 2026 is designed to sharpen the ability of multinational forces to respond quickly and effectively to real-world crises. The seven fully participating nations in Cobra Gold 26 — the United States, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the Republic of Korea — conducted combined planning and field drills that emphasize coordination, information sharing and operational awareness during disasters. A centerpiece of this effort is the HADR demonstration, where forces operate side by side in realistic scenarios such as search and rescue, medical response and urgent life-saving support.

For U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Ricky Manglona, 420th Chemical Battalion, Washington Army National Guard, training in Thailand during these events is more than just a job; it’s about ensuring his family receives assistance when they need it.

“Every time we come and train with the Thais, it’s like seeing our extended family again, like coming over for a holiday or family coming back together,” Manglona said. “So we exchange our stories, like where we’ve been, what we’ve been doing, and then we catch up pretty quick. We work as a team because we train the same, they know the U.S. standards and we know the Thai standards.”

He was just one of the U.S. Soldiers and Airmen who participated in a joint hazmat entry response with the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, the Washington National Guard Homeland Response Force, and the Washington National Guard Civil Support Team.

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kristen Retherford, 10th Civil Support Team, Washington National Guard, was one of the lead planners and the first participant to enter the obstacle during the demonstration. Her training and experience with the 10th Civil Support Team prepared her to work side by side with the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department.

“The basics of HAZMAT and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear response are the same no matter who is conducting the mission. So whether it is a commercial vehicle spill or leak from a weapon of mass destruction response, the basics are the same,” Retherford said. “You have to assess the situation, detect and monitor for any hazards and make decisions from there to save lives.”

The HADR demonstration emphasizes the integration of specialized search-and-rescue units, including teams with search-and-rescue dogs trained to locate survivors in complex environments. In parallel, Cobra Gold 2026 incorporates simulated evacuation and emergency operations, including a medical response, allowing multinational teams to rehearse the safe movement of civilians from crisis areas to secure locations.

Just as important, the HADR training strengthened relationships between military forces and civilian emergency responders, ensuring smoother coordination during floods, earthquakes and other large-scale humanitarian crises.

“We build that continuity, we build those relationships and work together to get better and learn,” Manglona said. “Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, they’re like the best premier firefighters in Thailand. Hands down, they’re just the best, and I learn a lot from them every time I come here.”

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Source: United States Army

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – When Alaska Army National Guard Land Component Commander Col. Aaron Kelsey greeted Director of the Army National Guard Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs at the entrance of the Alaska Army National Guard Readiness Center Feb. 20, the mercury had plummeted to 6 degrees below zero with the chill condensing the air to the point the bronzed Minute Man statue standing watch over the Army officers’ meetup was festooned in a layer of frigid frost.

Standing as a representation of the 1,542 Citizen Soldiers and Arctic-capable, mission-ready forces within the Alaska Army National Guard, the statue’s symbolism as a guardian sentry over the North emerged throughout the director’s visit.

Stubbs, accompanied by Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Kendrick, met with Kelsey, Alaska Army National Guard Command Chief Warrant Officer 5 Mark Nieto and Alaska Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Baker before meeting with Alaska Army National Guard leadership and speaking to hundreds of Alaska Army National Guard Soldiers at the readiness center.

Kelsey and the Alaska Army National Guard staff shared several issues with Stubbs and his staff during the leadership meeting.

Arctic aviation is right-sized

When Alaska overlays a map of the continental United States, the vastness of the state is abundantly clear. The distance between Attu in the Aleutian Islands and Belle Bay in Southeast Alaska is 2,400 miles, nearly matching the 2,460 miles bridging New York City and Los Angeles.

Despite great distances, only a tiny fraction of the state is reachable by highway, leaving aviation as the primary means of reaching most communities. This paradigm came sharply into focus during fall 2025’s hurricane-force storms that devastated Western Alaska communities. During the 207th Aviation Troop Command’s response, the helicopter unit flew more than 330 hours, evacuating 501 civilians, transporting 741 disaster response personnel and moving more than 90 tons of cargo.

Arctic Combat Casualty Care

The U.S. military has relied on the “Golden Hour,” a time standard of evacuating critically wounded and injured troops to a higher level of medical care, for the past two decades. Maj. Titus Rund, 207th Aviation Troop Command flight surgeon, said a more realistic standard in a highly contested Arctic environment is “Golden Days,” requiring extended and effective prolonged casualty care.

“We need to accept that medical evacuation may be delayed or denied altogether in a high-end Arctic fight,” Rund said. “Momentum wins war – and casualties stop momentum. If we can’t stabilize and protect our injured in the cold, we lose more than lives. We lose initiative.”

To address the considerable challenges of providing prolonged casualty care in Arctic or extreme-cold environments, Rund submitted a patent on behalf of the Department of War for a casualty-evacuation, or CASEVAC, ecosystem.

The CASEVAC Ecosystem creates a “bubble of warmth” for the casualty and combat casualty care providers by allowing the casualty protection unit – a combined shelter and sled – to dock at a purpose-built casualty collection point shelter. The design enables rapid evacuation from the point of injury to definitive roles of care.

Rund also conceived of and leads a team in the development of an Augmented Reality TeleMentor system funded by U.S. Northern Command through Special Operations Command North in support of Special Operations Forces Arctic Medic exercises. The goal of the system is to upskill medics to perform tasks under the TeleMentor direction of surgeons who may be hundreds of feet or hundreds of miles away from the “point of need,” as demonstrated in the Ukraine conflict.

Drill travel reimbursement

Another challenge posed by the lack of roads in Alaska is getting Alaska Citizen Soldiers from their homes in rural Alaska to unit locations in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks or hub communities that host armories.

The Joint Travel Regulation permits the Secretary of War to authorize travel reimbursement for Reserve Component members commuting beyond local distances for monthly drills. However, policies in place limit the identification of critical shortages, which preclude drill travel reimbursement for most Alaska Army National Guard Soldiers.

Missile Defense and the importance of Space

Stubbs boarded an Alaska Army National Guard C-12 Huron executive transport aircraft Feb. 21 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, then flew the short journey over the towering Alaska Range to Fort Wainwright. He observed infantry training there before driving to the Fort Greely Missile Defense Complex, where he met with Soldiers from the 49th Missile Defense Battalion.

After seeing the mission and training support missions at the Fire Team Readiness Facility, Stubbs spoke with Military Police Soldiers at the Security Control Center, who are responsible for patrolling the complex on even the coldest, snowiest days. Stubbs then moved to the Fire Direction Center, where 49th Missile Defense Battalion Soldiers spoke with him about how they detect, target and destroy incoming ballistic missiles that threaten America.

‘Nobody can do what we do’

Stubbs opened remarks for the Alaska Army National Guard all-call by recognizing Alaska’s Soldiers’ response during the former Typhoon Halong in Western Alaska.

“What you were doing, no kidding, saved lives,” Stubbs said. “You were in the midst of hoisting people off structures that were swept out to sea, saving lives and preserving families. It was incredible.”

Stubbs highlighted how National Guard Soldiers must be ready to respond to disasters and unrest in their states while simultaneously standing ready to deploy overseas into a combat zone for federal contingency and wartime operations.

“Nobody does what the National Guard does,” Stubbs said. “Nobody can do what we do – Citizen Soldiers out there at the tip of the spear inside your respective states.”

“Being a Soldier in the Army National Guard is a big deal,” Stubbs continued. “We’re 332,000 strong, across all 54 states, territories and the District of Columbia. Thirty-three percent of the Army is in the Army Guard. But here’s the deal: We’re the Combat Reserve of the Army, so that 42 percent of the [combat] power is in the Army National Guard.”

Stubbs commended Alaska Army National Guard Soldiers for being the Army National Guard’s and the nation’s Arctic experts.

“The things that you deal with in terms of the conditions, the tyranny of distance and the challenges that come with operating in this type of environment, whether it is just training, Warrior Battle Tasks and Drills, collective training at echelon, it’s not simple,” Stubbs said. “It speaks to the character of this great organization.”

Stubbs said he and Kendrick are confident that the Alaska Army National Guard and its Soldiers are always ready to accomplish any mission, state or federal.

“We are proud of you, we are proud of who you are, what you do and what you represent,” Stubbs said. “I leave you with this: We’re Guardsmen. We need to be proud of that. Nobody else can do what we do, nobody.”

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Source: United States Army

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – Ninety-two teens from across North Jersey and beyond came together on Thursday, Feb. 26 to learn how to launch their own technical careers at the 11th annual “Introduce a Teen to Engineering Day.”

Those in attendance browsed tables providing information on Engineering Under Pressure, Energetics and Warheads, Fire Control for Air and Ground, Robotics, and more. The teens had the chance to discuss STEM topics with some of the nation’s best engineers and scientists and learn what goes into preparing the next generation of U.S. Army armament systems.

Several colleges were present, including the Stevens Institute of Technology, County College of Morris, Fairleigh Dickinson University and NJIT.

According to U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center Supervisory General Engineer Jennifer Page, this event started when the Picatinny Arsenal STEM office saw a need to ensure teens were being introduced to engineering. The first year had five or six tables in the hallway, and Page said it’s been gradually growing since to the 30 tables in the conference center present this year, all the while taking suggestions from attendees on what they want to see.

“There are many ways to be an engineer, and there are many different disciplines. If they have an interest in an area, there’s probably an engineering discipline for them and a career field they can explore,” she said.

The robot dog, a program known as LoneWolf, drew many curious teens. Computer scientist Mary Falcigno noted LoneWolf’s excellent ability to keep Soldiers safe and help them complete missions while looking like “something out of science fiction.”

The teens also had the chance to name the dog, and according to Falcigno, while a name hasn’t been settled on, the team received many excellent suggestions.

“Seeing something that has been popular online in person, plus being able to contribute to naming our robot, made the table a hit with students,” she reflected.

The attendees were also enamored by two tables operated by PM Soldier Lethality. Here, the teens had the chance to lift and hold next generation individual Soldier weapons, the M7 and the M250.

“Everyone’s interested in actually touching what the Soldiers carry, and they’re impressed with how heavy the weapon is,” said Maj. Mark Fischbach. “It hits home that you got to be in shape in the military, and all the things the Soldiers have to go through to be combat effective.”

Jocelyn Lovins, a Morris Catholic High School student, was among the young attendees. Lovins has been accepted to study mechanical engineering at Fairfield University in Connecticut, and will intern at Picatinny Arsenal next summer, helping to package artillery.

“I’ve visited here a few times for other events, and seeing how electricals, mechanicals and chemicals work together to make something, big or small, it has a big impact,” the physics lover explained. Yesenia Lovins, her mother, vividly recalled how excited her daughter was when she came home and spoke of how she wanted to go into engineering.

Jackson Oatley and Ryan Burke came as members of the North Warren Regional High School Robotics Team. Oatley was one of those fascinated by the PM Soldier Lethality table, while Burke was captivated by the COMET Advanced Manufacturing Center’s printing displays.

“I thought it was really cool how they were able to print out different textures and materials. They were able to print out a metal cube, which I thought was very cool,” said Burke.

Reilly Irish of Wallkill Valley High School said he was invited by a teacher, and that while he’s not sure what he wants to do for his career, he found many of the tables intriguing. He said he was most fascinated by the display on area denial munitions.

“It’s the material that they’re made of, I think I’d expect them to be a little heavier than they are,” he quipped.

Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Agile Sustainment and Ammunition and Commanding General of Picatinny Arsenal, spoke from the stage. He noted how important the arsenal’s work is and how critical engineering is in both preserving global stability and in ensuring Soldiers return home.

Reim encouraged the teens to ask questions, to network and explore, and to be aggressive in their pursuits.

“The next piece of technology that will power our Army’s transformation and protect America for the next 250 years might be an idea that starts in your mind right here tonight,” Reim said. “The future isn’t something we just wait for. It’s something we build, and we are counting on you to build it.”

Source: United States Army

ALASKA — In the unforgiving Arctic environment, where extreme cold, distance and terrain impose relentless demands on Soldiers and equipment alike, sustainment operations must function with precision, adaptability and speed.

During Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) Alaska, the Logistics Support Element (Division), assigned to the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade under Army Sustainment Command, served as a conduit between the 11th Airborne Division and the Army Materiel Command enterprise — accelerating solutions that extended beyond the tactical level.

The 402nd AFSB, as Army Sustainment Command’s theater Army Field Support Brigade for U.S. Army Pacific, delivers enterprise sustainment across the Indo-Pacific through its Army Field Support Battalions in Alaska and Hawaii. For Army Field Support Battalion–Alaska, JPMRC represents a large-scale validation of its ability to integrate installation support, enterprise reach and field-level responsiveness in one of the Army’s most demanding environments.

Rather than acting as an additional layer of command, the LSE (D) provides access to enterprise-level capabilities designed to resolve sustainment challenges that exceed division-level capacity. By synchronizing with the 11th Airborne Division G-4 and working alongside AFSBn–Alaska sustainment professionals, the team translates operational friction into actionable requirements addressed through Life Cycle Management Commands and subject-matter experts across the Army.

“Our role during JPMRC was to connect division-level challenges to enterprise-level solutions,” said Maj. Makar. “When a problem exceeded the tactical level, we leveraged the Army Materiel Command network to resolve it rapidly.”

Lt. Col. Eric J. Erickson, commander of AFSBn–Alaska, explained that the LSE (D) provides capabilities not organic to the division’s sustainment structure.

“The LSE provides direct synchronization of Life Cycle Management Command representatives and enables effective command and control of enterprise-level sustainment capabilities,” Erickson said. “It connects the division to specialized expertise and resources that are not organic to the formation.”

That enterprise reach proved decisive when an electrical issue rendered a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle non-mission capable. After unit-level troubleshooting and evacuation procedures were completed, the LSE (D) engaged a Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Logistics Assistance Representative to diagnose and correct the failure. The vehicle was restored to operational status within 24 hours, preserving combat power during a critical phase of the rotation.

Enterprise integration extended beyond ground platforms. When communications degradation threatened connectivity across dispersed training areas, the LSE (D) exercised a call forward to engage Communications-Electronics Command subject-matter experts.

“We exercised a call forward and physically drove into the exercise area to work on a Very Small Aperture Terminal, or VSAT,” Makar said. “Due to the satellites’ equatorial positioning, the dish required precise re-triangulation. Until formations fully transition to next-generation systems, those terminals remain critical to operations.”

By rapidly connecting units to specialized expertise, the 402nd AFSB ensured communications — and therefore mission command — remained uninterrupted during the rotation.

Beyond resolving individual equipment failures, the LSE (D) and AFSBn–Alaska contribute to enterprise-wide readiness by identifying trends that extend beyond a single formation or rotation.

“We have the ability to operate at the enterprise level,” Makar said. “For aviation systems, we observed recurring issues with blower motors inside AH-64 cockpits. Those failures followed a predictable cycle. By providing that trend analysis to the Army Materiel Command enterprise, we help drive solutions that impact the entire fleet — not just one unit.”

Through digital tools and shared visibility platforms, the LSE (D) translates operational data gathered during exercises like JPMRC into actionable insights. Leveraging platforms such as Vantage and Maven, the team aggregates maintenance data, identifies recurring failure patterns and strengthens predictive sustainment efforts. Rather than reacting to equipment breakdowns, sustainment planners can anticipate demand signals and adjust support posture before readiness is degraded.

This enterprise feedback loop ensures lessons learned in Alaska strengthen readiness far beyond the Arctic.

While sustainment processes remain consistent between garrison and exercise environments, the Arctic amplifies every variable.

“In Alaska, temperature changes everything,” Erickson said. “Extreme cold impacts maintenance timelines, equipment reliability and the way we manage personnel. We’ve conducted operations in temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees, with wind chills reaching minus 56. At those levels, work-rest cycles become critical — you might spend 15 minutes outside and require 45 minutes inside to recover. Even receiving a HIMARS system overnight requires thawing the equipment before we can safely begin maintenance. Sustainment here requires anticipation, adaptation and respect for the environment.”

These realities transform sustainment into a matter of survivability as much as readiness, underscoring the importance of AFSBn–Alaska’s daily mission in support of the 11th Airborne Division.

Looking beyond the current rotation, Erickson said JPMRC provides measurable feedback for both installation-level support and enterprise integration.

“From an installation perspective, we’re examining policies and processes — particularly in areas like Central Issue Facility operations — to identify opportunities to streamline support and remove friction,” Erickson said. “From the LSE perspective, maintaining a fully integrated Logistics Support Element during JPMRC demonstrates measurable value to the division. It reinforces the importance of enterprise synchronization and positions us to refine that model moving forward.”

Exercises like JPMRC serve as validation points for both the battalion and the broader 402nd AFSB network, testing equipment endurance, sustainment systems and operational processes under extreme conditions.

Ultimately, the LSE (D) and AFSBn–Alaska enable the warfighter by preserving time and combat power.

“It saves time, preserves readiness and allows units to focus on warfighting skills,” Makar said. “We are strategic enablers, solving Army-wide problems at the point of friction.”

For leaders across the force, the message is clear: the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade and its subordinate battalions provide scalable, enterprise-connected sustainment designed to meet the combatant commander’s demand signal — in Alaska and across the Indo-Pacific.

Source: United States Army

ANSBACH, Germany — USAG Ansbach holds its next Community Leaders’ Information Forum (CLIF) Wednesday, March 17, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at the Von Steuben Community Center.

The CLIF is held quarterly and open to the USAG Ansbach community. The intent is to enable communication between Ansbach community spouses, unit FRG leaders, Garrison leadership, and key service partners.

The CLIF will be live-streamed on the Garrison Facebook page at Facebook.com/USAGAnsbachCommunity.

The CLIF addresses garrison services, community updates, and provides community members the opportunity to interact directly with directorates and service providers. Information is shared, feedback is heard, and conversation is encouraged.

The December 2025 CLIF slides are available at: https://go.mil/34b8w39yt5. Updated slides for March 2026 will be made available here.

Source: United States Army

MIHAIL KOGĂLNICEANU AIR BASE, Romania – U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 214th Military Police Company, Alabama Army National Guard continue to demonstrate steadfast commitment to the safety and security of U.S. Army Garrison Black Sea. This week, they had the opportunity to execute a joint active threat training exercise with the Romanian, French, and German Armed Forces on Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base.

While forward-deployed in Romania, the 214th Military Police Company remains responsible for law enforcement, force protection, physical security, customs, and in-transit security operations.

Capt. Gavin Self-Poole, commander of the 214th Military Police Company, emphasized the importance of their role and daily coordination with partner nations.

“Executing these missions ensures a secure operating environment that enables mission success, maintains freedom of movement, and allows us to continually build interoperability with our NATO partners,” said Self-Poole.

The continuous coordination between the U.S. Army and Romanian, French, and German Armed Forces Military Police laid the framework for a collaborative training approach designed to strengthen collective readiness and refine shared response procedures.

As a result, leaders from each organization came together to develop a joint training plan and identified active threat preparedness as a critical component to maintaining safety across the installation.

“The purpose of our active threat training was to ensure our forces can respond together swiftly and effectively in high-pressure situations. Training side by side allows us to align our tactics and demonstrate our shared commitment to base security,” said Self-Poole.

More than 30 Military Police Officers from four different NATO countries participated in the training. Together, they overcame language barriers, established joint standard operating procedures, and learned how to respond to multiple different scenarios as a multinational team.

“Completing joint training with our NATO partners has increased our unit’s proficiency by improving our coordination, communication, and compatibility. These experiences directly enhance our readiness to work as a united force during any incident on MKAB,” said Self-Poole.

The 214th Military Police Company plans to continue their joint training efforts over the next month with multinational exercises focused on crisis management and security operations. Through this training, they remain focused on strengthening partnerships and demonstrating their preparedness to maintain collective security for U.S. Army Garrison Black Sea.