Category: Security

Source: United States Army

BARRIGADA, Guam – Guam National Guardsmen are supporting recovery efforts and overseeing traffic control after Typhoon Sinlaku’s slow crawl through the Pacific April 13-15 brought substantial damage to Guam and the northern Mariana Islands, leaving many residents still without power or water a week after the storm hit.

Guam Army and Guam Air National Guardsmen have established and are staffing traffic control points at key intersections and affected roadways to ensure the steady, safe movement of emergency vehicles, utility crews and residents.

However, their responsibilities extend beyond issuing stop-and-go signals and include general driver and pedestrian safety.

“As a road guard, we aren’t just controlling the flow of traffic, we are also trained and able to respond to events that may be out of the ordinary,” said Staff Sgt. Edward Babauta, Army bandsman for the 721st Army Band, Guam National Guard. “We are here to assist local law enforcement and first responders with ensuring the overall safety of our people.”

Each traffic control point is staffed by three or four Guardsmen who rotate every 30 minutes during 12-hour shifts. Although only one of them is directing traffic at a time, they must all remain alert and vigilant for any suspicious or unusual activity, Babauta said.

Their presence not only reinforces coordination with local authorities but also provides reassurance to the public during a time of uncertainty.

“We are activated for the people of Guam,” Babauta said. “That’s what we are here for, to assist our community in any way necessary.”

Related Links

The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil

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The National Guard on Facebook | Facebook.com/TheNationalGuard

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The National Guard on X | X.com/USNationalGuard

The National Guard on YouTube | YouTube.com/TheNationalGuard

Source: United States Army

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – In a significant leap forward for battlefield technology, U.S. Army Infantry Drone Operators have successfully tested a new warhead designed to be delivered by an unmanned aerial system (UAS).

The live-fire demonstration of the Bunker Rupture and Kinetic Explosive Round (BRAKER), which took place at a Redstone Arsenal in Alabama on March 26, comes only weeks after the initial design and rapid prototyping of the system, showcasing the Army’s accelerated approach to innovation in the face of evolving threats.

VIDEO BELOW:

The Army continuously transforms by using the latest technologies for warfighting advantage, and ensures that the force is lethal, modern and ready. The development of this air-delivered munition directly supports that mission as well as two senior leader priorities in Readiness and Transformation.

SLOW-MOTION VIDEO BELOW:

The BRAKER project, led by a team from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center and Project Manager Close Combat Systems (PM CCS), a project office under the U.S. Army Capability Program Executive Ammunition and Energetics (CPE A&E), aimed to create a lightweight, powerful, and lethal warhead that could be deployed from a small, agile drone.

“Our Picatinny team went from concept to live-fire in two weeks,” said Col. Vincent Morris, PM CCS. “BRAKER proves our ability to rapidly develop and safely deliver devastating effects from small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). We are now creating the architecture with Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit (CLIK) and the small universal payload interface (sUPI) for industry to scale this critical warfighter advantage.”

The Picatinny CLIK is a safe and effective method for integrating lethal payloads with UAS platforms, designed and developed by DEVCOM Armaments Center engineers.

The rapid development-to-testing timeline of BRAKER was made possible by the Army’s emphasis on additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing.

Beginning in early March, Armaments Center engineers began design, explosive pressing, housing manufacture, and integration of the warhead to be used on a low-cost and expendable one-way attack drone.

Shortly thereafter, transfer and compatibility tests were conducted at Picatinny and approximately a dozen warheads were assembled, with one being tested on a makeshift bunker on one of the installation’s test ranges.

After proving worthiness and validating effectiveness, the prototype warheads departed Picatinny for Redstone where a live demonstration was conducted for U.S. Army leadership.

The successful detonation of the device deployed on a drone on a designated target demonstrates a new and potent capability for the modern warfighter and illustrates how engineers can quickly design, fabricate, and integrate hardware to meet urgent and compelling needs.

“Rapid demonstrations of overwhelming lethality such as BRAKER are attributed to years of continued technology investments and the organic core technical competencies and facilities resident at the DEVCOM Armaments Center,” said Anthony Sebasto, Executive Director, Munitions Engineering and Technology Center.

Source: United States Army

PICATINNY ARSENAL, NJ – The U.S. Army’s Capability Program Executive Ammunition and Energetics (CPE A&E), headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, is spearheading a major transformation of the nation’s small‑caliber ammunition industrial base, advancing one of the Army’s highest modernization priorities. Central to this effort is the delivery of next‑generation 6.8mm cartridges that will equip soldiers with increased range, accuracy, and battlefield lethality as part of the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program.

The NGSW program, featuring the M7 Rifle, XM8 Carbine, and M250 Automatic Rifle, represents the Army’s most significant small‑arms upgrade in decades, replacing the M4 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. These new weapons, enabled by advanced 6.8mm cartridges, are designed to provide decisive overmatch in operating environments.

To accelerate production and strengthen readiness, Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems (PM MAS), in partnership with Project Lead Joint Services (PL JS), has established an interim 6.8mm manufacturing capability at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) utilizing a mix of new and repurposed equipment. As of March 2026, operating contractor Olin Winchester is producing and delivering 6.8mm ammunition from this capability. The Army is also supplying projectiles from this interim line to SIG Sauer to support additional cartridge deliveries while LCAAP expansion continues.

CPE A&E is executing a long-term modernization strategy to ensure the Army’s ammunition needs are met well into the future. A key milestone was the February 2025 groundbreaking for a new 450,000‑square‑foot 6.8mm production facility at LCAAP. This state-of-the-art complex will house advanced manufacturing systems for every component of the 6.8mm cartridge and serves as a cornerstone of the Army’s organic industrial base modernization. Construction remains on schedule, with production equipment installation anticipated to begin in 2028.

“CPE A&E is leading the development, procurement, and fielding of cutting-edge ammunition and energetics ensuring the Army and its international partners maintain a significant technological advantage,” said Col. Jason Bohannon, Capability Program Executive Ammunition and Energetics. “The work being executed is foundational to advancing the Army’s modernization goals and ensuring combat readiness across the force.”

Source: United States Army

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Army is implementing significant updates to its retention program in fiscal year 2026, reinforcing a performance-based approach that directly benefits Soldiers who maintain high standards, develop critical skills and commit to long-term service.

The updated program shifts reenlistment incentives toward a quality-centric model that prioritizes readiness, critical military occupational specialties and individual performance. While all eligible Soldiers may reenlist, incentive levels will now vary based on performance and Army needs.

“The primary mission of the revamped program is to maximize precision and quality in retention to meet end strength goals and drive readiness,” said Col. Angela Chipman, chief of the U.S. Army military personnel accessions and retention division. “This approach allows the Army to better recognize and retain Soldiers who consistently perform at a high level.”

For Soldiers who train hard, seek growth and take pride in their work, the updated system offers clearer returns on effort.

Under the FY26 framework, the Army will reduce reliance on short-term extensions and place greater emphasis on longer reenlistment contracts, reflecting the Army’s increased investment in advanced skills and long-term readiness.

At the center of the updated retention program is the Quality Tiered Incentives Program, or QTIP. The system evaluates Soldiers within cohorts of the same rank and MOS using a standardized, data-driven approach.

QTIP measures performance across three weighted categories: physical fitness, technical expertise and command assessment. Army Fitness Test scores, documented qualifications and leader evaluations of performance and potential all factor into a Soldier’s tier placement.

Soldiers who maintain strong fitness, pursue professional development and demonstrate consistent reliability will rank higher within their peer groups and qualify for enhanced incentives.

The Army will also place greater emphasis on reclassification into priority and shortage MOSs. Soldiers willing to transition into critical roles while maintaining strong performance metrics will be among the most competitive for bonuses and reenlistment incentives.

Beginning in December, the Army will train career counselors, command teams and personnel sections on the updated retention framework. Soldiers approaching their reenlistment window are encouraged to engage early with leadership and career counselors, ensure records are accurate and pursue opportunities that enhance readiness and competitiveness.

The message is simple: Soldiers who invest in themselves will see the difference at reenlistment, while strengthening the Army’s ability to meet future challenges.