Source: United States Navy
Sailors can now get certified in operating and maintaining the fleet’s most prevalent directed energy system through a new training program at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD)’s Directed Energy Systems Integration Laboratory (DESIL), with the first course completed in late March.
Source: United States Army
[Editor’s Note: The following story is a part of USAG Benelux’s “Honoring our Legacy” series in which we tell stories of America’s 250-year history, our Soldiers and our enduring legacy. To get involved in the USAG Benelux America 250 campaign, contact usarmy.benelux.id-europe.list.pao@army.mil.]
Chièvres Air Base, Belgium – More than 80 years after U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Billie Ramsey parachuted into occupied Belgium after his B-17F bomber, Skunkface, was shot down during World War II, his great-granddaughter, Bella Ramsey, returned to the same region to honor his legacy.
During her visit to Chièvres Air Base (CAB), Bella Ramsey toured the airfield and the headquarters of the 424th Air Base Squadron (424 ABS), where leaders unveiled a hand-drawn portrait of her great-grandfather created by Master Sgt. Anthony Colón Matos, 424 ABS support operations flight chief. The portrait now hangs inside the newly rededicated Ramsey Conference Room.
Ramsey also visited the squadron’s “Devil’s Den,” named in recognition of the squadron’s “Red Devils” heritage tied to the Belgian Air Force aerobatic team that was previously stationed at CAB. During the visit, she signed the wall on behalf of her family, received squadron patches and learned more about the installation’s history and connection to her great-grandfather’s story.
On Feb. 20, 1944, Ramsey’s aircraft was shot down over Belgium after sustaining heavy damage during combat operations. After bailing out over Lens, Belgium, which was then part of the base, he was captured by German forces and later spent more than a year as a prisoner of war before eventually escaping as Allied forces advanced across Europe.
For members of the 424th Air Base Squadron, Ramsey’s story represents more than a historical event, it’s an opportunity to honor a legacy.
“The Bill Ramsey Conference Room is more than a name on a wall,” Colón Matos said. “It is part of the collective memory of this unit, a reminder of resilience, courage, sacrifice and perseverance.”
Colón Matos explained that squadron members began researching the history of CAB and the 424 ABS in 2024 to strengthen awareness of the unit’s heritage and connection to the local community.
During that research, members rediscovered Ramsey’s story and realized there was little documented information explaining why the conference room had originally been named in his honor.
“We wanted to rebuild pride in our history,” Colón Matos said. “It is our way of reclaiming our Air Force heritage and connecting our current team with Sgt. Ramsey’s incredible story of resilience and survival.”
He also reflected on the significance of the Allied presence in Belgium during World War II and the enduring partnership between the United States and Belgium.
“For the people of Belgium, the sight of American parachutes descending from the sky represented something greater than war,” Colón Matos said. “It represented hope and the anticipation of liberation.”
For Bella Ramsey, the visit offered a personal perspective on a man many remember as part of history, but whom she simply knew as family.
“I didn’t know him as this man in history,” she said. “I knew him in a different way.”
Today, Billie Ramsey’s story continues to connect generations through a shared legacy of sacrifice, partnership and remembrance that still resonates at Chièvres Air Base more than eight decades later.
Source: United States Army
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – Multinational forces assigned to Kosovo Force (KFOR) Regional Command-East, in coordination with Regional Command-West, conducted K-9 medical evacuation training across Kosovo, March 17, 2026, to establish procedures for transporting military working dogs to surgical care.
The training brought together U.S. Army Reserve veterinary personnel, Italian Army K-9 handlers at Camp Novo Selo in RC-E and a veterinarian from RC-W, along with U.S. aviation elements from the Tennessee Army National Guard’s Detachment 1, Company C, 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment, to address gaps in how military working dogs are treated and evacuated.
“Working dogs and veterinarians for KFOR are spread out throughout the country with some dogs not being housed on the same base as the veterinarian,” said U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Christine Bui, a veterinarian assigned to the 7360th Veterinary Detachment under Task Force Medical.
Bui explained that the distance between veterinarians and working dogs can delay care, with response times ranging from one to two hours. She said the training was designed to improve coordination between veterinary teams, handlers, and aviation units during a K-9 medical evacuation.
Camp Bondsteel is the only location in Kosovo with surgical veterinary capability, making coordination across locations critical when working dogs require advanced care.
Italian Army veterinarian Maj. Filippo Pinagli and K-9 handlers OR-4 Simone Trimarchi and OR-4 Giuseppe Dipietro trained alongside their working dogs, Neo and Erek.
“K9 Medevac training is essential for maintaining high standards of readiness and addressing potential operational scenarios that require the emergency evacuation of a canine patient following a veterinary incident,” said Pinagli. “Due to the vastness of the territory, terrain characteristics, and mobility requirements, the current operational scenario in Kosovo demands rapid intervention and decisive action to mitigate health risks.”
Pinagli explained that working dog teams support KFOR operations by conducting perimeter security, monitoring sensitive and culturally significant sites, and assisting with mobility support to ensure freedom of movement across Kosovo.
“It’s important for us to not only train the K-9 handlers and medics on how to provide point of injury and basic care to the dogs, but also prepare ourselves in case we ever need to MEDEVAC a K-9 for a more serious injury,” Bui said.
During the training, participants conducted a route familiarization exercise that brought together a veterinarian from Camp Villaggio Italia, RC-W, with K-9 handlers at Camp Novo Selo, RC-E, simulating the movement required to transport an injured working dog to Camp Bondsteel.
U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Clara Maia, an animal care specialist with the 442nd Veterinary Detachment, Maryland, and Maj. Christine Bui, a veterinarian with the 7354th Veterinary Detachment, Colorado, are both assigned to the 7360th Veterinary Detachment under Task Force Medical for the deployment.
The training builds upon an existing agreement between U.S. and Italian forces that enables veterinary support across national lines and supports the development of a formal standard operating procedure currently under review.
Participants emphasized the need for flexible, adaptable procedures, as variations in aircraft configuration, dog temperament and mission requirements can impact how a K-9 evacuation is conducted. While working dogs are accustomed to aircraft environments, the training reinforced loading procedures and coordination between handlers and aircrew.
With a limited number of military working dogs in Kosovo and no veterinary facilities at some locations, the ability to rapidly coordinate and transport animals remains critical to sustaining operational capability.
This effort enhances interoperability among KFOR partners and supports the mission to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all people living in Kosovo.
Source: United States Army
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz honored the outstanding service of its volunteer workforce during the Volunteer of the Year recognition ceremony at Sembach Kaserne, May 8.
More than 100 guests attended the event to honor the 57 nominees. Col. Jeffery Higgins, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz commander, opened the ceremony.
“We are here to recognize the men and women who dedicate their most precious commodity, their time, to the betterment of our military community,” said Higgins. “You are the force multipliers that make our sprawling operations not just functional, but successful,” he added.
In 2025, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz volunteers contributed more than 40,000 hours valued at $1.4 million supporting programs including Army Community Service, Child and Youth Services, Cub Scouts, American Forces Network, KMC Onstage, Religious Services, Armstrong’s Club, Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers, Department of War Education Activity, Global Military Lactation Community and the United Service Organizations.
The winners in each category were:
Military Volunteer of the Year: Francisco La Porte
Single Soldier: Ija’Nai Moore
Family member: Bailee McCollum
Civilian: Toby Holland
Youth: Keandre Anderson
Nelly Olson, Army Community Service Employment Readiness Program Manager with USAG Rheinland-Pfalz’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, who also serves as the Army Volunteer Corps Coordinator for the garrison, said this annual event promotes a culture of giving back, while boosting volunteer and community morale.
“Recognizing our volunteers is our way to say thank you and honor the selfless impact they make within our community,” she said.
Interested volunteers can explore garrison volunteer opportunities by making an account in the Volunteer Management Information System at https://vmis.armyfamilywebportal.com/.
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 Spaceforce
The New Mexico Environment Department and the Department of the Air Force announced a verbal agreement to establish a collaborative groundwater-sampling framework to support ongoing PFAS investigation and clean-up activities at Cannon Air Force Base in Curry County.
Source: United States Army
Chièvres Air Base, Belgium –When U.S. Air Force firefighters from the 424th Air Base Squadron (ABS) on Chièvres Air Base (CAB) and local Belgian firefighter recruits merge their contrasting tactics in the heat of a live burn, the result is an unbreakable partnership that guarantees mutual readiness.
The 424th invited local firefighter recruits to participate in a joint fire training exercise on May 6, 2026, at CAB, Belgium. Rather than sitting in a classroom, the students were thrown into action, tackling a rigorous training day that included a tour of the fire station, a simulated burning building scenario, and critical search and rescue operations.
Staff Sgt. Zachary Gager, 424th ABS Fire Department crew chief, led the training but noted he walked away learning new tactics himself. He observed the stark differences in methodology, particularly how European crews focus heavily on calculated water conservation, contrasting with the traditionally aggressive approach of American firefighters.
“The great part about being on a NATO base is learning different tactics,” said Gager. “This is my second time leading it, and I really love it. It’s just a really humbling experience to teach youth about firefighting.”
Cédric Reygaerts, USAG Benelux lead garrison fire protection specialist, recognized the vital benefits for both sides. The 424th firefighters had the opportunity to learn more about their Belgian counterparts and improve interoperability, while the young trainees experienced the intensity of U.S. military firefighting firsthand.
“If something happens here on Chièvres Air Base, we need the Belgian firefighters. One purpose is to check the communication during a fire because we know the language barrier is an issue,” Reygaerts explained. “The training also allows the firefighter students to see what it is to be a firefighter on CAB and provides them a better understanding of cooperation. One day, they might even apply to work on Chièvres Air Base.”
For Eden Lassoie, an 18-year-old Belgian firefighter student, classroom theories became reality the moment she stepped into the heat.
“My favorite part of today was when I saw the fire; I learned how to enter the burning building and learned how to extinguish it,” said Lassoie. “I loved learning the differences and getting to work with different people.”
Ultimately, the flames inside the burning building provided more than just a training environment—they served as a forge for a stronger, more unified cross-border Alliance, ensuring both nations are ready to answer the call together.
Source: United States Army
CHICAGO – U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Moises Garcia, assigned to the 85th U.S. Army Reserve Support Command, was recognized as the military honoree during a Chicago Cubs home game at Wrigley Field, against the Cincinnati Reds, May 5, 2026.
More than 34,000 fans rose to their feet and applauded as Garcia was recognized on the field for his 31 years of service in the U.S. Army Reserve.
“I’m truly humbled and grateful to be recognized for my service here today,” Garcia said. “This moment is bigger than me. It honors the sacrifices of everyone who served before me and beside me.”
A Chicago native and lifelong Cubs fan, Garcia said his father, Gregorio, introduced him to baseball by taking him to games and teaching him how to play. Garcia later played little league for the Blue Jays at Hanson Park on Chicago’s west side while his father cheered from the stands.
“Throughout this game, my heart has been with my dad, who I know is watching from above,” Garcia said.
After graduating from Charles A. Prosser Career Academy in 1995 Garcia enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve, beginning a military career that has now spanned more than three decades.
Garcia has served on five deployments in Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Djibouti.
His awards and decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, the Iraq Campaign Medal with three campaign stars and the National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star.
Garcia currently serves as a human resources sergeant with the 85th USARSC in Arlington Heights, Illinois; in his civilian career, he serves as a staff administrative specialist with the 16th Psychological Operations Battalion at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.
Source: United States Army
PUYALLUP, Wash. — In preparation for Washington’s upcoming wildfire season, aviation crews assigned to the 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation Battalion, Washington Army National Guard, partnered with Central Pierce Fire and Rescue to conduct water bucket training May 7.
Throughout the exercise, firefighters and aviation crews rehearsed aerial wildfire response operations, practicing bucket drops, air-to-ground communication procedures and coordination between firefighters and aircrews ahead of Washington’s annual fire season.
Using UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, aircrews conducted multiple water-bucket drops while ground-based firefighters coordinated target locations and evaluated the effectiveness of each drop. The training focused on communication, timing and precision in environments that can quickly become hazardous during wildfire response operations.
“Air assets have become a critical asset in fighting these fires,” said a representative from Central Pierce Fire and Rescue. “These are very fast-moving fires, especially when the weather’s playing into it with the wind, and it’s extremely difficult for us on the ground and extremely hazardous sometimes for us to get even close enough to attempt to extinguish these fires.”
Fire officials said helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft often provide firefighters additional access and suppression capabilities in areas that may be difficult or unsafe for crews operating on the ground.
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jarin Trakel, company standardization instructor pilot, 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation Battalion, Washington National Guard, emphasized the recurring partnership helps firefighters and aviation crews build familiarity and communication before responding to real-world emergencies.
“We kind of try to bridge that gap by putting a face to the radio before anything actually happens,” Trakel said. “That way they know what to expect when they call the Washington Guard.”
Trakel said the joint training also allows both organizations to better understand each other’s capabilities, communication procedures and operational limitations before responding to wildfire incidents together.
For Washington Army National Guard aviation crews, water bucket operations require annual certification and ongoing proficiency training to ensure pilots and crew members remain prepared to respond when activated to support wildfire suppression missions across the state.
Trakel described water bucket operations as one of the more demanding aviation mission sets conducted during domestic operations training.
“This is kind of the varsity league of training,” Trakel said. “The aircraft, we put it pretty close to its limitations when we’re picking water up, moving the aircraft around in tight spaces, at low airspeed with a high power setting.”
He added that the mission requires experienced crews and constant communication and coordination among pilots, crew chiefs and ground firefighters. During real wildfire responses, military aviation crews often integrate with multiple civilian rotary-wing aircraft operating from the same water sources and along the same flight paths.
“It takes a lot of coordination,” said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Martin Hays, battalion aviation mission survivability officer, 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation Battalion, Washington National Guard. “You’re dealing with firefighters on the ground and additional weight with the water bucket.”
Hays said wildfire response operations remain among the more demanding domestic mission sets conducted by Guard aviation crews due to terrain, smoke, wind conditions and the coordination required between ground personnel and aircraft.
During the exercise, firefighters and aircrews practiced identifying targets, coordinating water-drop locations, and maintaining positive communication throughout the operation.
“The first thing that we do is try to identify our ground contact to make sure we have positive communication with the crews,” said the battalion commander for Central Pierce Fire and Rescue. “Obviously, the priority is actually stopping any forward progress towards residential structures or life hazards.”
Fire officials said the partnership has continued to grow through recurring joint training opportunities between firefighters and Guard aviation crews.
“It’s extremely rare to find helicopters that are willing to train with us,” a firefighter said. “We decided this was a great opportunity for us to get some training out of this too.”
Since 2012, the Washington National Guard has supported wildfire suppression efforts alongside the Washington Department of Natural Resources throughout the state. In 2024, aviation crews flew more than 75 firefighting hours and dropped nearly 300,000 gallons of water in support of multiple wildfire responses across Washington. According to the Washington Department of Natural Resources, 1.2 million gallons of water were delivered via aviation assets with an average response of 16 minutes in 2025.
In recent years, Washington Army National Guard aviation crews have been activated to support wildfire response operations across the state.
“The more we get to go out and do this, the better,” Trakel said. “It just makes us safer, more capable to give back to the state when called upon.”
As Washington prepares for another wildfire season, Guard aviators and local firefighters continue building the relationships, communication and operational readiness needed to protect communities across the state.
The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil
State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil
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The National Guard on YouTube | YouTube.com/TheNationalGuard
Source: United States Army
NIANTIC, Conn. – The Connecticut National Guard is hosting Cyber Yankee 2026, the National Guard’s premier annual regional cyber training exercise, at Camp Nett in Connecticut, May 4-15.
Started in 2015, Cyber Yankee partners military cyber warriors with cyber experts from local utility companies to collaborate and train on responding to credible cyber threats against critical infrastructure.
“Cyber Yankee puts real operators from the Guard, federal agencies, and private utilities in the same room, working the same problem, before a real attack forces that meeting,” said Maj. Gen. Francis J. Evon Jr., the adjutant general and commander of the Connecticut National Guard. “Gas, water, and electric systems do not defend themselves. It takes a skilled team that knows how to work together to keep us safe. That’s what this exercise is all about.”
The two-week exercise begins with a week of classroom training, followed by a week of tactical-level defensive cyber operations exercises. These exercises split the participants into groups: blue groups are military personnel, orange groups are civilian partners, and red groups are malicious actors such as hackers, hacktivists or foreign state actors.
What makes Cyber Yankee unique compared with other military cyber events, such as Cyber Shield, is that this event focuses on civilian infrastructure, such as natural gas, electricity and water, rather than Department of War infrastructure, such as its computer network.
During the exercise, red groups will actively attempt to infiltrate the infrastructure to cause harm. It is the responsibility of the orange and blue teams to implement mitigations to prevent these actors from gaining access, identify any breaches and respond to them to prevent damage to critical infrastructure.
“There are credible threats to the United States critical infrastructure,” said Air Force Col. Cameron Sprague, the Connecticut National Guard’s cyber operations officer and director of Cyber Yankee 2026. “Unfortunately, there are threats to the United States that seek to use cyber means to degrade or deny us those industries—or at least be prepared to do that in the event of a conflict with us. Cyber Yankee is all about being able to defend ourselves against that.”
Since the inception of Cyber Yankee, the exercise has grown significantly. The first iteration of Cyber Yankee, hosted in Massachusetts, consisted of about 100 participants split into two teams — one from Massachusetts and one from Connecticut.
This year’s event, the 12th iteration, includes six teams and more than 360 personnel, including service members from the National Guard in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Tennessee. It also includes representatives from the Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard and international partners from the National Guard’s State Partnership Program, including Cyprus, Brazil, El Salvador, Kenya, Paraguay, Uruguay, Canada and Sweden.
Local, state and other civilian participants include 10 private industry companies, the Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Energy and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
“Cyber is a team sport,” said Sprague. “it’s all about collaboration and if the event happens where we’re attacked by a nation state against our critical infrastructure and services are taken down, we’ll need to work together to restore and defend them.”
As society becomes more dependent on digital assets for everyday functions, cyberattacks inevitably become a greater threat. The training at Cyber Yankee helps cyber warriors combat these threats in real time.
One example was a ransomware attack against the city of Hartford, Connecticut, in September 2020. A hacker disrupted critical systems in the city’s school system, causing delays that rippled through many families’ daily routines.
As a result of this attack, the Connecticut National Guard’s cyber team was activated. In conjunction with the city of Hartford, the threat was isolated and ultimately fixed. This attack exposed several vulnerabilities in the city’s cybersecurity. However, the training from Cyber Yankee allowed the Guard team to remain calm and focused during this high-stress event and deliver results.
Although Cyber Yankee’s proven track record of success has laid the foundation for this exercise to grow into something much larger, Sprague said one of its greatest strengths is its limited size and regional focus on building relationships with cyber teams and industry experts who would work together in the event of a serious cyber incident.
Related Links
The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil
State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil
The National Guard on Facebook | Facebook.com/TheNationalGuard
The National Guard on Flickr | Flickr.com/TheNationalGuard
The National Guard on Instagram | Instagram.com/us.nationalguard
The National Guard on X | X.com/USNationalGuard
The National Guard on YouTube | YouTube.com/TheNationalGuard
Source: United States Navy
Tucked away from the roar of the flight line, Fleet Readiness Center East’s Cable Shop serves as the depot’s neurosurgeons, performing intricate surgery on the electrical “nerves” that bring aircraft to life. Whether they’re rewiring a five-mile-long wiring harness or manufacturing a new one from scratch, the team’s surgical focus ensures the fleet stays connected and mission-ready.