FORT BENNING, Ga. – Six of the National Guard’s most lethal Ranger-qualified Soldiers will compete for the coveted title of ‘Best Ranger’ at the 42nd annual Lt. Gen. David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, April 10-12.
The National Guard is represented by three two-man teams: U.S. Army Capt. Erik Gorman and Capt. Christian Thompson; 1st Lt. Zachary Thompson and Sgt. 1st Class Robert Flora; 1st Lt. Talan Saylor and Cpl. Brendan Fox.
There are 61 total teams from across the Army in this year’s competition.
The annual event, showcasing the ‘apex of leadership,’ serves as a tribute to the Ranger legacy and aims to determine the best two-person Ranger team across the Department of War. The competition is a grueling three-day trial that tests the limits of their physical and mental endurance.
“This is absolutely going to be a surreal experience, to say the least,” said Gorman of the Alaska National Guard. “I hope to take back motivation and inspiration to my state.”
Competitors will cover more than 100 miles while carrying equipment weighing upwards of 80 pounds, as they complete tasks designed to test the full spectrum of Ranger skills, including marksmanship events, obstacle courses, land navigation, water survival tests, and endurance movements across land.
“I feel like when I get older, I’m going to look back and be glad that I competed,” said Fox. “A lot of great Soldiers, great Rangers, have done this in the past and I hope to be like those guys. I want to be as great as the former competitors, the best of the best.”
Not every team that competes is guaranteed to finish.
Throughout the competition, teams will be evaluated on their cumulative performance across the dozens of events, with cuts made along the way, narrowing the field to only the top teams come the final day. For the teams still standing, the last day will bring a final set of challenges before the ‘Best Ranger’ team is named during an awards ceremony April 13.
As National Guard Soldiers prepare to compete alongside members from across the total Army, their participation underscores the Guard’s readiness, lethality, and ability to perform at the highest levels of military excellence.
WASHINGTON — On a cool March morning in Old Dominion University’s Constant Hall, Army ROTC cadets attended class like any other day.
Cadet Wesley Myers arrived to class early to set up a presentation. Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, ODU professor of Military Science, briefed the class on cadet command briefings, an exercise that prepares cadets for officer leadership roles in the Army, teaching them to plan and coordinate missions.
The students didn’t know that they would soon put their cadet training into action.
As class presentations concluded, the cadets prepared to leave class. Shah wished the cadets a good weekend and mentioned that he would be having surgery, so the cadets would not see him as often.
Then a nervous looking man entered the classroom.
“Is this the ROTC classroom?” Cadet Samuel Reineberg recalled the man saying. “Or is this a seminar?”
The class fell silent.
Cadet Cecilia Fosso and Shah quietly nodded their heads yes.
Then the man suddenly shouted “Allahu Akbar,” Arabic for “Allah is great,” Myers recalled. He then reached into his waistband and pulled out a Glock 44 pistol.
At 10:43 a.m., the man fired his weapon in Shah’s direction and then on the students.
“My first thought was ‘is this a drill?’” Cadet Oshea Bego said. The class had just recently discussed force protection and how to safeguard U.S. forces and assets. Then the cadets began to drop to the ground. Some huddled under their desks to shield themselves from the bullets.
Shah charged and attempted to subdue the shooter.
Cadet Louis Ancheta, seeing his professor risk his life by shielding cadets from the gunshots, rushed to Shah’s aid. Ancheta uncorked his knife as he ran towards the shooter, feeling a bullet graze his body. Then Shah turned the shooter away from Ancheta. The cadet then thrust the knife into the shooter as quickly and as many times as he could.
“If [Shah] didn’t charge at him there’s a possibility that I wouldn’t be here,” Bego said. “There’s a possibility he could have turned his gun, and I could have been next.”
Several more cadets joined the scuffle punching and stabbing the shooter. Myers noticed the perpetrator still had his shooting hand free, holding the pistol upward.
Then Myers grabbed the weapon and tried to secure the firearm against the wall.
Ancheta and the other cadets eventually brought the shooter to the ground, still struggling to remove the weapon from his hand. Finally, Myers squeezed his fingers beneath the man’s hand and pulled the weapon away. Myers released the magazine and pulled back the slide, revealing the shooter had one more round to fire. He placed the weapon on a table for law enforcement.
The cadets eventually ended the life of the shooter to prevent further attacks.
Ancheta, feeling sudden pain, asked his fellow cadets for help. Cadets learn basic combat medical care and how to treat a fallen comrade in the field. Suddenly the cadets had to use those skills to help their friend, who suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen. They bandaged his wound and put his arm on a tourniquet.
Reineberg caught Shah as he fell to the ground. Shah suffered a gunshot wound in his upper leg.
“It was just what I thought I had to do in that moment, to get there and do what I could,” Reineberg said. “It’s different when it’s not a mannequin and it’s your friend.”
Bego called the ODU chief of police while Fosso sent out an alert on the ODU ROTC battalion group chats. Cadet Jeremy Rawlinson, who also attacked the shooter, found police officers and led them towards the classroom and the victims.
Members of the S.W.A.T. team later arrived and rendered further aid to Ancheta, applying a chest seal and placed him on a stretcher. Ancheta would undergo surgery to repair his wounds.
Several of the cadets would later learn the tragic news that Shah had passed away from his injuries while watching a news livestream.
“There was definitely this sense of ‘could we have done more?’” Bego said.
Old Dominion University made a stone tribute to Army Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, who shielded his ROTC students from gunshots fired by a campus shooter. (Photo Credit: Courtesy)VIEW ORIGINAL
Fallen Mentor
A painted rock sits near Constant Hall on ODU’s campus bearing Shah’s name. Colored handprints by cadets decorate the stone with the words “Be Bold, Be Quick, Be Gone,” Shah’s slogan for motivating his students. The cadets painted the stone as a tribute to their fallen professor.
“I take solace in knowing that he was conscious and awake for all of that,” Rawlinson said. “He got to see all the training that he and the rest of the cadre had been giving us for the [past] few years. He got to see us instantly do that in action.”
A white banner that reads “Shah Strong” contains the signatures of his ROTC students. Shah, a native of nearby Chesapeake, Va., enlisted in the Army as an aviation operations specialist in 2003 before graduating from Old Dominion University in 2007 and commissioning into the Army. As an AH64 Apache pilot he logged 1,200 flying hours including 600 in combat.
His assignments included serving as an operations and training officer for the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia. In the 3-17 Air Cavalry Squadron, Shah oversaw modernization efforts for attack helicopters before returning to his alma mater to teach and mentor ROTC students.
The cadets said the memory of Shah’s actions remain with them today.
“He’s a hero,” said Ancheta, who received a Purple Heart for the wound he sustained. “He tried to save us.”
Bego recalled one instance during the summer of 2025 when his mom met Shah.
“One of the last things he told my mom when they met this summer was that he would take care of me,” Bego said. “He followed through on that word.”
Several of the cadets later attended and spoke at Shah’s funeral service on March 22.
Said that Shah grew close with many of his students, often treating cadets like family. As the leader of ODU’s ROTC Monarch Battalion, enrollment rose by 50% in his first year.
“It’s never easy to lose a friend and mentor,” he said. “And especially such a great teacher. I never thought that I would have to speak at his funeral. Everyone looked up to him. He was the standard to follow.”
Katherine Shah, Lt. Col. Brandon Shah’s wife, expressed her thoughts and emotions following the incident regarding her husband’s actions that day.
“Brandon and I shared 18 beautiful years together,” she said. “He was everything people say he was and more. A protector, a hero, the kind of man who made you feel safe just by being there. He was the father every son dreams of having, and the husband any woman would be blessed to stand beside.”
“But what made Brandon truly extraordinary was who he was in the everyday moments,” she added. “He was a teacher, a Soldier, and a leader, someone who could change your perspective, lift you up, and make you better just from a single conversation. In his final moments, he did what he had always done; he protected.”
“He placed himself as a shield for the people he loved, making sure his kids would have the chance to carry on his legacy, his name, and his mission for years to come. We love him with all of our hearts. And every day we have left, we will live in a way that makes him proud. We will make sure the world knows his name and that it stands for pride, strength, and courage. That man… my man… Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah.”
For Shah’s actions in risking his life to save others during the incident, he was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit and the Purple Heart.
For cadet actions during the shooting, Cadets Myers, Ancheta, Reineberg, Rawlinson, all were awarded Meritorious Service Medals in a ceremony from Secretary of the Army Dan P. Driscoll and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer. Acheta also received the Purple Heart, along with another fellow cadet, after suffering wounds from the event.
Four additional cadets received Meritorious Service Medals, and one cadet received the Army Commendation Medal for their actions during the shooting event. The members of the 2026 ODU Army ROTC class will graduate from the university and be commissioned into the Army on May 14 as second lieutenants leading Soldiers in their initial assignments as Army officers.
ISIOLO, Kenya — U.S. Army scientists employed advanced biosurveillance techniques and emerging diagnostic technologies during Justified Accord 2026 to identify potential disease threats and bolster force health protection for multinational personnel training across East Africa, March 1–14.
U.S. Soldiers assigned to the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa conducted vector surveillance and field laboratory testing at the Humanitarian Peace Support School in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Kenya School of Infantry, collecting and analyzing insects capable of transmitting infectious diseases. This effort provided exercise medical planners with real-time environmental health data while testing expeditionary laboratory capabilities in operational conditions.
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, collects a tick as part of a vector surveillance team positioned across Justified Accord 2026 locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with WRAIR – Africa, led teams positioned across exercise locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members.
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, collects a tick in a test tube as part of a vector surveillance team positioned across Justified Accord 2026 locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
“The more techniques we produce and the more data we collect, the better we can refine our methods,” Eads said. “When we deploy these capabilities operationally, we already have a proven system that protects the warfighter.”
Teams conducted environmental assessments in training areas to identify locations where vectors were most likely to thrive, then collected and transported specimens to a mobile laboratory for pathogen analysis.
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, collects a tick as part of a vector surveillance team positioned across Justified Accord 2026 locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
“Vectors are the mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies, which could possibly carry diseases that could infect our warfighters,” Eads said.
Researchers analyzed collected samples using molecular diagnostic equipment capable of detecting pathogens associated with endemic diseases in the region.
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, uses the tick drag sampling technique by dragging a white cloth sheet across vegetation to collect ticks that latch onto the fabric as part of a vector surveillance team positioned across Justified Accord 2026 locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
Findings confirmed by Eads included Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, a tick-borne virus found in insect samples at the Humanitarian Peace Support School; Dengue virus, a mosquito-borne disease; and Leishmania parasites, transmitted through sandfly bites, found in samples at the Kenya School of Infantry.
U.S. Army Maj. John Eads, an entomologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, collects a tick as part of a vector surveillance team positioned across Justified Accord 2026 locations to collect mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
U.S. Army Maj. Luis Pow Sang, a microbiologist with WRAIR – Africa, conducted nucleic acid extraction and polymerase chain reaction testing to identify biological threats.
“We brought new technologies to JA26, including the magnetic induction cycler PCR system, [which is] a compact, high-speed platform that allows us to run real-time testing in the field,” Pow Sang said. “We also introduced nucleic acid extraction kits using magnetic beads. This is the first time we’ve used these capabilities during an exercise like JA26.”
The portable laboratory systems enabled scientists to process samples and provide results directly to exercise medical planners, allowing timely assessments of potential health risks to personnel.
U.S. Army Capt. Roger Arguello, a physician assistant with 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment, Massachusetts Army National Guard, highlighted the impact of rapid testing on readiness.
U.S. Army Maj. Luis Pow Sang, a microbiologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, performs a nucleic acid extraction and polymerase chain reaction test to identify potential biological threats within the specimens located across Justified Accord 2026 locations by testing mosquitos, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
“We were informed of these findings and are diligently monitoring symptoms of these conditions across our formation,” Arguello said. “The rapid field testing has increased our medical readiness and awareness.”
U.S. Army Maj. Luis Pow Sang, a microbiologist with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research – Africa, performs a nucleic acid extraction and polymerase chain reaction test to identify potential biological threats within the specimens located across Justified Accord 2026 locations by testing mosquitos, ticks and sandflies that may carry pathogens harmful to service members at the Kenya School of Infantry in Isiolo, Kenya, March 4, 2026. The surveillance effort helped identify potential disease threats in the training environment, supporting force health protection and enabling commanders to better mitigate biological risks to multinational forces during JA26.
JA26 increases multinational cooperation in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response, prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA 26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Garcia) (Photo Credit: Spc. John Garcia)
The JA26 biosurveillance mission was supported by the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance program, established by the U.S. Department of War, to integrate research capabilities with operational training. Lessons learned included optimizing sample collection, improving coordination with medical planners, and refining mobile laboratory operations in austere environments.
Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya and Tanzania, JA26 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest East African exercise. The exercise enhances multinational interoperability for humanitarian assistance, crisis response and missions with the United Nations and African Union.
By integrating biosurveillance, emerging diagnostics and operational training, scientists and Soldiers demonstrated how innovation supports force health protection and strengthens readiness for multinational missions.
About SETAF-AF
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
ARLINGTON, Va. – The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy recognized National Guard counterdrug programs for supporting 10 award-winning law enforcement investigations during the National Drug Control Awards Ceremony on April 2.
The investigations were part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, a White House-led effort that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to target major drug trafficking networks across the United States.
“We’re celebrating our High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area groups and recognizing the men and women on the front lines of this fight every day, ensuring our children and our communities are safe,” said Sara Carter, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Nine National Guard counterdrug programs contributed to the investigations, supporting efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks and improve public safety.
Twenty-seven National Guard members attended the ceremony and stood alongside their law enforcement and community partners. The awards recognize outstanding law enforcement efforts to combat drug trafficking and related criminal activity across the country.
National Guard personnel support these investigations by working directly with law enforcement agencies, embedded in multi-jurisdictional task forces. They analyze data, identify key criminal network nodes, and help build cases that lead to arrests and the disruption of larger threat networks, said U.S. Air Force Col. Laurie Rodriguez, National Guard Bureau counterdrug division chief.
The National Guard Counterdrug Program provides criminal analysts, reconnaissance and strategic community engagement support to all 33 HIDTAs.
“Our Guard members act as force multipliers and provide support that enhances the integration of state, local, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies with the detection, interdiction and disruption of drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations,” said Rodriguez.
The program, which operates in all 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia, supports law enforcement agencies with analysis, training and operational coordination. Many of these investigations span multiple states and require close coordination between agencies.
Participating National Guard counterdrug programs included Alabama, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, New Mexico, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington.
“These awards underscore the power of partnerships in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking and related crime,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau. “Together, with our partners, we’re fighting to protect our children and our communities from drug trafficking threats. Just last year, Guard counterdrug operations helped remove $15 billion in illicit narcotics from American communities. We remain committed to this vital mission.”
The National Guard Counterdrug Program conducts a full-spectrum campaign that bridges the gap between Department of War and non-Department of War institutions in the fight against illicit drugs and transnational threats to the homeland. The program supports military, law enforcement and community-based counterdrug operations at all levels of government to anticipate, deter and defeat these threats, enhancing national security and protecting society.
CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – Soldiers from the Washington Army National Guard trained alongside Thai partners during a weeklong subject matter expert exchange at the Port of Laem Chabang and Sri Racha Hospital, March 2–9, strengthening emergency response coordination at one of Southeast Asia’s busiest maritime hubs.
The exchange, part of a decades-long State Partnership Program relationship, focused on improving all-hazards response, refining incident command systems and testing patient evacuation procedures in a complex, multi-scenario environment.
“The purpose of this exchange was to continue to improve the port’s all hazard response while establishing the incident command (IC) center and patient evacuation route at the alternate site,” said Capt. Matthew Carey, the officer in charge and medical lead for the exchange. “The goal is to build a unified, all-hazards response that can operate seamlessly under pressure.”
Since 2005, the Washington National Guard has partnered with Thai officials at the port, making this one of the premier recurring engagements in their 24-year State Partnership Program relationship. Conducted twice annually, the training focuses on incident management, chemical decontamination and medical response through full-scale disaster scenarios.
This year’s exercise combined a simulated lithium battery fire with a shipboard pandemic, requiring participants to respond across multiple domains simultaneously.
For the first time, the training expanded beyond the port to include Sri Racha Hospital as a primary operational site. The shift tested alternate evacuation routes, including a pier and helipad, and required participants to adapt while maintaining coordination across agencies.
“The purpose of this exchange was achieved in full. The alternate patient evacuation site and the incident command were established at the hospital. New leadership was utilized for the incident command with guidance from the Port Authority leadership,” Carey said. “This was a change in that we saw previous students taking the lead in teaching the next generation of leadership.”
Despite the added complexity, the exercise met its primary objectives. A clear incident command structure was established, and Thai-led teams demonstrated greater ownership of planning and execution of the scenario. Communication systems and logistical support enabled responders to maintain situational awareness and coordinate actions across the simulated crisis.
“This scenario introduced new challenges, including the transfer of patients in isolation containment units from ship to ship and from ship to shore,” Carey said. “There was strong interagency coordination and high levels of engagement during hands-on training.”
The Port of Laem Chabang is one of Southeast Asia’s busiest deep-sea ports, making the partnership strategically significant for regional readiness and resilience. As a key logistics gateway, the port’s ability to respond effectively to hazards is critical to preventing disruptions to international supply chains.
The exchange followed Cobra Gold 2026, during which Carey, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kristin Retherford, Sgt. 1st Class Ricky Manglona, and Victor Aguilar supported the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise for two weeks prior.
“I was in Thailand for 24 days total,” Retherford said. “Cobra Gold HADR enhanced my understanding of Thailand disaster response by immersing us with civilian agencies who may be involved in a port disaster. Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation establishes guidelines and standard operating procedures to support and enable response protocols, which includes Port Laem Chabang.”
Retherford said lessons learned during the exchange will carry forward to future engagements.
“Practicing these tactics, techniques, and procedures better prepare our team to support emergency responders at the port.”
VICENZA, Italy — When Staff Sgt. Michael Martin was up nights caring for his infant daughter, he was also finishing his business administration degree.
At the U.S. Army Garrison Italy 2026 Graduation Ceremony, Martin, 35, a Kansas native with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, recalled holding her while using voice‑to‑text software for a school paper—only to discover it had transcribed him whispering her back to sleep.
“I was holding my daughter to calm her down and I was like, ‘no, no, no, stay asleep,’” Martin said. “The computer wrote that in. When I was revising my paper, I was like, ‘oh, no, I’ve got to take that out before I turn it in.’”
Fifteen graduates received degrees ranging from associate to master’s during the April 9 ceremony at the Golden Lion on Caserma Ederle. The class included Soldiers, spouses and family members earning credentials from the University of Maryland Global Campus, American Military University, the State University of New York, Arizona State and the University of Louisville. Dozens of friends and relatives attended, underscoring the community’s commitment to education.
Martin said earning his degree was a major milestone after three years of balancing school, Army duties and fatherhood.
“I’ve just been grinding it out, trying my best to not only provide for my family, but make a future for us to last forever,” he said, adding that support from his wife and encouragement from colleagues in USAG Italy’s operations directorate kept him motivated.
James Montanio, 18, who graduated from Vicenza High School last year, earned an associate degree and marked the moment by wearing a traditional Italian laurel wreath to honor his great‑grandfather, whose family came from northern Italy. Studying overseas, he said, gave him opportunities he wouldn’t have had stateside, including work at the fitness center and an internship with the garrison public affairs office. He plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in political science in the United States and hopes to work for the U.S. government.
When keynote speaker Brig. Gen. Daniel Cederman, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, mentioned he earned his master’s through the Army education center in 2007, Montanio immediately noticed—that was the year he was born.
“It’s this full loop of the Army system,” Montanio said. “He was talking about when he got his degree, and now I’m at that point he was talking about.”
Cederman told graduates he understood the challenge of balancing duty, family and night classes. He urged them to decide who they want to be, seize unexpected opportunities and not wait to act.
“This is a milestone achievement,” Cederman said. “I’m speaking from the heart when I say it takes real commitment to get here.”
The USAG Italy Education Center supports Soldiers, families and civilian personnel with counseling, testing and access to accredited college programs, as well as guidance on tuition assistance, credentialing and degree planning. More information is available at the garrison’s Continuing Education Services webpage.
Watch the full graduation ceremony at the U.S. Army Garrison Italy YouTube Channel
BAUMHOLDER, Germany — On any given day at the Baumholder Veterinary Treatment Facility, Sgt. Syarra Bermudez can be found moving seamlessly between patient care, leadership responsibilities and mentorship. As a 68T Animal Care Specialist, she represents a growing cohort of Soldiers who are redefining what it means to serve, balancing operational demands with family life and personal advancement.
Bermudez, who enlisted in 2019, did not begin her Army career in veterinary medicine. Initially trained as a combat engineer, she entered the service expecting a path centered on demolitions. Instead, her early experience, shaped by the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, required flexibility.
After graduating from Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, she reported to her first duty station at Fort Polk, Louisiana, where she worked in route clearance operations and steadily assumed increasing responsibility. By the time she departed, she had advanced to specialist, serving as a master driver and team leader.
The transition to veterinary services in 2022 marked a return to a longstanding personal goal.
“I always wanted to be a vet tech,” Bermudez said. “I like helping animals and being the voice, they don’t have.”
In 2023, she arrived in Baumholder, where her role quickly expanded beyond clinical duties.
Within a short period, Bermudez was placed in positions of significant responsibility, including serving as a noncommissioned officer in charge. Colleagues describe her leadership style as direct and approachable, with a consistent emphasis on safety and accountability. Bermudez said she prioritizes mentorship, particularly for junior Soldiers.
“I enjoy teaching people and helping them learn something new,” she said. “That’s something I make time for.”
Her professional scope extends into the broader military community. Bermudez regularly participates in town halls and garrison events and plays an active role in organizing training. She recently helped coordinate three international Canine Tactical Combat Casualty Care events, bringing together partners to strengthen readiness and interoperability.
In January 2023, Sgt. Syarra Bermudez learned she was expecting a child; she gave birth in August of the same year. (Photo Credit: Michelle Thum)VIEW ORIGINAL
These responsibilities coincide with major milestones in her personal life. In January 2023, Bermudez learned she was expecting a child; she gave birth in August of the same year. At the same time, she began pursuing an associate degree, adding academic demands to an already full schedule.
Much of that work takes place after hours. “After my child goes to bed, that’s when I focus on school,” she said. While she acknowledges that time management can be a challenge, she has developed strategies to stay on track. “I make lists and turn things into a competition with myself,” she said.
Bermudez credits her ability to manage competing priorities to a strong support system at home. Part of a dual-military household, she described her husband as a critical partner in maintaining balance. “If I can’t give 100 percent, he’ll pick up the rest,” she said. “That support makes everything possible.”
Despite the demands of her current role, Bermudez is focused on long-term goals. She expects to complete her associate degree soon and plans to become a licensed veterinary technician. Looking ahead, she hopes to attend veterinary school and return to the Army as a commissioned officer.
Her outlook reflects a broader perspective on service and adaptability.
“The Army teaches you how to work through different situations and adjust,” she said. “It’s an organization that continues to change with the times.”
Sgt. Syarra Bermudez’s outlook reflects a broader perspective on service and adaptability. “The Army teaches you how to work through different situations and adjust,” she said. “It’s an organization that continues to change with the times.” (Photo Credit: Michelle Thum)VIEW ORIGINAL
For Bermudez, the most meaningful aspect of her work lies in its impact, whether through patient care, mentorship or everyday interactions. “You have an effect on people, even in small ways,” she said. “Something as simple as saying ‘good morning’ can make a difference.”
As she continues to navigate the demands of military service, education and family life, Bermudez’s trajectory underscores a consistent theme: a willingness to take on challenges, adapt quickly and invest in others along the way.
USAG BAVARIA – HOHENFELS, Germany – Dietmar Meier, an airfield operations manager with more than four decades of experience all at Hohenfels Army Airfield, concluded his career March 27, 2026 with friends and colleagues on the tarmac of the airfield he dedicated his professional life to.
As part of Meier’s send-off on a clear, cold morning, the airfield’s fire prevention team drove him the length of the airfield.
While the fire prevention team and Meier drove, his colleagues walked from the airfield operations building to just outside a hangar at the other end to take a group photo of the team.
Colleagues knew Meier as “Didi,” a name that had followed him since childhood. Others of his colleagues had a different name for Meier: Mr. Airfield. Meier, for his part, attributes the nickname to him knowing from years of experience most everyone to contact whenever the team needed to accomplish something.
Meier’s connection to the U.S. Army and to Hohenfels partly because his family lived immediately off post in the market town Schmidmühlen.
“I was born in Schmidmühlen,” Meier said. “I grew up in Schmidmühlen. I live in Schmidmühlen. I think I’m going to die there.”
Meier’s father worked for housing on-post, so after schooling, Meier himself decided to apply for a position. He started in September 1983, and, after his probationary period, became part of the airfield crew in February 1984. Meier attributes his longevity in the location to the career field – aviation – being exciting.
“If I look back, the 42 years, this is the truth: I enjoyed every single day,” he said. “I cannot remember a day where I thought I do not want to come to work. It was always exciting.”
After Meier received awards and applause from his colleagues, he took a few moments to speak, thanking his team members and remembering others. He also commended his employer.
1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –USAG BAVARIA – HOHENFELS, Germany — Dietmar Meier, left, the outgoing airfield operations manager, holds up a plaque with a map of the Hohenfels training area. Meier, who has more than four decades of experience at Hohenfels Army Airfield, concluded his career March 27, 2026 at the airfield. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs) (Photo Credit: Bryan Gatchell)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –USAG BAVARIA – HOHENFELS, Germany — Colleagues stand with Dietmar Meier, center holding certificate, the outgoing airfield operations manager, on the tarmac of the airfield he dedicated his career to. Meier, who has more than four decades of experience at Hohenfels Army Airfield, concluded his career March 27, 2026 at the airfield. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Bavaria Public Affairs) (Photo Credit: Bryan Gatchell)VIEW ORIGINAL
“The U.S. Army was always, over my 42, 43 years, a loyal employer,” he said.
Meier plans to spend time at his house in Schmidmühlen, time with his Family elsewhere in Bavaria, and time traveling with his wife to vacation spots throughout Europe.
HONOLULU — The Oahu Veterinary Network continues to demonstrate how an integrated system of care can simultaneously enhance military readiness and provide high-quality, accessible services to the military community. By linking multiple veterinary treatment facilities (VTFs) across the island, the network creates a dynamic training platform for active-duty personnel while reducing reliance on civilian specialty care for military families and their pets.
That capability was recently demonstrated through the case of Trixie, a family dog that presented to the Schofield Barracks Veterinary Treatment Facility with acute abdominal distress. Clinical signs and diagnostic imaging quickly raised concern for gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), a life-threatening condition requiring immediate surgical intervention.
“Trixie came in with classic symptoms that made us highly concerned for a stomach torsion,” said Maj. Perri Salazar, veterinarian at Schofield Barracks. “Her radiographs supported that assessment, and we knew time was critical.”
Rather than referring Trixie to a civilian emergency hospital, the Schofield team leveraged the Oahu Veterinary Network to transfer her to the Hickam Veterinary Treatment Facility, which provides advanced surgical and specialty care capabilities. This internal referral system ensured continuity of care while maximizing training opportunities for Army veterinary personnel.
“The network allowed us to move quickly and keep the case within our system,” said Maj. Luigi Topacio, veterinary officer at Hickam. “That means better coordination for the patient, cost savings for the family, and, most importantly, invaluable surgical experience for our team.”
At Hickam, the surgical team prepared for what they expected to be a GDV correction. Upon exploration, they confirmed a severe gastric condition requiring immediate intervention. The surgery was successful, and Trixie made a full recovery under the care of the Army veterinary team.
Cases like Trixie’s highlight the dual benefit of the Oahu Veterinary Network. For military families, it reduces the financial burden often associated with off-base specialty care. For active-duty veterinarians and technicians, it provides critical exposure to complex, high-acuity cases essential for maintaining clinical proficiency.
“As Army veterinary professionals, we have to be ready to operate in austere and unpredictable environments,” said Maj. Luigi Topacio, Veterinary Corps officer. “Having access to complex surgical cases in garrison directly translates to readiness downrange.”
The network model also enhances collaboration across installations, fostering a shared standard of care and improving overall efficiency. By distributing workload and aligning capabilities across clinics, the system ensures that each facility contributes to both patient care and professional development.
“The Oahu Veterinary Network is more than just a referral system — it’s a deliberate training strategy,” said Lt. Col. Lauren Hamlin, commander of Veterinary Readiness Activity, Hawaii. “We are building confident, capable veterinary teams who can manage everything from routine wellness to life-saving surgical interventions, all while supporting the military community we serve.”
Through innovative integration of resources and a focus on readiness, the Oahu Veterinary Network continues to set the standard for Army veterinary services — where every case is not only an opportunity to care, but an opportunity to train.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Guardsmen from the Tennessee National Guard’s 278th Cavalry Regiment became the state’s first licensed drivers on the Army’s new Infantry Squad Vehicle during training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, March 31–April 2, marking a key step in the unit’s transition to a faster, more deployable force.
The certification comes as the 278th begins converting from an Armored Brigade Combat Team to a Mobile Brigade Combat Team — a shift aligned with the Army’s transformation efforts to field lighter, more agile units capable of rapid deployment in combat and domestic response missions.
Select Soldiers from across the state completed Infantry Squad Vehicle Operator New Equipment Training, hosted by the 101st Airborne Division, and will now return to their units to train others.
“I was thrilled to finally be able to get hands-on with these new vehicles so I can begin teaching my Soldiers about them,” said Staff Sgt. Albert Ziss, training noncommissioned officer for Lebanon’s 3rd Battalion. “Everyone at my unit has been looking forward to getting and operating these new ISVs since they were first announced.”
Last May, the 278th learned it would be among the first National Guard units to transition to the Mobile Brigade Combat Team structure. MBCTs are designed to be lighter, faster and more lethal than traditional armored formations, while also being more cost-effective and deployable more quickly.
“For decades, the 278th has been Armored Cavalry and we pride ourselves on being the best at what we do,” said Ziss. “So being one of the first National Guard units to transform into this new, more lethal structure is only fitting and we’re proud to do it.”
The Infantry Squad Vehicle is central to that transformation, enabling infantry Soldiers to move faster with their equipment, reach objectives more quickly and operate with greater flexibility on the battlefield.
“When we heard that we were getting these new ISVs as replacements to our current tactical vehicles, everyone was excited,” said Ziss. “Now, after training with one, I see how incredibly easy they are to use and drive, and how much more versatile they are than our current vehicles. The ISV is so much better than we could’ve hoped for.”
The nine-passenger ISV, built by GM Defense and based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 platform, is lightweight and designed for rapid deployment, including airdrop and helicopter sling-load operations.
“One of the many great things about these vehicles is that they are light, easy to work on, and can be configured to perform countless missions required by Soldiers,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Mines, master driver for the 101st Airborne Division and course instructor. “Also, 90 percent of the parts required for maintaining the ISV are commercial, off-the-shelf. These vehicles are much easier to maintain and repair than their predecessors.”
Because the ISV is based on a commercial platform, it is also easier for Soldiers to operate.
“It is not very difficult to drive or maintain these vehicles,” said Mines. “They handle, maneuver, and run like a typical truck, so most Soldiers are very comfortable with that already. The dashboard and layout were kept like a traditional civilian car or truck, making it very intuitive to operate.”
Despite those similarities, the ISV is built for combat and can transport nine Soldiers with full combat loads across rugged terrain. Its modular design allows units to configure the vehicle for a variety of mission sets.
“Staff Sgt. Mines gave all of us detailed training on all of the possible uses and capabilities of the ISVs and how to operate them safely while getting the most benefit from them,” said Ziss. “I thought that one of the most interesting features was the ability to lock a rescue litter into the back to rapidly evacuate a wounded Soldier if needed. I hope I never have to use it, but glad to know it’s there.”
Units across Tennessee have begun receiving the new vehicles and will continue transitioning in the coming months. The newly certified operators are expected to accelerate fielding and help the 278th build a more agile and lethal force.
“These vehicles are just what we needed, and I look forward to getting them at our armories,” said Ziss.