Category: US Army

Source: United States Army

ARLINGTON, Va. — Drug trafficking networks often cross state and international borders, and analysts with the National Guard Counterdrug program are helping law enforcement officials identify trafficking routes and connect investigations across jurisdictions in order to disrupt and stop the flow of illicit drugs.

“Borders serve as the main line of defense for preventing drugs from entering the U.S., but threats posed by illicit drug trafficking do not stop there,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Laurie Rodriguez, National Guard Bureau Counterdrug division chief. “They exist in all states.”

In one recent investigation, Guard analysts identified text-based communications tied to a fentanyl trafficking network operating across six states. Their work contributed to the seizure of 196,000 fentanyl pills and additional narcotics arrests, said Rodriguez.

The investigation was one of thousands supported each year by the program, which provides analytical, reconnaissance, operational, and training support to law enforcement agencies throughout all 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia. Congress authorized the program in 1989. Since then, the mission has expanded well beyond its early efforts focused on marijuana eradication.

“What once focused primarily on local and state marijuana eradication missions has expanded into disrupting activities and dismantling drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations,” Rodriguez said, adding that the program is structured differently in each state based on local needs, threats, and law enforcement partnerships.

Nationwide, nearly 3,000 Guard personnel support those efforts as part of the program. All serve on Title 32 status and remain under control of their governors while supporting federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.

Rodriguez said today’s drug trafficking organizations operate more like sophisticated criminal enterprises than isolated local groups, using communications, financial, and transportation networks that often span jurisdictions and international borders.

Much of the program’s mission now centers on criminal intelligence analysis and interagency coordination.

Guard analysts assigned to High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, state intelligence hubs known as fusion centers, and multi-agency task forces help law enforcement investigators identify trafficking routes, communication patterns, financial links and organizational structures connected to larger criminal networks.

“Analysts act as a force multiplier and bridge gaps between local, state and federal law enforcement partners,” Rodriguez said.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Matt Howard, head of the Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, said Guard personnel often help connect agencies and investigative efforts that may otherwise operate separately.

“I think we are sometimes the bridge between elements or agencies where we can get folks to kind of work together,” he said. “I think we’re really the trusted brokers.”

Beyond analysis, the Counterdrug program provides military-unique capabilities many law enforcement agencies cannot sustain independently, said Rodriguez. Reconnaissance teams use fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft and specialized equipment to identify trafficking corridors and illegal drug activity, while other personnel provide communications, transportation, engineering and language translation support.

“I’ve worked with law enforcement agencies that have like 12 people, counting the secretary,” said Howard. “They don’t have helicopters. They don’t have an analysis person.”

The Counterdrug program brings those capabilities, said Rodriguez.

The program also operates five schools that train Guard members, law enforcement personnel, and community organizations in areas including criminal intelligence analysis, ground reconnaissance, and partnership development.

Other elements of the Counterdrug program work with anti-drug coalitions and community organizations to help communities develop long-term prevention strategies and responses tailored to local conditions.

“The Guard is already connected to these communities,” Rodriguez said. “The trust is already there.”

Rodriguez said the program continues adapting alongside law enforcement partners as criminal organizations evolve their methods and operations.

In fiscal year 2025, the Guard Counterdrug program supported more than 2,800 law enforcement agencies and contributed to narcotics-related seizures valued at approximately $15 billion, according to NGB figures.

Rodriguez said those operations are not only removing narcotics from communities, but also disrupting the financial networks that sustain larger criminal organizations.

“We’re denying these cartels and high-priority targets the revenue that they would have otherwise,” she said.

Related Links

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Source: United States Army

BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Army National Guard’s 2-116th Combined Arms Battalion reorganized as a mobile infantry battalion June 18 in a ceremony at Gowen Field, part of a strategic modernization effort designed to strengthen the military’s capabilities in response to emerging global threats.

“The nature of warfare is evolving, and so too must we,” said Lt. Col. Jared Mckie, executive officer of the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team (Mobile Brigade Combat Team). “Defeating the adversaries of tomorrow requires a force that is more agile, more deployable and capable of operating across vastly different, complex terrain.”

During the ceremony, the unit was reorganized as the 2nd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment (Mobile Infantry). Its two armor companies and one mechanized infantry company were redesignated as mobile infantry companies; a newly formed multi-purpose company was activated; and its logistics support company was reorganized as a combat logistics company.

The reorganization is part of the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team’s transition from an armor brigade to a mobile brigade combat team as part of the U.S. Army’s Transformation Initiative. The modernization effort is designed to strengthen the military’s capabilities by adapting fighting formations and integrating new technologies to prepare units and Soldiers to fight on the battlefield of the future.

The regiment has turned in its Abrams Main Battle Tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles for Infantry Squad Vehicles, which are based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 platform and can carry up to nine Soldiers.

“The tools we fight with are changing, but the mission remains the same: to find the enemy, fix them and destroy them,” Mckie said. “The vehicles we fight on will change, but the lethality, the discipline and the proud heritage of the 2-116th will remain intact.”

The unit’s headquarters and headquarters company will remain in Caldwell. A Company will relocate from Emmett to Burley. B Company will remain in Nampa. C Company will remain on Gowen Field. D Company, the newly formed multi-purpose company, will be located in Emmett and provide the regiment with organic strike, reconnaissance and sensing capabilities.

G Company, 145th Brigade Support Battalion, was reorganized as C Company, 145th Light Support Battalion and will remain on Gowen Field. The event also featured a change-of-command ceremony for all the battalion’s company commanders and a change-of-responsibility ceremony for all its first sergeants.

Earlier this month, the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team (Mobile Brigade Combat Team)’s engineer battalion was inactivated, and a signal, engineer and military company were each reactivated as part of the brigade’s transition to a mobile brigade combat team. In July, the Idaho Army National Guard will activate the 1st of the 116th Cavalry Regiment (Mobile Infantry), which will be headquartered in Lewiston. Logistics and engineer companies in northern Idaho will convert to infantry units.

In August, the 145th Brigade Support Battalion will relocate from Lewiston to the new Jerome Readiness Center and become the 145th Light Support Battalion. The Jerome Readiness Center will be dedicated to former Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne on June 29.

Units in Twin Falls and Jerome were already scheduled to relocate to the Jerome Readiness Center later this summer and will now become logistical support units. Elsewhere in the Magic Valley region, the field artillery battery in Burley will relocate to Boise.

In eastern Idaho, the 1st of the 148th Field Artillery Regiment’s headquarters will remain in Pocatello. The region will gain an infantry company in Saint Anthony and gain nearly 275 additional part-time Soldiers. Following the transition, which is expected to be completed by the end of September, Idaho Army National Guard units will be located in 19 communities across the state.

Outside Idaho, subordinate battalions of the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team from the Montana and Oregon Army National Guards converted to infantry battalions and ceased affiliation with the brigade. The 1st of the 221st Cavalry Regiment, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, will remain affiliated with the brigade and convert to a mobile infantry battalion.

The 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team (Mobile Brigade Combat Team) will retain its cavalry lineage and designation following its transition.

The brigade traces its lineage to the 1st Cavalry, which was constituted on March 4, 1920, and organized throughout Idaho’s Snake River Valley. The unit was redesignated as the 116th Cavalry on Oct. 12, 1921, and has been headquartered in Boise since Dec. 9, 1930. Elements of the brigade and its predecessor organizations have served in every major conflict since 1891, including the Spanish-American War, the Mexican Border Campaign, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

Related Links

The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil

State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil

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Source: United States Army

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Soldiers with the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 56th Mobile Brigade Combat Team conducted training June 17-18 on the new vehicle they will use for movement to and from mission locations.

The Infantry Squad Vehicle, or ISV, is a light, unarmored vehicle capable of transporting an infantry squad of nine Soldiers and their gear over rugged terrain, emphasizing speed and agility over armor and firepower. The ISV is the primary vehicle used by the Army’s relatively new mobile brigade combat teams.

Staff Sgt. Jordan Briggs, the battalion master driver, led the initial training on the ISV, training the trainers for each company. Briggs walked through each step of the preventive maintenance checks and services for the vehicle, a vital step in caring for and maintaining each vehicle to remain mission-ready and capable.

He then walked them through the vehicle’s capabilities and how to operate it. Each Soldier then completed a driving course around Fort Indiantown Gap.

“The companies’ representatives performed exceptionally well throughout the course, demonstrating strong technical proficiency disciplined execution, and a clear commitment to safety,” Briggs said. “The training not only met but exceeded expectations, producing confident and capable ISV operators ready to support mission requirements.”

The next training was conducted by the companies to develop confidence in the vehicle platform.

“I thought the training was very thorough,” said Spc. Nathan Breitenstein of A Company. “It addressed everything from walking up to the vehicle not knowing anything about it to being comfortable driving it. I feel confident in operating it based on our training.”

Sgt. Connor Vaughan, also with A Company, has experience driving several military vehicle platforms. He praised the training as well, explaining that it was very easy to understand the ISV’s purpose and capabilities.

“I’m looking forward to the implementation into the company, to see their scope and how we will use them in the field,” Vaughan said. “I think they’re pretty slick.”

The 56th Mobile Brigade Combat Team had been a Stryker brigade for 20 years before converting to a mobile brigade combat team in March. As a Stryker brigade, it was centered around eight-wheeled, armored Stryker vehicles.

Several ISVs arrived at Fort Indiantown Gap earlier in 2026 for driver training. The remainder of the brigade’s ISVs are expected to begin arriving in 2027.

The battalion plans to continue training Soldiers on the ISV throughout annual training to build a strong base of confident drivers, fully capable of operating the vehicle during any mission.

Related Links

The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil

State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil

The National Guard on Facebook | Facebook.com/TheNationalGuard

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The National Guard on X | X.com/USNationalGuard

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Source: United States Army

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay – Friendship, or amistad in Spanish, brings more than 20 National Guard medical professionals from throughout the country to Paraguay, but this is more than a cultural exchange. The seasoned practitioners brought thousands of hours of clinical experience to share with Paraguayan medical professionals and offer care to locals during Exercise Amistad 2026.

The annual exercise – which includes rotations in both Paraguay and the Dominican Republic this year – is tailored to the host nation’s needs. Guard members from Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Utah are taking part in the exercise in Asunción, Paraguay, June 15-26.

The overall goal is to deliver care while strengthening partnerships and exchanging expertise in real-world conditions.

“It is absolutely incredible to watch a U.S. joint medical operations team come to a country they may have never been to and operate in multiple locations,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Peter Mudge, commander of the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Medical Group, and mission commander of the Paraguay portion of the exercise. “They are doing all this with teammates and all foreign partners they have never met, with a common goal of providing world class medical care in whatever situation they are given. They are, plain and simple, amazing.”

The Guard members and their Paraguayan partners are melded into four teams to provide aid at clinics selected by Paraguay’s Ministry of Health, each of which sees an average of about 100 patients a day. This year is focused primarily on optometry and audiology services, but also included dental and family care.

“Audiology and optometry definitely impact people’s lives,” said Mudge. “You can see it on people’s faces when they get glasses or hear better than they have ever have in their lives. Seeing the brightness on their face is just an incredible experience.”

U.S. Army Maj. Meghan Hart, a physician assistant with the Massachusetts Army National Guard Medical Detachment, echoed Mudge’s enthusiasm.

“It’s a special mission that we have, being able to treat the local community where they’re resource limited, so we’re able to bring a little bit of outside support to them,” she said.

“But we’re also able to see our impact almost immediately, and that’s the most rewarding thing.”

Although providing care in South America was new to many of the team members, interacting with patients is what most of the team does in their civilian careers.

Serving in the Guard allows Soldiers like U.S. Army Capt. Brad Daniels-Demers to be a nurse practitioner as a part-time military member with the Massachusetts Army Guard Med. Det. and work full time in a hospital as a nurse practitioner on the civilian side.

“I think the Guard has a particular advantage, because not only do we have our military-trained skill set, but we also have civilian career skills,” he said. “So, when we match those things together, not only do we offer a variety of knowledge, but we can offer more to the local community.”

For the Massachusetts National Guard members, working with Paraguayans is familiar territory. The Massachusetts Guard has a 25-year partnership with Paraguay through the Department of War National Guard State Partnership Program. The program pairs Guard elements with partner nations for mutual training and subject matter expert exchanges.

Although Amistad is not an SPP event, it builds on foundations developed through the program and mirrors its focus of exchanging best practices. The emphasis was on Guard members mentoring Paraguayan medical students working alongside them in the clinics.

For U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Kirk Drennan, an optometrist with the Utah Air National Guard’s 151st Medical Group who is also fluent in Spanish, the ability to communicate without a translator increased his ability to provide care. It has also improved his working relationship with his Paraguayan counterpart, Paraguayan Dr. Petter Gumercindo, who has finished medical school and is working toward becoming an ophthalmologist, he said.

“Hopefully that translates into perpetual care where they can go on to treat more and more, and we can snowball this into bigger and greater things,” he said.

Drennan’s snowball effect is already coming to fruition, with the next phase of the exercise scheduled to bring Guard members to the Dominican Republic later this summer.

Amistad is just one of many exercises and operations Guard members participate in globally.

“Our Soldiers and Airmen gain invaluable experience working alongside trusted partners, sharing expertise, strengthening readiness and building relationships that enhance security,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau.

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 Army

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – The Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Training and Innovation Facility soon will undergo modernization changes that will strengthen its readiness to train Soldiers, including creating an innovation classroom, a high-tech classroom, a simulator room, a locker room and a mock urban village for training.

Plans also call for the facility to eventually have a drone racecourse and host competitions.

“We are building this facility out so that everybody is going to get a better level of education,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nathan Shea, the facility’s officer in charge. “We truly are trying to embrace building smarter Soldiers for the future Army. In addition, we’re giving them the tools and training them how to use those tools. The more tools we can put in their back pocket as they move forward, the more ready they’re going to be for future fights.”

The facility has been a beehive of activity over the last few months. On Feb. 19, a team of Soldiers from the facility won the innovation competition at the U.S. Army’s inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition in Alabama. Since then, activity at the facility has “exploded,” Shea said.

“We’re going through a massive amount of changes,” said Shea, who is assigned to M Company, 56th Mobile Brigade Combat Team. “This facility has become a massive hub for training, and our lab space has never been busier.”

Since the Best Drone Warfighter Competition, the UAS Training and Innovation Facility has been designated as a training site for the 15X military occupational specialty transition course and as the primary training site for drones selected in the Department of War’s Drone Gauntlet competition.

As a result of these additional programs, construction is underway on upgrades to the facility, and the number of full-time employees has increased from six to 16.

“We’ve had a lot of new people come in, a lot of building changes and a lot of equipment changes,” said Sgt. 1st Class Brent Wehr, course manager for the 15X MOS transition course. “There’s been a lot of big changes here.”

A ‘heavy lift’

The UAS facility was established in 2007. Initially, it was home to 28th Infantry Division units that used the RQ-7 Shadow, a fixed-wing UAS with a 20-foot wingspan, designed for surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition.

The Army stopped using Shadows in January 2024, and Soldiers at the facility then began experimenting with small, first-person view, or FPV, drones as they awaited a new mission. New missions arrived this year in the form of the 15X MOS-T course and the Drone Gauntlet training program.

Pennsylvania was selected to be one of two states, along with Mississippi, to host the 15X MOS-T course for the reserve component. The course is part of the effort to merge two MOSs, 15W (Shadow UAS operator) and 15E (UAS maintainer), Shea said.

“The idea moving forward is an operator and a maintainer will be the same thing, and that’s where we get the 15X,” Shea said.

The first class is expected to begin in October, and Shea expects six classes per year to be conducted at the UASTIF.

The Drone Gauntlet competition, meanwhile, is part of the Department of War’s “Drone Dominance” guidance issued in 2025. Through the program, the Unmanned Aircraft System Training and Innovation Facility, or UASTIF, will receive eight drones that are selected during the Drone Gauntlet, and Soldiers at the facility will receive training on the drones from their manufacturers.

The Soldiers will then train Soldiers from active- and reserve-component Army units selected to receive the drones.

The UASTIF was selected for this program because of its close relationship with Tobyhanna Army Depot in northeast Pennsylvania and Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, as well as the work the facility was already doing in the drone space, Shea said.

“We get the new equipment training from the vendor, and then our job is to train all of active duty as well as some National Guard that have been selected for it,” Shea said. “It’s quite the heavy lift as we go through this.”

Upgrades on the horizon

With the new programs, significant changes are coming to the facility. A maintenance area that was previously converted into an innovation lab will be expanded to become an innovation classroom. The lab currently has several soldering stations and three 3D printers, with two more printers on the way.

“It’s a space where we can instruct in soldering skills, printing skills, everything like that,” Shea said. “It’s designed to be lab space for Soldiers to receive instruction and give our own people the space to work, tear apart systems, repair systems and everything else along those lines.”

The 3D printers are used to prototype drone parts or to print repair parts that may have broken on an existing drone.

Elsewhere in the facility, a high-tech classroom, a simulator room and a locker room are being added, as well as office space for the facility’s full-time personnel.

In addition to changes inside the UASTIF, several upgrades are underway outside. The facility has had an indoor drone obstacle course for about a year and recently built an outdoor course. They are both made primarily from construction materials such as lumber and PVC pipe. The indoor course is where Soldiers first start learning to fly drones, and the outdoor obstacle course was designed to mimic flying through windows and doors in an urban setting, Shea said.

In the coming weeks, a mock urban village made from shipping containers will be moved from elsewhere on Fort Indiantown Gap’s grounds to the facility’s grounds to create a UAS-specific urban operations site. Eventually, Shea said, the facility will have a drone racecourse and host competitions.

An exciting time

Wehr, who has worked at the UASTIF for six years and has been involved in UAS operations for his entire 12-year military career, said it’s an exciting time to be at the facility.

“Shadow was fun back in the day,” said Wehr, who is assigned to M Company, 56th Mobile Brigade Combat Team. “It was a more standard schedule, but with all these changes it’s definitely more exciting and more hands-on than it used to be.”

Today’s UAS operators have to know more than just how to fly one; they need to be able to fix them as well, Wehr said. The UASTIF will help Soldiers learn to do both.

“I think it’s a great facility,” Wehr said. “It’s a perfect place to learn how to fly and how to fix drones.”

The UASTIF was already a great facility, Shea said, and with all the changes coming, it’s going to be even more technologically advanced. He noted that six months ago the facility didn’t have any 3D printers or soldering stations, and its classroom space was limited.

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 Army

Back to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

VICENZA, Italy — When U.S. Army Master Sgt. Chad Spencer was a young infantry Marine deployed overseas, he wanted something simple: a comfortable place to sleep.

It was one of the small things that mattered most after long days in the field — the kind of thing people take for granted until they don’t have it.

Years later, Spencer carries that memory with him as an Army engineer. Now, when he attends planning events for exercises like Justified Accord, he looks at the mission through the lens of taking care of the next generation of service members.

That mindset helped shape discussions during the Justified Accord 2027 Initial Planning Event that took place June 8-12, when U.S., Kenyan and Tanzanian planners gathered to refine exercise requirements and explore how innovation can improve training, operations and support for multinational forces in the field.

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) hosted the planning event that gathered U.S. military and interagency planners, as well as representatives from the Dutch army, the Czech army, Kenya Defence Forces and Tanzania People’s Defence Force, to continue developing the framework for Justified Accord 2027.

Led by SETAF-AF, Justified Accord is U.S. Africa Command’s premier exercise in East Africa. The exercise focuses on strengthening multinational readiness, improving crisis-response capabilities and building interoperability among participating forces.

“Collaboration during JA27- IPE goes far beyond event planning,” said Kenyan Brig. Gen. Samuel Kimani, the lead Kenyan planner for Justified Accord 2027. “It translates the conceptual framework established during the concept decision event into concrete, synchronized activities. This is where our practical commitment to interoperability takes root.”

Throughout the week, planners discussed exercise objectives, training locations, movement requirements, logistical support, public affairs coordination and ways to integrate technology and innovation into the exercise.

Innovation does not always mean creating something new from the ground up, according to Spencer. Sometimes, it means finding a better way to solve a familiar problem.

As an Army engineer, Spencer said that planning events provide an opportunity to look at what service members will need in the field and identify practical solutions early. That can include everything from infrastructure and life support, to how units move, communicate and sustain themselves during an exercise.

“I always think back to being a younger service member in the field,” Spencer said. “That experience is why I do what I do now to make sure troops are taken care of.”

Those discussions are especially important during an exercise like Justified Accord, where forces from multiple nations and U.S. government agencies must operate together across different locations and training environments. By identifying requirements early, planners can better support the military personnel and civilian partners who will execute the exercise on the ground.

“Through the deliberate coordination of movements, exercise locations and logistical requirements, planners ensure participants from all contributing nations can operate seamlessly as a unified force,” Kimani said. “The goal remains constant: to prepare our forces for effective and efficient crisis response by drawing on international best practices, integrating technology and innovation, and fostering mutual respect that endures long after the exercise concludes.”

The initial planning event also allowed U.S., Kenyan and Tanzanian planners to continue building relationships ahead of future planning events. Those relationships are central to the success of Justified Accord, where shared understanding and coordination are just as important as the training itself.

“We’re looking forward to working with our Kenyan and Tanzanian partners during Justified Accord,” said U.S. Army Col. Benjamin Roark, SETAF-AF’s G7 director. “During this initial planning event, we made great strides toward building a successful exercise. Bringing our partners and allies together here in Italy, including senior planners from the Kenya Defence Forces and Tanzania People’s Defence Force, helps ensure we are aligned early in the planning process.”

As planning continues, SETAF-AF and partner-nation planners will further refine training objectives, confirm support requirements and continue identifying ways to bring innovation into the exercise.

For Spencer, that work comes back to a simple idea: taking care of the people who will carry out the mission.

The same small details he remembers from his time in the field now inform how he approaches planning for others. Whether that means improved infrastructure, better coordination or new technology, the goal is to ensure participants have what they need to train effectively.

Justified Accord 2027 is scheduled to take place Feb. 19 to March 5, 2027, in Kenya and Tanzania.

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.

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Source: United States Army

WEST POINT, New York -New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Major Jonathan Cross, a Lakeview resident, is now the top enlisted leader for more than 4,000 Soldiers of the Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Cross assumed responsibility as new top enlisted leader during a June 14 ceremony at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

The brigade is headquartered in Syracuse and has units across New York and in Massachusetts.

The 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team has a long lineage of history dating back to World War I where the unit saw its first major action in 1918 in France as the then 27th Infantry Division. Nicknamed the “Orion Brigade” the unit’s name plays off the name of Maj. Gen. John F. O’Ryan, the 27th Division Commander in World War I.

The unit’s patch is designed with seven stars in red on a black circled background with a monogram NYD for New York Division in red. Black stands for iron, the red for blood.

“The mission of the Infantry remains clear, to close with and destroy the enemy,” said Cross. “This brigade exists for one reason, to fight and win our nation’s wars”, he added.

Cross deployed to Iraq in 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom completing his active duty obligation then subsequently joining the New York National Guard from 2005 to 2007 before transferring to the North Carolina National Guard and deploying for a second time in his career to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

This is Cross’ second position as Command Sergeant Major. He previously served as the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment senior enlisted leader.

Col. Bradley Frank, the outgoing commander of 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, presided over the ceremony and said, “you bring a well rounded foundation that will serve this brigade exceptionally well. You are known for leading from the front and getting into the mud with your Soldiers, exactly the kind of leader this formation needs.”

Frank moved out of the command position, replaced by Col. Matthew Kilgore, following the ceremony.

As brigade command sergeant major, Cross will be responsible for the readiness and training of more than 4,000 enlisted Soldiers within the 27th.

Cross, who is a Hamburg police lieutenant in civilian life, enlisted in the Army in 2002. While on active duty he served with 1st Battalion 509th, Parachute Infantry Regiment (Airborne) before leaving active duty and joining the New York Army National Guard in 2005.

In 2013, Cross transferred back to the New York National Guard serving as a Mortar Section Leader with the Alpha Troop 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment. In 2016, he reached the rank of first sergeant and served as top enlisted leader of Charlie Troop 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment.

His most recent deployment occurred in 2017 when he mobilized to Ukraine in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, assigned to the Joint Multi-National Training Group-Ukraine.

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO Medal, the Master Combat Infantryman Badge, Air Assault Badge, the Combat Aviation Badge, the Drivers and Mechanics Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.

Cross’ military education includes Airborne School, Warrior Leaders Course, Infantry Mortar Leaders Course, Basic Non-Commissioned Officers Course, Battalion Career Counselor Course, Route Reconnaissance Clearance Course, Maneuver Senior Leaders Course, Air Assault, Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course, the Cavalry Leaders Course, and the Sergeants Major Course.

He and his wife, Rachel, have two daughters, Alana and Ainslee

Source: United States Army

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – For the better part of the past 9 years, it was just the three of them. A mother and her two sons navigating life side by side.

Through challenges, loss, and perseverance, they built a bond through resilience. Years later, that bond would lead them to answer a call much bigger than themselves.

At 42 years old, Katherine Zito enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as a Signals Intelligence Analyst. Standing alongside her was her 20-year-old son, Matthew Zito, who enlisted as a UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter Repairer.

What began as a joke eventually became a life-changing decision.

Matthew had come across a social media post about the military raising the enlistment age limit and sent it to his mom, half-jokingly. Katherine laughed it off, at first. When the age-waiver policy changed, she suddenly found herself asking whether this was something she should seriously consider.

After her husband lost his battle with cancer eight-and-a-half-years ago, Katherine became a widow and devoted herself to raising her family. She was a dedicated wrestling mom, traveling with her sons’ teams and supporting them every step of the way. After years of putting others first, she found herself asking a simple question: What if this opportunity was for me, too?

“I can’t encourage my kids to take advantage of opportunities like this if I’m not willing to look into them myself.” Katherine said. “The benefits apply no matter your age. This allows me to finish college, serve my community, and opens doors to a new career path if I choose to pursue one. It’s never too late to step into something greater than yourself. I’ve spent years taking care of everyone else. This was my choice to do something for myself.”

Her decision is also deeply connected to her son’s decision to join. She knew if he could do it, so could she.

“I didn’t have a choice in the struggles we went through,” Katherine said. “But I did have a choice to do this. It’s never too late. “Whether you’re 20 or 42, service isn’t defined by age. It’s defined by the decision to show up, commit, and be part of something bigger than yourself. We also want to make my husband and Matthew’s dad proud.”

Matthew’s path to service was inspired by many of the same values. As he prepared for college at Drexel University in Philadelphia, he saw the Guard as an opportunity to gain valuable skills, help pay for his education, and open future career paths. The military offered a way to invest in his future while serving something bigger than himself.

“The military is going to open up so many career opportunities for me. I will get to learn and be paid to learn a skill that I cannot learn anywhere else. I am excited to see what career opportunities this opens for me, and to also be alongside this journey with my mom.” Matthew said.

With his mother by his side, Matthew learned long before enlistment what resilience truly looks like. He watched her overcome adversity, sacrifice for her family, and continue moving forward despite every obstacle life placed in her path.

Matthew is scheduled to leave for Basic Combat Training this July, and his mom is scheduled to leave in January 2027. This allows both of them to be available to support each other and to be there for their family and on their graduation day.

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 Army

TAPA, Estonia – Soldiers from the U.S., Great Britain and France participated in a commemorative Bir Hakeim 10K mud race at Tapa Army Base, Estonia, June 10, 2026. The event honored the legacy of the Free French defenders at the Battle of Bir Hakeim, a key engagement in the North African campaign of World War II that showcased the determination of Free French forces against a larger enemy force.

The race served as an opportunity for service members from allied nations to honor shared military history while strengthening bonds across the NATO alliance. Participants were required to overcome a series of physical challenges, including waist-deep mud and high obstacles. The race tested their endurance, determination and resilience to honor the defenders at Bir Hakeim.

“I’d say the race was about remembering the physical hardships French service members went through,” said U.S. Army Pfc. Gage Leavitt, a race participant and military police officer assigned to the 603rd Military Police Company. “Back then, they dealt with a lot worse conditions than just mud and going over obstacles. Running the race helped put into perspective the hard work and sacrifices made by those who served before us.”

Hosted by the French Foreign Legion, the event brought together soldiers from multiple NATO nations to challenge themselves side-by-side while commemorating the battle’s historical significance. Throughout the course, participants relied on teamwork to navigate difficult obstacles, often helping and encouraging one another while running.

For Leavitt, the event highlighted the importance of cooperation among allied forces and reflected the relationships that support NATO’s collective defense mission.

“We’re all soldiers, and if hard times come, it’s the people to our left and right that we’re going to rely on,” Leavitt said. “Events like this help build those relationships and remind us that we have to support each other and work together.”

V Corps is the U.S. Army’s only forward-deployed corps, serving as the senior tactical headquarters for Army forces in Eastern Europe to deter conflict and provide combat-ready forces alongside our NATO Allies. V Corps is operationalizing and expanding the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative with Allies, rapidly integrating emerging technologies into training and tactical plans.

Source: United States Army

OKLAHOMA CITY — A groundbreaking new artificial intelligence tool developed by an Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldier is set to transform the way the state processes military awards, potentially saving administrative staff more than 61,000 hours of paperwork and allowing them to focus more on supporting Soldiers and mission readiness.

Staff Sgt. Herbert Hailey, an information technology specialist assigned to the Oklahoma Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion, developed the tool after being asked by his battalion’s personnel officer to streamline the process of identifying Guardsmen eligible for time-in-service awards.

The traditional awards process requires administrative personnel to manually review each Soldier’s NGB-23A retirement points record, evaluate service history and calculate years of qualifying service.

Drawing on skills gained during a specialized Oklahoma Army National Guard-hosted artificial intelligence and data training course delivered by Skillquest, Hailey used advanced prompting within the Army Vantage platform to develop an AI-powered widget that automates much of that work.

At launch, the widget processes data to determine eligibility for the Oklahoma Good Conduct Medal, with plans to expand its capabilities to include the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and Oklahoma Long Service Ribbon.

“Our priority is taking care of Soldiers,” said Sgt. Lorelei Hubbard, an administrative noncommissioned officer in the OKARNG Recruiting and Retention Battalion. “But manual record scrubs for awards like the Oklahoma Good Conduct Medal can take hours per Soldier. This widget represents a massive leap forward in our administrative capabilities. Ultimately, it ensures our Soldiers receive the accurate, hard-earned recognition they deserve.”

Hailey said his development of the awards widget is not just about streamlining processes.

“It’s about creating better quality of life for our staff members while positively impacting our service population’s readiness. It’s all linked, it’s an ecosystem and I’m just the guy trying to retire the ‘struggle bus’ one prompt at a time,” Hailey said.

The tool reads the digital contents of a Soldier’s NGB-23A, identifies qualifying years of service and determines eligibility for awards.

The administrative savings are already significant. Within the OKARNG’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion alone, submitting all RRB-assigned Soldiers for a single award would normally require approximately 483 hours of administrative labor.

When scaled across the Oklahoma National Guard, the tool is projected to save more than 20,400 hours per award cycle. Once expanded to process additional time-in-service awards, projected savings could exceed 61,000 hours across the force.

By eliminating thousands of hours of manual administrative work, the innovation allows personnel professionals to spend less time processing paperwork and more time supporting Soldiers, units and mission readiness.

“Staff Sgt. Hailey’s initiative demonstrates the kind of innovation that keeps the Oklahoma National Guard moving forward,” said Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma. “By identifying a challenge and developing a practical solution, he’s helping save valuable time across the force. Guardsmen at every level are finding new ways to solve problems, improve efficiency and allow our Soldiers and Airmen to focus on what matters most: remaining ready to support our state and federal missions.”

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