MIL Security Engine-1

Source: United States Army

BETHEL, Alaska – An Alaska Army National Guard aircrew assigned to Bethel conducted a successful search-and-rescue mission to locate and extract an overdue snowmachiner during a mission coordinated through the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center.

The mission began Feb. 15 in response to a request for assistance from the Alaska State Troopers to search for an overdue snowmachiner who had been riding north of Pilot Station. The Alaska Army National Guard accepted the mission through the AKRCC and launched a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter from Bethel to search the area.

The aircrew searched for approximately three and a half hours, covering more than 100 square miles of terrain before locating the individual about 110 miles north of Bethel, roughly 30 miles east of his last known location.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nick Lime, one of the aircrew members involved in the mission, said the team first located the individual on the evening of Feb. 15 but was unable to immediately extract him because of challenging terrain and fuel limitations.

“We located him that night, and another crew member and I snowshoed about half a mile trying to link up with him,” Lime said. “But with fuel running low and the deep snow conditions, we couldn’t make it all the way in, so we dropped a survival radio and some water to make sure he could stay in contact and had what he needed overnight.”

On the morning of Feb. 16, with a storm approaching, the Army Guard aircrew returned to the area to deliver additional supplies.

“There was a storm coming in, so we flew up to drop supplies,” Lime said. “We were concerned about him being able to hold out in those conditions.”

Using the previously dropped radio, the aircrew reestablished communications with the stranded snowmachiner. He had managed to free his snowmachine but reported that his feet were hurting and freezing.

“We got him to ride it about 100 to 150 yards closer to the trail we had made the night before,” Lime said.

The crew then dropped a set of snowshoes to help him continue moving. When the snowmachine became stuck again, members of the aircrew transitioned to movement on foot.

“Once on the ground, I snowshoed another quarter mile to him,” Lime said. “I was able to link up with him and walk him back to the hawk.”

As Lime made his way toward the stranded snowmachiner, the Black Hawk pilots remained in radio communication with the individual, encouraging him to keep moving and work his way closer to the aircraft.

After reaching the aircraft, the crew brought the individual aboard and transported him to a medical facility in Bethel for evaluation.

The mission highlights the close coordination between the Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center and the Alaska Army National Guard, as well as the aircrew’s ability to adapt to rapidly changing conditions in remote winter terrain.

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Source: United States Army

SEMBACH, Germany – The senior leaders of Medical Readiness Command, Europe and Defense Health Network Europe, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Roger Giraud and Command Sgt. Maj. Kalani Kalili, hosted a townhall meeting at the Sembach Chapel Feb. 19 for members of both headquarters.

The town hall meeting was part of an ongoing communication effort by the senior leaders to keep the military and civilian staff of Medical Readiness Command, Europe and Defense Health Network Europe informed and to maintain transparency.

As part of the town hall meeting, awards were presented to several civilian staff members of Defense Health Network Europe in recognition of their commitment to excellence, dedication and achievements.

The awardees were as follows:

Adriane Carney, Defense Health Network Europe Employee of the Quarter – 1st Quarter FY25

Elaine Martin, Defense Health Network Europe Employee of the Quarter – 2nd Quarter FY25

Jamie Moore, Defense Health Network Europe Employee of the Quarter – 3rd Quarter FY 25

Max Boulton, Defense Health Network Europe Employee of the Quarter – 4th Quarter FY25 (Category 1)

Glenton Atwell, Defense Health Network Europe Employee of the Quarter – 4th Quarter FY 25 (Category 2)

Headquartered at Sembach, Germany, the Defense Health Network Europe (DHNE) proudly serves 220,000 beneficiaries across Europe. The Network delivers health care and supports medical readiness in 22 strategically located military hospitals and clinics in Bahrain, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

Source: United States Army

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U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

VICENZA, Italy — The 173rd Airborne Brigade continued to sharpen the edge of its future leadership with a squad leader academy, a weeklong course designed to prepare emerging noncommissioned officers to lead Soldiers in complex, uncertain environments, Jan. 23-30, 2026.

The academy blended rigorous troop leading procedures, maintenance standards and small-unit tactics with a deliberate focus on character, competence and the hard-earned lessons of the brigade’s storied past.

The course, led by 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, “The Rock,” brought together up‑and‑coming squad leaders for intensive instruction on planning and executing squad‑level operations. Training included daily physical readiness sessions from the U.S. Army Holistic Health and Fitness program. Instructors from across the battalion reinforced standards and evaluated students throughout the week, ensuring each leader met the expectations required of a “Sky Soldier” noncommissioned officer.

“This academy is about readiness,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Benfer, platoon sergeant assigned to 2nd Platoon, Battle Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment. “We’re preparing squad leaders to deploy into uncertainty, outthink and outfight our adversaries, and bring their Soldiers home with honor. That starts with mastering the basics and understanding the responsibility that comes with leading paratroopers.”

While tactical training forms the backbone of the course, one of the most impactful events came during the “Restrepo Panel,” a leadership discussion centered on the documentary “Restrepo” by Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington. The Oscar-nominated film chronicles the 2-503rd’s Battle Company during its deployment to Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley from 2007-2008, where U.S. Army Sgt. Juan Restrepo and several Sky Soldiers died in combat.

Following the screening, students participated in a live video teleconference with Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle Steiner of 7th Special Forces Group and retired Sgt. Maj. LaMonta Caldwell. Both leaders served with the 173rd during the deployment depicted in the film and were present during the events surrounding Restrepo’s death.

Their candid reflections offered the new squad leaders a direct connection to the brigade’s lineage and a deeper understanding of the weight of leadership in combat.

Steiner and Caldwell pointed to the 173rd’s role as a contingency response force, enhanced by their strategic location in Italy, a stone’s throw away from multiple conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Injecting lessons from those conflicts, as well as the everchanging geopolitical climate, makes for realistic training for the brigade.

Students arrived prepared with questions about leading under fire, building trust within a squad, and taking care of Soldiers during the most difficult moments of a deployment. The discussion highlighted the brigade’s belief that readiness is not only technical and tactical, but also moral and emotional.

“Watching ‘Restrepo’ was required upon arriving at the unit,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Damien Jette, a squad leader and academy participant. “I also served together with Sgt. Maj. Caldwell’s son when he was part of Battle Company, so to connect the family lineage through this squad leader academy has been an amazing opportunity.”

By combining demanding training with the lessons of past Sky Soldiers, the 173rd is shaping leaders who are prepared for the missions ahead, while staying grounded in the history that defines the brigade.

“The lineage really stood out to me [as well as] the work that those squad leaders put into their Soldiers,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Austin Locke, a squad leader participating in the academy. “Back then they built an outpost on a mountain. It relates directly to us building trenches in Slovenia for live-fire training. You can see how leadership continues to build from one generation to the next.”

As the 173rd Airborne Brigade remains forward deployed as the Army’s contingency response force in Europe, the squad leader academy plays a critical role in ensuring the formation stays ready, empowered and disciplined.

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The 173rd Airborne Brigade History

About 173rd Airborne Brigade

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward stationed in Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to enhance readiness and lethality.

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.

Follow SETAF-AF on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn & DVIDS

Source: United States Army

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – Engineering within Kosovo Forces Regional Command-East (KFOR RC-E) is not only about clearing obstacles; it is about laying the groundwork for a safe and secure future.

KFOR RC-E is a NATO-led peacekeeping mission focused on maintaining freedom of movement and a safe, secure environment for all people in Kosovo. Engineers from Finland, Germany and the United States routinely support this mission by clearing roadways and obstacles to ensure safe passage throughout the region.

However, most recently, they can now be found improving local infrastructure through community-focused projects, such as building playgrounds for orphanages and conducting debris removal to create safer spaces for building activities like soccer fields.

“My favorite project is the SOS Children’s Village in Pristina,” said OR-7 Christoph S. “The children’s joy shows us immediately how important this support is. It is very satisfying for all of us to be able to help exactly where help is actually needed.”

While KFOR engineers provide the labor, tools and heavy equipment required to complete these projects, funding and materials are largely dependent on local municipalities. Even tasks as simple as debris removal can be challenging when disposal costs are involved.

“We aim to influence municipality leaders to improve infrastructure,” said 1st Lt. Jacob Riederer, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team engineer and Force Protection Chief. “We try to establish those relationships and do the best with what we are given.”

These projects also allow multinational engineering teams to share different approaches to problem-solving, overcoming barriers both literally and culturally.

“Each country has its own way of engineering,” said Riederer. “Everyone does things differently. Jobs get done, but usually not in the way you expected. It adds layers of fun and mystery.”

Each nation brings unique capabilities to the mission. Finnish engineers typically employ heavier equipment such as excavators and dump trucks, while German engineers, as part of an airborne division, rely on lighter, air-transportable equipment like sling loaders.

“These different experiences and thought processes we can take back home with us,” said Riederer. “The first project we finished was the orphanage project. Whenever someone asks my wife what I do overseas, she tells them I build facilities for the Army.”

In addition to community construction projects, engineers maintain capabilities that support long-term stability across the region.

During possible periods of heightened tension, they are prepared to assist with crowd and riot control operations by providing armored personnel carriers for the safe movement of personnel and loaders to clear obstacles and restore freedom of movement.

“Working with the Finnish and American engineers is very straightforward and pleasant,” said OR-7 Christoph S. “Working together is rewarding, and the atmosphere is collegial and friendly, but always professional. Regardless of nationality, we are all pursuing the same mission.”

Whether improving infrastructure for local communities or enabling security operations, KFOR engineers are clearing obstacles today to build the foundation for a safe and secure future.