Air Force Cadet Tours and Exercises

Air Force personnel engaged in training and demonstrations with cadets, showcasing military aircraft and operations during various exercises and educational tours.

Airmen with the 8th Medical Group perform a litter carry during a training event at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 18, 2022. The 8th MDG is devoted to optimizing the installations readiness in preparation of follow-on forces.

Capt. Steven Cox, 334th Fighter Squadron F-15E Strike Eagle pilot, gives Air Force Academy cadets a tour of an F-15E Strike Eagle at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, June 2, 2022. Cadets take courses in military strategy, doctrine, heritage and professionalism, while also learning about the communication skills and responsibilities required of an officer.

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers assigned, 404th Civil Affairs Battalion, 360th Civil Affairs Brigade, walk off the flight line during Operation Viking at Joint Base Cape Cod, Mass. July 19, 2022. Operation Viking is an intense joint task force exercise designed to prepare Soldiers with realistic training simulating the deployment of civil affairs units in direct support of a contingency operation in Africa.

Airman 1st Class Jordan McCoy and Tech. Sgt Alexandre Montes, 57th Wing Public Affairs Specialists, direct Airmen assigned to the 757th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron F-15 Strike Aircraft Maintenance Unit a portrait at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Sept. 19, 2022. The Airmen whose portrait was taken won the Air Combat Command 3rd Quarter Safety Award after deterring a potentially deadly fire on an aircraft due to a fuel leak.

Army Airborne rigger team exit 136th Airlift Wings' C-130 J Model aircraft after airdrop onto Hechtselse Heide Drop Zone Sep. 13, 2022 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Exercise Falcon Leap 2022 is a part of the remembrance ceremonies for Operation Market Gardens anniversary and is currently NATOs largest technical airborne exercise.

U.S. Airmen wait on the flight line to board a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft at Savannah Air National Guard Base, Georgia, during exercise Agile Flag 22-2, July 21, 2022. Agile Flag 22-2 is Air Combat Command's first lead-wing certification event designed to demonstrate the 23rd Wing's capability to generate combat air power while continuing to move, maneuver, and sustain the Wing and subordinate force elements in a dynamic and contested environment.

332d Civil Engineering Squadron (Fire Department and Explosive Ordnance) performs Hazardous Materials or (HAZMAT) training on an F-15 E Strike Eagle at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia July 26, 2022. HAZMAT includes substances such as toxic chemicals, fuels, nuclear waste products, and biological, chemical, and radiological agents.

Airmen with the 5th Bomb Wing deboard a passenger jet upon return from a Bomber Task Force (BTF) mission on the flightline at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, March 29, 2023. The Airmen supported a BTF mission that took place primarily at Morón Air Base, Spain, over the course of five weeks.

031027-F-3677G-062. Base: Channel Islands Ang Station State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC/ANG

Airmen with the 8th Medical Group perform a litter carry during a training event at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 18, 2022. The 8th MDG is devoted to optimizing the installations readiness in preparation of follow-on forces.

Crews from Morris Air National Guard Base and the 107th Airlift Wing work together to load a C-17 with tools and spare parts needed for the mission. The 162nd Logistics Readiness Squadron coordinated the round trip movement of all equipment and personnel to Naval Air Station Key West.

U.S. Airmen and Marines prepare to load a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, known as HIMARS, onto a C-17 Globemaster III at North Auxiliary Airfield, South Carolina, Oct. 19, 2022. The Airmen and Marines trained together to carry out HIMARS rapid infiltration, or HI-RAIN, training to maximize lethality through rapid global mobility.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jessica Lere, 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron KC-10 Extender aerial refueling specialist, performs a preflight walkaround inspection within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 19, 2023. The 908th EARS delivers fuel for U.S. and partner nation forces, extending the reach and combat airpower dominance to the region.

Maintainers from the 151st Air Refueling Wing train Sailors assigned the Naval Air Station about essential procedures about the KC-135R Stratotanker during an unprecedented joint exercise on Aug. 30, 2022 at Fallon, Navada. This joint force exercise incorporates more than seven military entities across three branches creating innovative operational concepts to allow quick response to an ever changing wartime horizon

Staff Sgt Tyler Mitchell, 79th Rescue Squadron loadmaster, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, watches aircraft pass by during Forward Area Refueling Point training during Black Flag 22-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, May 12, 2022. A Black Flag 22-1 objective is to accelerate current Tactics Improvement Proposal (TIP) progression and weapons system test and integration requirements to field advanced capabilities faster.

Senior Airman Katlyn Schlumbohm of the 168th Wing, 168th Maintenance Group, steps to the C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Elmendorf, Anchorage, prior to departing from Eielson Air Force Base en route to support and help fellow Alaska Citizens with the disaster relief response as a part of the Operation Merbok Response in Nome, Alaska, Sept. 21, 2022. Approximately 100 members of the Alaska Organized Militia, which includes members of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia, were activated following a disaster declaration issued Sept. 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline.

AIRMAN 1ST Class Ken O'Connor, crew chief, and STAFF SGT. Jerry Goins, electronics environmentalist, both of the 53rd Fighter Squadron, stand by as COL. John Campbell, commander of the 36th Operations Group, performs preflight checks in the cockpit of his F-15C Eagle aircraft. They are participating in Operation Deny Flight, the enforcement of the United Nations-sanctioned no-fly zone in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Subject Operation/Series: DENY FLIGHT Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)

U.S. Army Soldiers with the Delaware Army National Guards 3-238th Aviation Battalion move a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter for transport on a C-17 Globemaster III during Northern Strike 19 at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Mich., July 28, 2019. Northern Strike 19 is a National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise uniting service members from more than 20 states, multiple service branches and numerous coalition countries during the last two weeks of July 2019 at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, both located in northern Michigan and operated by the Michigan National Guard. The accredited Joint National Training Capability exercise demonstrates the Michigan National Guards ability to provide accessible, readiness-building opportunities for military units from all service branches to achieve and sustain proficiency in conducting mission command, air, sea, and ground maneuver integration, together with the synchronizat

Service members participate in an agile combat employment joint force exercise on Sept. 8, 2022 at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. The exercise provided an opportunity for cross-platform familiarization training for fuels and crew chiefs who were able to get first-hand experience with multiple platforms they usually would not obtain at their home station, adding to the war fighting efforts.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing tour an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft inside a hangar, at Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. The 378th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron hosted an information session about the F-16 in an effort to strengthen relationships between various 378th AEW squadrons.

Navy personnel with U.S. Navy Amphibious Warfare Tactics Instructor Course (AMW-WTI) receive a capability brief on an MV-22B Osprey by a Marine with 2d Marine Aircraft Wing on September 7, 2022, at Marine Corps Air Station New River and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. II MEF units gave AMW-WTI students capability briefs in order to familiarize them with the landward environment, planning considerations, and exposure to all the elements of the Fleet Marine Force.

SCHRIEVER SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- United States Air Force Airmen and Space Force Gaurdians load a Mobile Constellation Control Station aboard a C-17 at Peterson Space Force Base on Wednesday, Sept 14 2022. The unit is being transported to an operating location as part of the 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Space Force Base's multi-day operation to provide proof of concept for missions outside of the United States returning the MCCS to Schriever Space Force Base. The 4th SOPS mission is to operate the U.S. Space Force's protected and wideband Military Satellite Communications systems. They provide warfighters global, secure, survivable, strategic and tactical communication during peacetime and throughout the full spectrum of conflict. ( U.S. Space Force Photo By: Tiana Williams)

SCHRIEVER SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- United States Air Force Airmen and Space Force Gaurdians load a Mobile Constellation Control Station aboard a C-17 at Peterson Space Force Base on Wednesday, Sept 14 2022. The unit is being transported to an operating location as part of the 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Space Force Base's multi-day operation to provide proof of concept for missions outside of the United States returning the MCCS to Schriever Space Force Base. The 4th SOPS mission is to operate the U.S. Space Force's protected and wideband Military Satellite Communications systems. They provide warfighters global, secure, survivable, strategic and tactical communication during peacetime and throughout the full spectrum of conflict. ( U.S. Space Force Photo By: Tiana Williams)

100119-F-2034C-025Tech. Sgts. James Cheves and Luke Schellhammer conduct maintenance checks on their C-130J Hercules Jan. 19, 2010 on the Green Ramp, Pope Air Force Base, Fayetteville, N.C. before taking off for a relief mission to Haiti. The Airmen are flying crew chiefs from the 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. U.S. Southern Command is deploying assets to Haiti to conduct search and rescue operations, damage assessments, and transitions sustained Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief operations in order to prevent human suffering and additional loss of life.

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Anderson, a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear chief assigned to 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, disembarks from an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 365, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, during the Marine Expeditionary Unit Field Exercise (MEU FEX) at Bogue Field Marine Corps Auxilary Field, North Carolina, Aug. 23, 2022. The MEU FEX demonstrates the MEU's ability to transition command and control from ship-to-shore through the echeloning of command capabilities and expeditionary logistics planning.

More than 600 personnel from the Idaho National Guards largest unit deployed August 9 and 10 in support of Operation Spartan Shield in Southwest Asia. The 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Teams Task Force Rattler trained for more than two years in anticipation of this mobilization. Idaho Soldiers will comprise nearly 65 percent of the task force during this rotation, and will include other Soldiers from Montana, Ohio, Oregon and South Carolina. OSS is a joint mission under the United States Central Command and is part of Operation Enduring Freedom. OSS is an ongoing operation and supported primarily by Army National Guard combat units from across the country. The deployment is anticipated to last approximately 12 months and is the second rotation the 116th CBCT is supporting. The first task force deployed in November 2021 and will return in October. The Soldiers mobilizing Wednesday will receive 45 days of additional training stateside before deploying overseas.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua Fountain, 25th Fighter Generation Squadron weapons standardization team chief, calculates scores during a weapons load crew of the quarter competition at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, March 31, 2023. During the competition, load crew members are evaluated on safety, speed, reliability, technical errors and use of the checklist.

More than 50 Marines from the III Expeditionary Force at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, load onto a C- 17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, on Kadena Air Base, Japan, Nov. 15, 2013. The Marines are part of Joint Task Force 505, and will be assisted by U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy to bring relief to the people of the Philippines.

Marines with Headquarters Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) standing, with M-16s and M82A1, on the flightline at Kandahar International Airport, Kandahar, Afghanistan, prepare to board a Marine Corps KC-130 on a mission in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. The KC-130 is part of Marine Aerial Refueling Squadron VMGR-352. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Kandahar International Airport Country: Afghanistan (AFG) Scene Major Command Shown: 26th MEU (SOC)

A critical air transport team from the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and 15th Medical Group personnel escort a patient into a Negative Pressure Conex-Lite during an aircraft swap at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Sept. 21, 2022. This was the first instance within the U.S. Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility that an NCPL was moved from one aircraft to another while carrying a patient.

Crew members prepapre a C-130H Hercules aircraft and installed prototype modular aerial spray system for its first test flight at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, July 25, 2022. The prototype system looks to replace the unit's decades old modular aerial spray system. The 910th Airlift Wing operates the Department of Defense's only large-area, fixed-wing aerial spray capability to eliminate pest and disease-carrying insects, remove invasive and wildfire-causing vegetation and disperse oil spills in large bodies of water. (U.S. Air Force photo Eric M. White)

U.S. Marines assigned to Battalion Landing Team 2/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, load an MV-22 Osprey prior to a tactical air control party training on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, July 7, 2022. The training allowed the Marines and Sailors of the Maritime Raid Force, BLT 2/5, and Naval Special Warfare Group the opportunity to maintain proficiency in coordinating airstrikes and mortar strikes while simultaneously de-conflicting the two. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.

Soldiers from Task Force Guam, 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry Regiment, Guam Army National Guard, prepare to board a CH-47 Chinook Dec. 25 from Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan, during Guam's last push out of the country. Task Force Guam officially ended Operation Enduring Freedom Dec. 26 and started its return home.

030804-M-7837W-020. Base: Ali Al Salem Air Base Country: Kuwait (KWT)

030701-F-7685H-066. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Baghdad International Airport Country: Iraq (IRQ)

Airmen with the 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard and the 103rd Airlift Wing, Connecticut Air National Guard assist the Idaho Air National Guards Air Support Operations Squadron as they prepare for their departure out of Gowen Field, ID, January 6 & 7, 2023. The ASOS will travel to Fort Smith, Kansas where they will conduct predeployment training throughout the month of January.

041229-F-5040D-092. Base: Andersen Air Force Base State: Guam (GU) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Maintainers from the 151st Air Refueling Wing train Sailors assigned the Naval Air Station about essential procedures about the KC-135R Stratotanker during an unprecedented joint exercise on Aug. 30, 2022 at Fallon, Navada. This joint force exercise incorporates more than seven military entities across three branches creating innovative operational concepts to allow quick response to an ever changing wartime horizon

Staff Sgt. Brenda Barnhart-Frame, Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations departure specialist, closes the doors of a transfer vehicle while a carry team renders honors during ground training July 29, 2022. Ground training allows carry teams to practice dignified transfers on multiple types of aircraft.

Polish Military Contingent aircrew members show the 39th Air Base Wing command team their M28 B1R BRYZA aircraft at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, July 22, 2022. The wing command team visited the Polish Military Contingent as part of an immersion tour to learn about their mission and ensure they are receiving operational support. Polands mission at Incirlik Air Base consists of on-call duty and monitoring the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea in collaboration with NATO Permanent Maritime Groups and NATO Naval Command.

Paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division conduct Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) operations on February 21, 2024. FARP provides fuel and ordnance necessary for fixed-wing operations. Army

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, delivers the final AC-130J to the 16th Special Operations Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, Nov. 2, 2022. The arrival of the final AC-130J completes the transition from the legacy AC-130W, AC-130U and AC-130H fleets.

An MC-130J Commando II is on display during the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, England, July 15, 2022. RIAT allowed the U.S. Air Force to demonstrate its strong forward presence in Europe as well as reinforce NATO and other European ally partnerships. The event, which showcased aircraft from across the globe celebrated aviations past and present while inspiring the next generation.

CAPTION

DF-ST-87-07472. Subject Operation/Series: GALLANT EAGLE '86 Base: Southern California State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

020828-F-1131H-002. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

030114-F-1789V-001. Base: Nellis Air Force Base State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

020522-F-6911G-001. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Incirlik Air Base, Adana Country: Turkey (TUR)

McEntire Joint National Guard Base, home of the South Carolina Air National Guards 169th Fighter Wing, co-hosts nighttime arming and refueling training during Exercise Agile Lion, Jan. 14, 2020. Multi-functional Airmen and F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., execute integrated combat turns during the exercise. This training simulates mobile command and control which enables joint interoperability. A C-130J Hercules military transport aircraft from the 19th Airlift Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., assists in the prepositioning of support personnel, equipment and fuel needed to support the fleet of F-15s participating in the exercise.

Aircrew assigned to the 50th and 91st Air Refueling Squadrons gather for a photo with a KC-135 Stratotanker prior to takeoff at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, June 1, 2022. The aircraft was retired and flown to Sheppard AFB, Texas, to be used as a training tool for future maintainers.

Col. Gene Buckner and SMSgt. Andrew McDonald walk off a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 151st Air Refueling Wing that arrived at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah during a joint force exercise on Sept. 8, 2022. During this joint force exercise, service members from more than seven military entities across three branches participated in an unprecedented joint force exercise at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. This exercise will develop new operational concepts, capabilities and plans to bolster deterrence and maintain the U.S. militarys competitive advantage for the future.

Airmen with the 152nd Logistics Readiness Squadron participate in an exercise at Amedee Army Airfield in Herlong, Calif. October 15, 2022. Airmen from the 152nd Airlift Wing participated in the exercise, Ready Roller, to test capabilities in a simulated contested environment, utilizing the Agile Combat Employment concept

B-1B Lancer aircraft maintainers assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, pose for a photo while waiting to marshal a B-1B Lancer aircraft to a parking spot after the aircraft returned to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam from a Bomber Task Force mission, June 8, 2022. Bomber Task Force missions strengthen the collective ability of the U.S. and our allies and partners to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Senior Leadership from Scott Air Force Base salute Frank Kendall, Secretary of the Air Force upon his arrival on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, Aug 10, 2022. The SecAF took part in multiple engagements that highlighted how mobility is the meaningful maneuver to get the Joint Force to the future fight. Mobility Airmen fuel Joint Force lethality through Rapid Global Mobility, which delivers the right effects to the right place at the right time.

Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, U.S. Transportation Command commander, poses for a group photo in front of a C-5 Super Galaxy with members of the 730th Air Mobility Squadron during a leadership tour of Yokota Air Base, Japan, May 17, 2022. The USTRANSCOM team has made it a priority to meet with the military members that make the transportation mission succeed every day and have traveled to installations concerning cargo and personnel movement throughout the Indo-Pacific theater of operations. The 730th AMS mission is to provide critical en route services to deployed forces worldwide, supporting passengers and critical cargo movement.

Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU (SOC)) board the rear of a KC-130/R with engines running from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron-252 (VMGR-252). It is located at a forward operating base and now preparing for a flight back into Kandahar, Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: 26th MEU

Col. Michal Vecheta, Czech Army Air Force, DCOM of 22nd Air Force Base in Namest nad Oslavou, visits with Capt. Travis Carlson and Lt. Col. Michael Piening, 155th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotanker pilots, Sept. 7, 2022, at Pardubice Airport, Czech Republic, for Ample Strike Exercise. Ample Strike allows the Czech Republic, U.S., Allies and partner forces to maximize interoperability, combat effectiveness and survival awareness while operating in a dynamic and simulated high threat environment through operational and tactical training. Successful partnering activities like this result in progressive relationships and enhanced interoperability and lead to tangible, mutual benefits that improve regional security, access and coalition operations during peacetime, contingencies and crises. (U.S. Air National Guard video by Master Sgt. R. Denise Mommens)

Airmen assigned to the 45th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron participate in an evacuation exercise at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Dec 5, 2022. This exercise simulated a deployment setting and enhanced the capabilities of the Airmen to rescue wounded warriors from the battlefield with an aircrafts engines running.

U.S. Air Force Academy cadets are briefed on C-130J Super Hercules aircraft by Staff Sgt. Malachi Lopez-Dockery (right), 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, as part of Operation Air Force at Yokota Air Base, Japan, June 28, 2022. Operation Air Force is a two week long academy summer program that sends cadets entering their third and fourth years of training to bases around the world to experience what active duty Airmen from all areas of expertise do to support the Department of Defense mission for U.S. Military Forces.

A Soldier from the National Training Center Operations Group, exits a C-130, at Pohakuloa Training Grounds, Hawaii, Oct 28, 2022. JPMRC 23-1 is a regional combat training center (CTC) rotation that builds combat readiness in Americas Pacific Division and is a key way the Army forces engage in a joint environment with our regional allies and partners.

031030-F-0629H-006. Base: Shaw Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 424th Air Base Squadron and Soldiers with USAG Benelux and 39th Strategic Signal Battalion board a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft for an orientation flight, on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, Aug. 02, 2022.

Polish land forces board a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, assigned to the 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, prior to a static line airdrop as part of the Aviation Detachment Rotation 22-4 (ADR 22-4) training, at Kraków International Airport, Poland, Sept. 13, 2022. Participation in training events like ADR 22-4 enhances professional relationships and improves overall coordination with allies and partner militaries.

030827-M-7837W-023. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Blaire Airfield, Al Kut State: Wasit Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division direct a M1 Abrams Tank to be loaded onto a U.S. Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy, April 20, 2022 at Robert Gray Army Airfield, Fort Hood, Texas. Members from the 68th AS flew from Kelly Field to Fort Hood to pick up static displays for the Great Texas Airshow.

Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School march in formation to the beginning of a Regimental First Formation at Fort Bragg, North Carolina May 12, 2022. The ceremony marked the completion of the Special Forces Qualification Course where Soldiers earned the honor of wearing the green beret, the official headgear of Special Forces.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Hyuk Roh, 60th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron medical technician, directs Airmen carrying a simulated patient off of a C-17 Globemaster III during Exercise Dragon Spark at Travis Air Force Base, California, Oct. 14, 2022. Exercise Dragon Spark provided units from the 60th Air Mobility Wing and the 621st Contingency Response Wing an opportunity to sync operations in preparation for a national disaster.

Marines from Camp Pendleton wait in line to board a C-141 bound for Saudi, Arabia. Subject Operation/Series: Desert Shield Base: March Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marines with Battery Q, 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, prepare to board a C-17 Globemaster III during exercise Steel Knight, at Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 2, 2022. The 21st AS transported 15 Marines and approximately 68,000 pounds of equipment during their annual exercise which included live-fire training in controlled environments.

Master Sgt. Joe Zinnecker, a loadmaster assigned to the 313th Airlift Squadron, talks to cadets of Washington state Civil Air Patrol about loadmaster job responsibilities on a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft on May 26, 2022, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. Civil Air Patrols Washington Wing cadets and senior staff join 446th Airlift Wing crew members from the 97th and 313th airlift squadrons for a familiarization flight.

A team of U.S. Air Force maintainers from the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron prepare for the F-22 Raptors return from a training flight at Łask Air Base, Poland, Sept. 5, 2022. The 90th EFS forward deployed to support NATOs Air Shielding mission. The 90ths presence in the region strengthens U.S. and NATOs unity each day as forces come together to train and deter in an ever-evolving threat environment.

220630-N-KD380-1028 SAN DIEGO - (June 30,2022) - Partner nations service members tour an MH-60S Seahawk, attached to the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, onboard Naval Air Station North Island during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The worlds largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the worlds oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New Jersey Army National Guard, and U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 305th Air Mobility Wing load their bags at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Jan. 25, 2024. More than 1,500 NJARNG Soldiers are deploying to support U.S. Central Commands Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve. This is the largest deployment of NJARNG Soldiers since 2008.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Paul Merck, a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) specialist with the 38th Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga., briefs members of the 820th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers (Red Horse) before departing for a Red Flag mission over the Nevada Test and Training Range at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Feb. 4, 2011. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies.

Airmen with the Air Force Reserve Command aircrew for a C-17 Globemaster III work with Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment (1-147) of the Wisconsin National Guard on loading and unloading UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters June 10 at Sparta-Fort McCoy Airport at Fort McCoy. The 1-147th was set up with numerous Black Hawks and support equipment and personnel at the Sparta-Fort McCoy Airport throughout the first two weeks of June for annual training. The 1-147th and its UH-60s regularly support training operations at Fort McCoy as well as supporting distinguished visitor flying operations.

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 356th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 354th Air Expeditionary Wing, and Marines from Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons (VMFA) 242 and 121, prepare to pick up an inert AIM-120 missile during Agile Combat Employment training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, July 6, 2022. ACE leverages interoperability between joint forces to maintain the strategic initiative, present lethal credible combat power with operational unpredictability that will ultimately win in conflict.

UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are loaded aboard a C-5 Galaxy aircraft for the trip home after the conclusion of exercise Bright Star '80. Subject Operation/Series: BRIGHT STAR '80 Base: Cairo West Country: Egypt (EGY)

An M-551 Sheridan light tank of the 82nd Airborne Division, loaded with supplies, waits to be loaded onto a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft at the start of Operation Desert Storm.. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Country: Unknown

DF-ST-87-02158. Subject Operation/Series: FUERZAS UNIDAS BOLIVIA Country: Bolivia (BOL)

Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Specialists from the 22nd Training Squadron board a C-17 Globemaster for parachute training at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington August 25, 2022. One aspect of SERE training involves being able to properly parachute safely to the ground in case of an emergency.

The 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, Utah National Guard, load four AH-64D Apache helicopters onboard a C-5 Galaxy, to be transported to Morocco in support of African Lion 22, a U.S. Africa Command annual exercise on Saturday, June 18, 2022.The 1-211th ARB aircraft maintaniners prepped the aircraft for loading onto the C-5 by folding the blades and then members of the 151st Air Refueling Wing, Utah Air National Guard, assisted in loading and securing the helicopters on the C-5 from Travis Air Force Base, California, for transportation to Morocco.

A U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operator, left, assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida, and a pararescueman, right, assigned to the 38th Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, prepare to depart on a UH-60 Black Hawk during Emerald Warrior 22.1 at Fort Knox, Kentucky, May 11, 2022. Emerald Warrior provides annual, realistic pre-deployment training encompassing multiple joint operating areas. The exercise prepares special operations forces, conventional force enablers, partner nations and interagency elements, to integrate with and execute full-spectrum special operations, sharpening U.S. forces abilities to operate around the globe.

From left, President Barack Obama, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Daniel V. Wright, and Army Brig. Gen. Michael S. Repass render honors as a team of Soldiers carry the remains of Army Sgt. Dale R. Griffin during a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Oct. 29, 2009.

Airmen assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth Air National Guard Base, Minnesota, conduct a foreign object debris walk prior to a Red Flag-Nellis 22-1 mission Jan. 27, 2022, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The 148th FW is one of 32 units from across the U.S. joint forces, United Kingdom (Royal Air Force) and Australia (Royal Australian Air Force) participating in Red Flag-Nellis 22-1. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus)

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 4, Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, and Marines with Marine Ariel Refueler Transport Squadron 152, load a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle onto a KC-130J aircraft in preparation for an Alert Contingency Marine Air-Ground Task Force drill during exercise Winter Workhorse 23, at Kadena Airbase, Okinawa, Japan, Dec. 3, 2022. Winter Workhorse is an annual exercise for CLR-3 to train to carry out mission essential tasks in forward-deployed, austere environments.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Steven Engelhardt, Plane Captain from Marine Operational Test & Evaluation Squadron One, and U.S. Air Force Capt. Matthew Brown, 422 Test & Evaluation Squadron, perform a pre-flight checks on a F-35A Lightning II in preparation for a Black Flag 22-2 training flight at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Sept. 21, 2022. This Black Flag assessed interoperability of near-future capabilities across three domains and services with a focus on tactical data link and consolidated F-35 cross service maintenance and logistics.

Pilots and crew chiefs with the 914th Air Refueling Wing walk around the tail of a KC-135 Stratotanker during a preflight inspection August 15, 2022, on the flight line at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, New York. Preflight checks are completed for the interior and exterior components of the KC-135 before takeoff to ensure maximum safety for the crew and preventative measures for the aircraft.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Carl Payne, a flying crew chief deployed to the 721st Mobility Support Squadron, conducts a maintenance inspection on a C-17 Globemaster III at Indianapolis International Airport, Indiana, May 22, 2022. U.S. Transportation Command expeditiously coordinated across federal agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration, to support U.S. President Joe Bidens direction to conduct Operation Fly Formula. The mission was executed with urgency and safety by 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing Airmen stationed on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and a Total Force aircrew stationed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, currently staged at Ramstein AB.

041029-F-0558k-010. Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Airmen and Australian Air Force members work together to refuel Royal Australian F-35s after returning from training missions for Red Flag-Nellis 24-1, Jan. 11, 2024. These exercises build partnerships and interoperability among our allies and across domains. To date, more than 30 allies and coalition countries have participated in Red Flag.

During the Operation NOBLE EAGLE activation, 188th Fighter Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard, Fort Smith Arkansas, Technical Sergeant Jerry L Wells, USAF, (left, center), Crew CHIEF, speaks with Major General Donald C Morrow, The Adjutant General of Arkansas about flightline alert procedures. Along with Major General Morrow are Colonel John R. Dallas, 188th Fighter Wing (FW) Vice Commander, USAF, (right) and Lieutenant Colonel Daniel E. Shewmaker, USAF, (right rear), 188th Operations Group (OG) Commander. NOBLE EAGLE is a partial mobilization of the reserves for homeland defense and civil support missions in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 at the New York World .... Complete Scene Caption: During the Operation NOBLE EAGLE activation, 188th Fighter Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard, Fort Smith Arkansas, Technical Sergeant Jerry L Wells, USAF, (left, center), Crew Chief, speaks with Major General Donald C Morrow, The Adjutant General of Arkansas about flightline

Airmen assigned to the 10th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, pose for a photo at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, June 8, 2022. The flight is the United States Transportation Command Air Mobility Command inter-theater aeromedical evacuation asset based at Ramstein. They are composed of flight crews, mission support personnel, Critical Care Air Transport Teams, and Biocontainment Support Teams who fly on Negative Pressure Conex missions. The 10th EAEF is assigned under the 721st Mobility Support Squadron, an Air Mobility Command unit under the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing.

020314-F-6701P-022. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Cy Snyder III and Senior Airman Naden Lindstrom, C-130 Loadmasters from the 169th Airlift Squadron, Peoria Air National Guard Base, Illinois, work with Crew Chiefs from the 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, Boise, Idaho, loading a MHU-141 trailer onto a C-130H Hercules aircraft during Agile Rage 22 at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., June 9, 2022. Agile Rage 22 is a National Guard Bureau-led exercise that provides realistic training opportunities, mimicking current and future combat environments dictated by the National Defense Strategy.

Soldiers from the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School board a C-27 aircraft prior to taking part in free fall training at Camp Mackall, North Carolina September 22, 2022. The military free fall parachutists jumped from 7,000 feet and landed on Luzon Drop Zone.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron remove equipment and supplies from an MC-130J Combat Talon II following a base wide repositioning Sept. 29, 2022 at Hurlburt Field, Florida. Aircraft were repositioned at several different bases as a precautionary measure in preparation for Hurricane Ian.

A close-up view of the nose portion of aircraft number 23533 as ground crews prepare the last of twelve KC-135R Stratotankers for departure to its new home at MacDill AFB, Florida. Having recognized that tanker units in the Southeastern United States were being tasked much heavier than their Northwestern counterparts, the 1995 Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission decided that all of Malmstrom's air refuelers would be transferred to MacDill AFB. Base: Malstrom Air Force Base State: Montana (MT) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 4, Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, prepare to board MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, during Exercise Shinka 22.1, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, June 9, 2022. Shinka exemplifies a shared commitment to realistic training that produces lethal, ready, and adaptable forces capable of decentralized operations across a wide range of missions.

040114-A-1915L-031. Base: Fort Buchanan, San Juan State: Puerto Rico (PR) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Airmen assigned to the 336th Fighter Generation Squadron educate Air Force ROTC cadets from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Fayetteville State University and East Carolina University on the F-15E Strike Eagle at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Nov. 4, 2022. The 4th Fighter Wing and Air Force Global Strike Command introduced Wayne County students and North Carolina Air Force ROTC cadets to aviation and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

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