Military Ceremonies and Events

Photos showcase military officials at ribbon-cutting ceremonies, deployment events, and anniversary celebrations, highlighting community and military cooperation.

A new helicopter training landing pad at Muir Army Airfield is dedicated to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Ruffner and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jarett Yoder during a ceremony in the Aviation Maintenance Instruction Building here.The two pilots were killed April 9, 2013 when the AH-64 Apache helicopter they were flying crashed during a flight mission in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. They were serving on a combat deployment with Bravo Company, 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 28th Combat Aviation Brigade during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Officials cut the ribbon May 18, 2022, during a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the new fiscal year 2019-funded barracks at Fort McCoy, Wis. Fort McCoys senior leadership, state and federal representatives and staffers, and dozens of installation community members as well as several local media representatives celebrated the opening and participated in the ceremony. A $20.6 million contract was awarded to L.S. Black Constructors, Inc., in September 2019 to build the barracks, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Resident Office at Fort McCoy which managed the project. The barracks, which is built in the 1600 block on the Fort McCoy cantonment area, is different than traditional barracks that are located throughout the installation. This new building is four stories and is able to house 400 people in approximately 60,000 square feet.

Officials cut the ribbon May 18, 2022, during a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the new fiscal year 2019-funded barracks at Fort McCoy, Wis. Fort McCoys senior leadership, state and federal representatives and staffers, and dozens of installation community members as well as several local media representatives celebrated the opening and participated in the ceremony. A $20.6 million contract was awarded to L.S. Black Constructors, Inc., in September 2019 to build the barracks, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Resident Office at Fort McCoy which managed the project. The barracks, which is built in the 1600 block on the Fort McCoy cantonment area, is different than traditional barracks that are located throughout the installation. This new building is four stories and is able to house 400 people in approximately 60,000 square feet.

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, South Carolina National Guard, conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the renovation of Battery B, Sept. 10, 2022, Easley, South Carolina. In attendance were U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, South Carolina State Senator Thomas Alexander, South Carolina State Representative Neal Collins, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. R. Van McCarty, the adjutant general for South Carolina National Guard, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Frank Rice, commander, 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers of the Wyoming National Guard conduct a deployment ceremony for Alph Company, 2-149th Aviation Battalion (Wyoming Outriders), Wyoming Army National Guard, June 9, 2022, in the Joint Forces Readiness Center auditorium, Cheyenne, Wyo.The Wyoming National Guard will deploy approximately 27 Soldiers to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. In October 2014, the Department of Defense formally established the Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve. The operation continues to work by, with, and through regional partners to militarily defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, to enable whole-of-coalition governmental actions to increase regional stability.

U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center celebrates its 10th anniversary with a ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Oct. 12, 2022. This event honors the AFCEC mission to deliver civil engineering expertise and services to strengthen installations and enhance combat power.

Uijeongbu and United States Army Garrison Humphreys guests and leaders salute the Korean and American flags during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 2nd Infantry Division, 8th Army and Korean Theater Operations Museum, Oct. 20, 2022.

A new helicopter training landing pad at Muir Army Airfield is dedicated to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Ruffner and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jarett Yoder during a ceremony in the Aviation Maintenance Instruction Building here.The two pilots were killed April 9, 2013 when the AH-64 Apache helicopter they were flying crashed during a flight mission in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. They were serving on a combat deployment with Bravo Company, 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 28th Combat Aviation Brigade during Operation Enduring Freedom.

U.S. Army Col. Jared Bordwell, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) chief of staff, U.S. Army Col. Larry R. Dean, 406th Army Field Support Brigade commander, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dwayne M. Terry, Army Field Support Battalion-Campbell commander and Mark Bean, Installation Maintenance Division chief perform the ceremonial ribbon cutting at a ceremony marking the completion of the Army Field Support Battalion Maintenance Complex, March 15, 2023 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The 123,000 square-foot complex modernizes and consolidates 26 buildings in 11 locations into four buildings, which provide direct support to the 101st Airborne Division and general support to units in a seven-state region.

U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center celebrates its 10th anniversary with a ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Oct. 12, 2022. This event honors the AFCEC mission to deliver civil engineering expertise and services to strengthen installations and enhance combat power.

Col. Matthew Mapes, Fort Drum Medical Department Activity commander, addresses the audience Aug. 31 at the memorialization of the Dole Barracks, in honor of the late U.S. senator and 10th Mountain Division war veteran. The Dole Barracks serves as living quarters for Soldiers assigned to the Soldier Recovery Unit, but also MEDDAC, DENTAC and Veterinary Services. (Photo by Mike Strasser, Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs)

U.S. Air Force Col. Andrew Roddan, 374th Airlift Wing commander, speaks at the fuel change opening ceremony for the Yokota Fussa Express at Yokota Air Base, Japan, April 12, 2023. This change decreases the cost of fuel for Yokota members and their families.

U.S. Marines with Security and Emergency Services Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, participate in an annual wreath-laying ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California, Feb. 6, 2024. This ceremony is an annual event to commemorate the life and legacy of the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, and is held every year on his birthday by presidential declaration. Marine Corps

U.S. Air Force Col. Andrew L. Roddan, 374th Airlift Wing commander, gives remarks during the push ceremony for the 71st iteration of Operation Christmas Drop at Andersen Air Force Base, Dec. 5, 2022. Operation Christmas Drop 2022 will deliver 200 drops of donated goods via airlift to 56 islands across the Pacific benefitting over 23,000 people.

Maj. Gen. Jason Boyles, Adjutant General of Mississippi, addresses the public at a Press conference held at Joint Force Headquarters, Jackson, Mississippi, Feb. 24, 2024. On February 23rd an Apache Helicopter crashed while on a training flight in a wooded area in Booneville, Prentiss County, Mississippi, and claimed the lives of two Soldiers, who were members of the Mississippi Army National Guard. Air National Guard

Col. Robert Long, Space Launch Delta 30 commander begins to cut the ribbon with members of Vandenberg at the Hawks Cove Integrated Resilience Operation Center grand opening at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Sept. 27, 2022.

Joint Task Force-Space Defense leaders met with Dr. Troy E. Meink, principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office and George C. Barnes, deputy director and senior civilian leader of the National Security Agency at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, Aug. 31, 2022. Key personnel from both organizations visited the JTF-SD and its National Space Defense Center to receive a mission brief. The JTF-SD, and its NSDC, provide unprecedented unity of effort with the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and NRO to protect and defend against threats in the space domain.

31st Fighter Wing personnel cut a ribbon during the corrosion control facility inauguration at Aviano Air Base, Italy, July 11, 2022. This facility includes an aircraft wash facility, small parts paint booth and separate clean and dirty rooms. (U.S. Air Force photo Airman 1st Class Thomas Calopedis)

U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Christopher D. Genualdi, capabilities integration officer, Logistical Combat Element Integration Division, Capabilities Development Directorate, Combat Development and Integration, speaks during a demonstration at DZ Cockatoo on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, March 29, 2023. Combat Development and Integration demonstrated the Tactical Resupply Unmanned Aircraft System (TRUAS), programming the Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A) to carry a payload over a short distance, drop it at a specified location in the landing zone and return to its staring point. The TRUAS has a 9-mile range and maximum payload of 150 pounds, which is sufficient to fly in ammunition, food, medical supplies, and batteries, among other supplies. This small system only requires two Marines to operate and will be a game-changing capability for our distributed forces. Fielding this capability is a critical step in setting conditions for the development of the ULS-A Medium system

Inter-American Defense College Leadership greeted Ecuadorian dignitaries for an Ecuadorian Independence Day event hosted by students at the IADC on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., Aug. 10, 2022. IADC students celebrate the Independence Day of all nations represented by students with a presentation about the country and food from the same.

Guests are seated during the ceremony portion of the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Partner Appreciation Day 2022 event at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Nov. 10, 2022. The event celebrated the 20th anniversary of the arrival of U.S. service members in Djibouti after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, addressed an international group of senior leaders at the Arctic Security Forces Council Roundtable in Fairbanks, Alaska, May 3, 2022. The event, themed Security Through Partnerships: Stronger Together was hosted by USNORTHCOM in conjunction with U.S. European Command and the Norwegian Defense Staff and included discussions about defense and security issues, the strategic importance of the Arctic and the asymmetric advantage gained through strong alliances and partnerships built on the foundation of shared values, experience and vision.

The U.S. Army Reserves 99th Readiness Division hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 15 to officially open its new Army Reserve Center in Newark, Delaware. This state-of-the-art facility replaces two older structures in Dover and Lewes, allowing the Army Reserve to consolidate services into a single facility to enhance Soldier readiness and save taxpayer money. Distinguished guests at the event included Newark Mayor Stu Markham, Delaware Army Reserve Ambassador Stephan Murphy, 99th RD Command Sgt. Maj. Subretta Pompey, and retired Maj. Gen. Hugh Broomall, state chair for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve for Delaware.

From left to right, Chief Master Sgt. Ronnie Woods, 18th Wing command chief, Brig. Gen. David Eaglin, 18th Wing commander, and Senior Airman Faith Pruch, Kadena Airman Committed to Excellence committee president, participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Feb. 8, 2023. The Kadena food pantry is the first military affiliated food pantry located on Okinawa.

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Todd Ferry, deputy commander, Marine Corps Installations East-Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, speaks during a ribbon cutting ceremony in honor of Gunnery Sgt. Terry Ball on MCB Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Aug. 4, 2022. The former staff noncommissioned officers club, dedicated to Ball, was destroyed during Hurricane Florence in 2018 and as a result, Balls memorial was moved to a new location. At a later day, the restaurant and sports bar will be dedicated to Ball for his service to the Marine Corps where he sustained fatal wounds while assigned to India Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

US Army Support Activity Fort Dix, New Jersey celebrates the 247th Birthday of the US Army at Infantry Park on ASA Fort Dix on June 14, 2022. The US Army is the nation's oldest military service having been founded by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1775. CSM James W. Van Zlike, Command Sergeant Major of ASA Fort Dix addresses the crowd at the 247th Army Birthday celebration at Infantry Park on ASA Fort Dix, New Jersey on June 14, 2022. Retired Sergeant Major of The Army Kenneth O. Preston delivers the keynote speech at the ASA Fort Dix 247th Army Birthday celebration at Infantry Park on ASA Fort Dix, New Jersey on June 14, 2022. Sergeant Major of the Army Preston served as the as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Army from January 15, 2004 to March 1, 2011. His seven year tenure as Sergeant Major of the Army is the longest in the 247-year history of the US Army. Sergeant Major of The Army Retired Kenneth O. Preston, Colonel Jon A. Brierton, Commander ASA

Leaders from across Joint Base Langley-Eustis and Air Combat Command come together to cut a ribbon at the Connect to Care block party at JBLE, Virginia, Apr. 5, 2023. The ribbon cutting signifies the official opening of the Connect to Care center after successfully having its doors open for approximately eight months.

U.S. Air Force Col. Mary Teeter relinquished command of the 305th Maintenance Group to U.S. Air Force Col. Scott Pendley during a change of command ceremony. U.S. Air Force Col. Scott Wiederholt, 305th Air Mobility Wing commander, presided over the ceremony. Teeter led CAN DO Airmen and 305th innovation through both the COVID-19 pandemic as well as Operations Allies Welcome/Refuge.

Pentagon leader learns about Sound of Freedom

U.S. Air Force Col. Jeff Pixley, left, 737th Training Group commander, and USAF Col. Lauren A. Courchaine, right, 37th Training Wing commander, briefs the Texas 23rd Congressional District, U. S. House of Representative staff during their visit to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Sep. 27, 2022. The visit helps to provide the congressional staff an overview and understanding of mission operations throughout JBSA.

SAN DIEGO (Oct. 13, 2022) Capt. Kim Davis, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command San Diegos commander (center), gives closing remarks during a Navy Birthday celebration at the hospital courtyard. NMRTC San Diego's mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMRTC San Diego employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.

Texas 23rd Congressional District, U. S. House of Representative staff arrive at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Sep. 27, 2022. The visit helps to provide the congressional staff an overview and understanding of mission operations throughout JBSA.

Promotion orders are read as U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Dorothy Hinkley, commander of the 129th Medical Group, 129th Rescue Wing, California Air National Guard, center, is promoted to colonel during a ceremony, Sept. 10, 2022, at Moffett Air National Guard Base near Mountain View, California. Hinkley earned her commission through the Navy ROTC program and served on active duty with the Navy before transitioning to the U.S. Navy Reserve and later transferring to the Air National Guard.

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Nebraska Army National Guard Bellevue Readiness Center in Bellevue, Nebraska, Oct. 25, 2022. This marks the beginning of a $36 million project that will result in a new building that will hold five units and roughly 380 service members.

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Daniel McDonough, right, the Assistant Adjutant General-Air and commander of the Illinois Air National Guard, speaks with U.S. Reps. Cheri Bustos, left, and Darin LaHood prior to a press conference at the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport in Peoria, Illinois, Sept. 9, 2022. The representatives secured a $15 million grant to build a new air traffic control tower at the airport, which the 182nd Airlift Wing will utilize alongside civilian aircraft.

New Armed Forces Seserve Center & 63rd Regional Support Command Headquarters, Moffett Field, CA ribbon cutting ceremonies.

U.S. Air Force Col. Allison Black, 1st Special Operations Wing commander, speaks during a 9/11 memorial ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Sept. 9, 2022. The ceremony honored the victims of 9/11, including the hundreds of first responders who lost their lives while responding to the attack.

Capt. Les Sobol, Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), delivers opening remarks at the 2022 Suicide Prevention Walk hosted by Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) at Berkey Field onboard Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY). September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and this annual event is held to inform the impact suicide has on the community onboard CFAY. For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained, and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet's forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families.

Service members assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing Headquarters prepare to cut a ribbon symbolizing the grand opening of the lactation room within the headquarters building at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Aug. 1, 2022. The service members all contributed to the creation of the lactation room.

CSM Jamie Rogers sharing a story that Mrs. Eileen (Artesani) Sullivan told her about her uncle MSG Richard Artesani whom the dining facility was named after.

Col. Robert Long, Space Launch Delta 30 commander greets the distinguished guests at the grand opening of the Hawks Cove Integrated Resilience Operation Center at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Sept. 27, 2022.

Jacqueline S. Janning-Lask, Headquarters Air Force Life Cycle Management Center director of Engineering and Technical Management and chief engineer, stands for a picture with AFLCMC personnel and their supervisors following a coin presentation at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., Oct. 12. Janning-Lask coined the following individuals for accomplishments in their respective areas: Tech. Sgt. Yesenia Benjamin, Master Sgt. Cameron Couball, Jocelyn Foo, Julia Hines, Abdul Koukou, Andrew Lane, Michael Milligan, Alexandria Swope, Master Sgt. Donovan Wall and William Walsh

Lt. Col. Garrett Holt, Lyster Army Health Clinic commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Shavonda McLean, together with staff members, prepare to cut the ceremonial ribbon for the launch of the new electronic health record system MHS GENESIS on September 24 for Lyster Army Health Clinic and Brown Dental Clinic.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Stephen E. Liszewski, left center, commanding general of Marine Corps Installations Pacific, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, and Sgt. Maj. Anthony J. Easton, right center, sergeant major of MCIPAC, MCB Camp Butler, and personnel with Marine Corps Community Services Family Advocacy Program, pose for a group photo at the MCIPAC headquarters building, Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, Oct. 3, 2022. The proclamation is signed annually to recognize the importance of preventing domestic violence.

(From Left to Right) Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon, Mrs. Mary Len Rees, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees, Oregon State Senator, Bill Hansell, Oregon State Rep. Greg Smith and Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau pause for a group follow the Christening and Flyover for the renaming ceremony for Raymond F. Rees Training Center,, at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa's Headquarters Support Company, out-going 1st. Sgt. Sanae Hutchinson embraces incoming HSC 1st Sgt. James Williams during a Change of Responsibility ceremony on Caserma Del-Din, Vicenza, Italy, Aug 24, 2022. The Change of Responsibility ceremony represented the official passing of authority from the outgoing 1st Sgt. to the incoming 1st Sgt.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. David Baldwin retires from the position of the Adjutant General of the California National Guard, Sept. 28, 2022. Baldwin has served in the United States Army for 40 years, over a decade of those serving as Californias most senior officer. (Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Serena Smith)

(From right) USACE Commander LTG Scott Spellmon, Military Ocean Terminal Concord Installation Commander LTC Luke Clover, Sacramento District Commander COL James Handura, and South Pacific Division Commander COL (P) Antoinette Gant listen to details about an explosion that rocked MOTCO during World War II. LTG Spellmon and senior leaders visited the Port Chicago Memorial as part of his visit to key construction project sites at the installation on June 14, 2022.

Fort McCoy's Senior Commander Maj. Gen. Darrell Guthrie, whos also the 88th Readiness Division commanding general, provides remarks May 18, 2022, during a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the new fiscal year 2019-funded barracks at Fort McCoy, Wis. Fort McCoys senior leadership, state and federal representatives and staffers, and dozens of installation community members as well as several local media representatives celebrated the opening and participated in the ceremony. A $20.6 million contract was awarded to L.S. Black Constructors, Inc., in September 2019 to build the barracks, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Resident Office at Fort McCoy which managed the project. The barracks, which is built in the 1600 block on the Fort McCoy cantonment area, is different than traditional barracks that are located throughout the installation. This new building is four stories and is able to house 400 people in approximately 60,000 square feet.

Zachary Griffin, 572nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron technical advisor, briefs Lt. Gen. Tom Miller, Air Force Sustainment Center commander, on C-130 prop barrel maintenance June 27, 2022, at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. Miller visited the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex and the 78th Air Base Wing during his visit to the installation to receive updates on various programs throughout the units.

Soldiers across Camp Arifjan in Kuwait attended a Memorial Day ceremony hosted by Area Support Group - Kuwait on Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, May 30, 2022.

Air Education and Training Command civic leaders 2022 pose for a group photo during a stop at the 558th Flying Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, as part of a multi-day immersion tour Sept. 7, 2022. The AETC civic leader program offers key civilians leaders in the local community a way to familiarize themselves with the unique missions associated with the command.

A new helicopter training landing pad at Muir Army Airfield is dedicated to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Ruffner and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jarett Yoder during a ceremony in the Aviation Maintenance Instruction Building here.The two pilots were killed April 9, 2013 when the AH-64 Apache helicopter they were flying crashed during a flight mission in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. They were serving on a combat deployment with Bravo Company, 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 28th Combat Aviation Brigade during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Airmans Attic volunteers pose with servicemembers at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Oct. 14, 2022. Run solely by volunteers, the Airmans Attic offers donated, useable uniforms, civilian attire, household goods and more, in hopes of helping the MacDill community. Servicemembers and their families may visit the facility Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or volunteer their time to sort and organize donated goods.

U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center celebrates its 10th anniversary with a ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Oct. 12, 2022. This event honors the AFCEC mission to deliver civil engineering expertise and services to strengthen installations and enhance combat power.

Pictured from left are U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, former commander of Offutt's 55th Wing; Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, Nebraska adjutant general; Col. Kristen Thompson, 55th Wing commander; Col. Wendy Squarcia, 170th Group commander; and Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts. All spoke during an event celebrating the 20th year of the 170th Group at Offutt Air Force Base, Sept. 10, 2022.

Guests gather for a group photo with Rear. Adm. Bradley Rosen,Commander Navy Region Southwest, after touring Naval Supply Systems Commands 5G smart warehouse located on Naval Air Station North Island 8 Sept 2022.

Spanning Air Force Brigadier General Pedro Alejandro García Sipols presents the Orden del Mérito Aeronáutico (Cross of Aeronautical Merit) to Dr. Rodrigo Menchaca, Mrs. Teresa Menchaca, Dr. Richard Sutton, and Dr. Beth Sutton for their enduring support of the Spanish student pilot community as country sponsors February 2, 2024 Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.

(From left to right) Chris Schuppe, general manager of engineering and technology at GE Additive, John Sneden, director of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Centers Propulsion Directorate, Maj. Gen. Jeff King, commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, and Geoffrey Camp, director of Oklahomas Aerospace and Defense initiative, cut the ribbon at opening of the second Reverse Engineering and Critical Tooling lab.

U.S. Air Force CMSgt. Jason Shaffer, 56th Fighter Wing command chief, takes a selfie with 56th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters, Airmen and Sparky Oct. 7, 2022, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Fire Prevention Week promotes fire safety across the country annually with the theme Fire wont wait. Plan your escape, and celebrated its 100th Anniversary of maintaining the standard of safety.

U.S. Air Force Col. Scott Mills, 355th Wing commander, along with Airman 1st Class Matthew Caylor, 355th Force Support Squadron personnel, perform a ribbon cutting to mark the grand opening of Fast BRRReak at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, July 27, 2022. Fast BRRReak is located on 3965 Craycoft Road, building 4459, upstairs above Outdoor Recreation, and will be open from 6 to 10:30 a.m. serving breaking, and 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. serving lunch.

050622-A-4928M-568. Base: Fort Hood State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Chief Master Sgt. Marc Schoellkopf, 59th Medical Wing command chief, speaks during the Nurses and Medical Technicians Week kick-off event at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, May 9, 2022. National Nurses and Medical Technicians Week begins May 6 and ends on May 12, in honor of Florence Nightingale's birthday, the founder of modern nursing.

Soldiers and dignitaries take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Aviation Brigade Tactical Vehicle Maintenance Facility. Base: Fort Stewart State: Georgia (GA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Rear Adm. Lore Aguayo (center), commander, NAVFAC Atlantic, and Lt. Cmdr. John Kaiser (left), MILCON director, public works department Bethesda, are briefed by a construction contractor representative at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center addition and alteration construction site at Naval Support Activity Bethesda Sept. 29.

Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) V-22 Branch Head Andrew Rock, center, accepted the Institute for Defense and Business (IDB) 2022 GEN William G.T. Tuttle, Jr. Award for Business Acumen in Defense and Government during an April 13 ceremony at FRCE. Retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. William Faulkner, fourth from left, presented the award, which recognized the V-22 lines achievements in significantly increasing direct labor hours on the line with only a minor increase in staffing.

Descendants of Maj. Gen. Robert Bruce McCoy, the man whom Fort McCoy, Wis., is named after, visit the Fort McCoy History Center on July 8, 2022, during a special visit to the post by the McCoy family. The McCoy descendants visited the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area and all it offers to learn more about their familys military history with the installation.

Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hageman, and Wyoming Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Greg Porter cut the cake at the Joint Force Readiness Center podium in Cheyenne, Wyo., on June 28, 2023. The cake-cutting followed the official ceremony signifying the partnership between the Wyoming Army Guard and Simon with the Partnership for Your Success Program.

FORT CARSON, Colo. Maj. Gen. David M. Hodne, second from left, commanding general, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, retired Army Gen. Richard A. Cody, director, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, center, and Lt. Col. George B. Lambos, patient, Intrepid Spirit Center and Warrior Recovery Center, participate in the ribbon cutting during the Intrepid Spirit Center dedication ceremony July 13, 2022, at Fort Carson. The centers personnel will provide care that will diagnose and treat traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress in regional active-duty service members. (Photo Eric E. Parris)

Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adjutant general of Mississippi, speaks during a press conference at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson, Mississippi, Sept. 1, 2022. Following flooding, the main treatment plant in Jackson experienced an issue that caused little to no water to flow to residents. Nearly 600 Mississippi National Guardsmen were set up across seven sites through Jackson for people to collect bottled water and non-potable water from water buffalo trucks. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Staff Sgt. Connie Jones)

Maj. Gen. Charles D. Constanza, the commanding general of 3rd Infantry Division, (left) stands near Maj. Josh Cosmos (right) as he cuts the cake with a saber in an early celebration of the Divisions 105th birthday on Fort Stewart, Georgia, Nov. 17, 2022. The 3rd ID was activated at Camp Greene, North Carolina, on November 21, 1917. During World War I, as a member of the American Expeditionary Force to Europe, the Division earned its name as the "Rock of the Marne," when surrounding units retreated, the 3rd Infantry Division remained. The Division has a rich and storied history, having fought during two world wars, the Korean War, the Cold War and the War on Terrorism.

A shining dedication for a shining Westover AirmanFamily and friends were present at the dedication/ribbon cutting of the 35-acre solar plant named after the late Master Sgt. Alexander Cotton. He was part of the 439th Contingency Response Flight at Westover Air Reserve Base.Cotton was chosen because of his dedication to Westover, the Air Force, and his solar energy advocacy.Here his memory can shine down on the base.The solar field was built on the east side of the base in Ludlow, where munitions for the 99th Bomb Wing were stored before the 1980s.The area is today owned by Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co. at the Stony Brook Energy Center.

Center, the ribbon cutting is performed, from right to left, U.S. Army Col. Matthew J. Gomlak, Garrison Italy Commander, U.S. Consul General in Florence Ragini Gupta, Eugenio Giani president of the region of Tuscany and Tommy R. Mize, Director, Installation Management Command Directorate-Europe, during the ribbon cutting ceremony of the revolving bridge over the Navicelli Canal at Camp Darby, Pisa Ammunition Storage Area, Italy, Sep. 22, 2022. Camp Darby celebrates the completion of a $42 million infrastructure modernization project, that includes railway bridge over the Navicelli Canal, upgrades to canal docks and a safe zone of loading and unloading ammunition. The project funded by the U.S. government, is a key strategic project and contributes to improving security at the site.

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 1st Operation Support Squadrons Aerospace Physiology Flight and Air Combat Command pose for a group photo in celebration of the re-opening of the hypobaric chamber at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, Oct. 11, 2022. The hypobaric chamber is designed to simulate the effects of high altitude on the human body in a controlled environment. The chamber went into a “mothball” status in 2014, but has been reopened as an active training device that, together with the Aerospace Physiology Flight, will now support more than 24 states and several hundred permanent party officers and enlisted flyers from across the JBLE community.

Fort McCoy community leaders participate in a proclamation signing ceremony April 5, 2022, declaring April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month at McCoys Community Center at Fort McCoy, Wis. The installation held the special proclamation signing ceremony at the center that was organized by the Fort McCoy Army Community Service office and the Fort McCoy Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program office. Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Michael Poss; Command Sgt. Maj. Raquel DiDomenico, garrison command sergeant major; and other unit leaders were on hand for the presentation.

Pictured front row from left to right, New Zealand High Commissioner, H.E. Jonathan Schwass, Collin Beck, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Solomon Islands, and U.S. Embassy Honiara Chargé d'Affaires Russell Comeau observe a repatriation ceremony at the American Memorial on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, March 30, 2023. The ceremony was held to repatriate possible remains found during a recent Recovery Mission to the Solomon Islands which will then be taken to DPAA facilities for possible identification in an ongoing effort to account for the 5,800 U.S. service members still missing from Pacific Theater during WWII.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks participates in the Suicide Prevention recognition ceremony hosted by William Booth, Director, Defense Human Resources Activity, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 7, 2022. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders)

Mr. Derek Black, left, Private Waldean Blacks closest relative is presented with sand from Omaha Beach by Benny Guerrero, retired Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer, right, during Private Waldean Blacks funeral in Perryton, Texas, April 28, 2022. The remains from the USS Oklahoma were buried in 52 mass graves for the entirety of World War ll before being exhumed with the intention of identifying all the men. By the end of 1949 only 49 bodies were identified. The others were reburied in 46 shared graves. In 2015, the Secretary of Defense issued a directive to exhume the 46 graves and utilize modern technology to identify the bodies using DNA. Black was officially accounted for on Dec. 13, 2018, thank to the DNA from his closest living relative, his nephew Derek Black.

U.S. Marine Corps Col. David M. Banning, center left, the commanding officer of Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Installations Pacific, and MCIPAC Fire and Emergency Services personnel pose for a group photo at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, Oct. 5, 2022. The proclamation signing recognizes Fire Prevention Week during Oct. 9-15 and encourages individuals to practice home fire escape plans to support the public safety efforts of MCIPAC F&ES

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Mortensen, right, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, gives a tour to Christine Wormuth, U.S. Secretary of the Army, during her visit to Camp Herkus, Lithuania, June 30, 2022. The 3/4 ABCT, and Finish and British army units trained in Finland to further strengthen the relations and interoperability between the nations.

FORT BELVOIR, VA.

Lt. Col. Jamie Akers, 911th Operations Group commander, cuts a cake while surrounded by his family, during his assumption of command at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania, Oct. 1, 2022. Akers assumed command of the 911th OG after serving as the director of operations for the 758th Airlift Squadron.

San Francisco, Calif. (Sept 12, 2022) - Rear Adm. Wayne Baze, center, Capt. Brian Quin, right center, pose for a photo with San Francisco County civic leadership during a Defense Support of Civil Authorities exercise that kicked off San Francisco Fleet Week. The DSCA exercise has for 11 years been Fleet Weeks kickoff event, a unique opportunity for Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Coast Guard units to train together with San Francisco emergency management and first responder agencies in response to local disasters such as earthquakes and wildfires. San Francisco Fleet Week officially begins Oct. 3.

U.S. Air Force Col. Allison Black, 1st Special Operations Wing commander, poses with members of the 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron during the Fire Prevention Week Proclamation signing at Firehouse #1,Hurlburt Field, Florida, Oct. 6, 2022. The signing marked the official start of Fire Prevention Week at Hurlburt Field.

U.S. Army Brigadier General Matthew W. Brown, poses for a photo with his family and friends, following his promotion to general officer in Fort Hood, Texas, July 12, 2022. Brig. Gen. Brown previously served as the chief of staff of III Armored Corps, Fort Hood, Texas. With the promotion, Brown will serve as the deputy commander, 3rd (United Kingdom) Division, United Kingdom.

Congressional delegates take a group photo with Airmen, Sailors and Guardians during a visit at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, July 31, 2022. Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosis visit focused on bilateral relationships, security cooperation and climate change.

WIESBADEN, Germany - Col. David W. Mayfield (left), Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden, and Bruno Speer, former German Bundeswehr Command Sgt. Maj., following the unveiling of a memorial honoring the sacrifice of Gold Star Family members on Clay Kaserne, Oct. 11. (Reference: U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden)

Fort Stewart conducts their quarterly Come Meet Your Army Tour to members of the Fort Stewart and local communities on Fort Stewart, Georgia, Febuary 15, 2024. The demonstration builds community relations and increase awareness on how crew training is conducted. (US Army

Members of Kunsan Air Bases African American Heritage Council hand out cake to members of the Wolf Pack during a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 11. 2023. The AAHC will continue hosting events throughout the month to include a discussion panel with senior leaders.

(From left to right) Command Sgt. Maj. Phil Barretto, Lt. Gen. John Evans, Roy W. Burley, Jr., Nan Burley Richie, and Dr. Adena Loston, stand with the dedication plaque and oak tree during the St. Philips College Col. Burley Oak Tree Dedication Ceremony, held on the St. Philips Colleges campus, August 18, 2022. The 100-plus-year-old oak tree is part of the Burley homestead of the late retired U.S. Army Col. Roy W. Burley, Sr., for many generations. The tree now resides on the college campus with a plaque to share with future generations the legacy of The Colonel.

Chief Master Sgt. Andrew Kehl, 436th Civil Engineer Squadron installation fire chief, signs the 2022 Fire Prevention Week proclamation, Oct. 4, 2022, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. First observed in 1925, Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health observance in the United States.

DA-SC-86-02253. Base: Lexington Blue Grass Army Depot State: Kentucky (KY) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Capt. Clark Carpenter, the Public Affairs Officer with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, discusses the impending deployment of the 22nd MEU in support of earthquake relief operations in Haiti Jan. 14 aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Fire Station 1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Fire and Rescue personnel gathered near the new 9/11 memorial after the dedication ceremony.Kennedy Fire and Rescue Services commemorated the 11th anniversary of 9/11 with a ceremony that included a minute of silence at 10:28 a.m., which was the moment of collapse of the north tower of the World Trade Center. Kennedy center-wide emergency units dispatched by Fire Control engaged in one-minute sirens, the new memorial was dedicated and the Honor Guard performed a flag-folding ceremony.

The Utah National Guard FEMA Region VIII Homeland Response Force held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Collapsed Structure Venue Site May 10, 2022. The CSVS is one of only three military owned Urban Search and Rescue training venues west of the Rocky Mountains. This CSVS will allow both military search and extract and civilian search and rescue teams the opportunity to train together and build those necessary partnerships needed in an all hazards response.

Heres a scene where Fort McCoy workforce members Tyson Todd, Brenda Downing, Karla Rynes, and Kaleen Holliday were recognized for excellence July 13, 2022, by Brenda Lee McCullough, Director of Installation Management Command Directorate-Readiness at Fort McCoy, Wis. All four workforce members were recommended by their supervisors for going above and beyond in their jobs. These are photos of each of them being presented a special coin by McCullough and Fort McCoy Garrison leadership also was on hand to thank and congratulate them.

(L-R) U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Gowen, the adjutant general of Maryland, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, retired Maj. Gen. Linda L. Singh, and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, the assistant adjutant general-Army, pose behind the ceremonial ribbon during the dedication ceremony for the Maj. Gen. Linda L. Singh Readiness Center located in Eldersburg, Maryland, Oct. 22, 2022. The new readiness center supports the Maryland Army National Guard's 200th Military Police Company and the 729th Quartermaster Company.

The National D-Day Memorial hosts a Veterans Day observation Nov. 12, 2018, in Bedford, Virginia, to honor all those who served in the U.S. Armed Force. Brig. Gen. Lapthe Flora, Virginia National Guard Assistant Adjutant General - Army, was the keynote speaker, and Soldiers assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion joined in the recognition of veterans in attendance. Members of the Virginia Defense Force also were on hand among the veterans being recognized as well as on the D-Day Memorial staff. Delegates T. Scott Garrett and Terry Austin meet with the VNG Soldiers and thanked them for their service. Read the Adjutant General of VirginiaÕs Veterans Day message at https://go.usa.gov/xPwaM.

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass receives a history briefing at the Romanian National Military Museum during her first visit to Romania, Oct. 5, 2022. The CMSAF toured several installations throughout Romania to see firsthand the strategic impact the bases have on the overall mission of NATO.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff joined The Honorable Mr. John M. McHugh, Secretary of the Army, and Gen. Lloyd Austin, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army in celebrating the Army's 237th birthday at the cake cutting ceremony in the Pentagon Courtyard in Washington, D.C. on June 14, 2012. (

of 2