Military Exercises and Training

Images depict military personnel engaged in various training exercises, showcasing teamwork, coordination, and tactical skills in outdoor environments with varied weather conditions.

U.S. Soldier assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, coordinates boat movement during a wet-gap crossing operation part of Defender Europe 22 held at Dęblin, Poland, May 13, 2022. Defender Europe 2022 is a series of U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercises in Eastern Europe. The exercise demonstrates U.S. Army Europe and Africas ability to conduct large-scale ground combat operations across multiple theaters supporting NATO.

Joint Terminal Attack Controllers from the Latvian National Armed Forces conduct close air support training with A-10s from the 107th Fighter Squadron, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., at the National All-Domain Warfighting Center, Grayling, Mich., April 7, 2022. The collaboration between JTACs in the Latvian National Armed Forces and the Michigan Air National Guard has been one of the most productive examples of bilateral defense cooperation in the entire SPP.

Squad 2, representing the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, participate in a 12-mile foot march during the Army's first-ever Best Squad Competition on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Oct. 3, 2022. The week-long competition will assess each squad on their technical and tactical proficiency, as well as their ability to work as a disciplined and cohesive team, featuring a multitude of fitness, knowledge and combat-related events.

Service members from Norway conduct crew-served weapons qualification at Camp Ripley, March 30, 2022. (Minnesota National Guard Photo by Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

U.S. Soldier assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, coordinates boat movement during a wet-gap crossing operation part of Defender Europe 22 held at Dęblin, Poland, May 13, 2022. Defender Europe 2022 is a series of U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercises in Eastern Europe. The exercise demonstrates U.S. Army Europe and Africas ability to conduct large-scale ground combat operations across multiple theaters supporting NATO.

During the U.S. - Norway Reciprocal Troop Exchange April 1, 2022, Norwegian and Minnesota National Guard Soldiers were transported to Landing Zone X-5A on Camp Ripley by CH-47 Chinook Helicopter to conduct joint training while Norwegian youth squads took part in aerial training on a UH-60 Blackhawk.

Maj.(P) Michael Zinnecker, Secretary of the General Staff for the 88th Readiness Division, gives the "thumbs up" as U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from the 88th Readiness Division complete their descent from the Whitetail Ridge Ski Hill during snowshoe training at Fort McCoy, Wis. on Jan. 21, 2024. Despite the forecasted frigid temperatures, members of HHD Company assembled at the installation's Whitetail Ridge Ski Area on one of the coldest days of the year to train on the use and familiarization of snowshoes and cold weather gear.

040209-M-6795S-016. Base: Marine Corps Base, Camp Fuji State: Honshu Country: Japan (JPN)

U.S. Army Soldiers attached to 5th Squadron, 1st Calvary Regiment conduct an After Action Report during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 19, 2024. JPMRC 24-02, executed in Alaska with its world-class training facilities and its harsh Arctic environment, builds Soldiers and leaders into a cohesive team of skilled, tough, alert, and adaptive warriors capable of fighting and winning anywhere in the world. Army

050404-F-8966D-005. Base: Elmendorf Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Two Dutch Paratroopers walk off the Drop Zone with their assigned parachute, combat equipment, and weapon during Exercise Falcon Leap at Hechtselse Heide Drop Zone, Hechtel-Eksel, Belgium., Sep. 15, 2022. More than 1000 Paratroopers from all over the world, 13 different nationalities, multiple airdrops per day, and training with each other equipment for two weeks. this is NATO's largest technical airborne exercise.

Service members from Norway conduct crew-served weapons qualification at Camp Ripley, March 30, 2022. (Minnesota National Guard Photo by Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/6, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Swedish Army personnel conduct planning during exercise BALTOPS on Gotland Island, Sweden, June 8, 2022. BALTOPS 22 is the premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region. The exercise, led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and executed by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, provides a unique training opportunity to strengthen combined response capabilities critical to preserving freedom of navigation and security in the Baltic Sea.

Special Forces candidates assigned to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School provide security during the final phase of field training known as Robin Sage in central North Carolina, January 23, 2022. Robin Sage is the culmination exercise for Soldiers in the Special Forces Qualification Course and has been the litmus test for Soldiers striving to earn the Green Beret for more than 50 years. (U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens)

From left, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brandon Miller, liaison officer to the Polish 11th Armored Cavalry Division assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, speaks with 2 Polish soldiers at Mielno Range, Poland, May 17, 2022. Defender Europe 22 is a series of U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercises in Eastern Europe. The exercise demonstrates U.S. Army Europe and Africas ability to conduct large-scale ground combat operations across multiple theaters supporting NATO.

030222-M-2796K-015. Subject Operation/Series: FOREST LIGHT II 2003 Base: Camp Engaru State: Hokkaido Country: Japan (JPN)

050713-A-7045A-029. Base: Novo Selo Training Area Country: Bulgaria (BGR)

US Air Force STAFF Sergeant John Lawson and SENIOR AIRMAN Randy Bayne, 51st Civil Engineering Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, carry sandbags to weight down a unexploded ordnance during an Operational Readiness Inspection. SSGT Lawson is wearing Mission-Oriented Protective Posture response level 4 (MOPP-4) gear and SRA Bayne is at MOPP-2. Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

030407-F-4806N-008. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base Country: Romania (ROM) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

A Pennsylvania Air National Guardsman with the 171st Air Refueling Wings Security Forces Squadron keeps watch while on a reconnaissance patrol during a large-scale readiness exercise at the base in Pittsburgh, March 10, 2023. The multi-day large-scale readiness exercise involved Guardsmen from multiple sections on base working together to build skills needed to maintain readiness.

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment Leader Rakkasans, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), supporting 3rd Infantry Division, pose for a photo during the Sentry Sentinel exercise at Camp Taara, Estonia, Feb. 21, 2024. Sentry Sentinel prepares for potential reaction to an invasion by occupying battle positions as a battalion by air assaulting out, conducting defense and preparing for enemy forces. The 3rd Infantry Divisions mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, Americas forward deployed corps in Europe. Army

DN-ST-89-01485. Subject Operation/Series: TEAMWORK Country: Norway (NOR)

040311-F-0996L-001. Base: Volk Field Angb State: Wisconsin (WI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Command Sergeant Major Nema Mobar, the 10th Mountain Division's Command Sergeant Major, observes soldiers as they compete in events during the D-Series competition on Fort Drum, New York, on January 18, 2024. D-Series references the culminating exercise the original 10th Mountain Division Soldiers went through from March-April in 1944, to prepare for combat in the mountains of Italy.

030305-F-1404F-043. Base: Krtsanisi Country: Georgia (The Country) (GEO) Scene Major Command Shown: EUCOM

U.S. Air Force Capt. Lynsie Schwerer, a staff weather officer assigned to the 1st Combat Weather Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, looks through a laser range finder during the Swift Response exercise, May 10, 2022, near a drop zone on a frozen lake in Bardu, Norway. Swift Response is an annual USAREUR-AF led multinational training exercise taking place throughout Eastern Europe, including the Arctic, Baltic Sea, and the Balkan Peninsula regions and is designed to enhance readiness and airborne interoperability with allies and partners.

SENIOR AIRMAN (SRA) Dan Asher, 86th Contingency Response Group (CRG), from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, guards an entry control point along side Subanaly Batyrkulov, a Kyrgyzstan national, at the United States Forces compound, located outside Manas International Airport, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Manas International Airport Country: Kyrgyzstan (KGZ)

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force paratroopers assigned to the 1st Airborne Brigade proceed to a meeting point after completing an airborne jump from a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan, during Airborne 22, Jan. 25, 2022. 13 C-130Js contributed by dropping approximately 540 Japan Ground Self-Defense Force paratroopers over the Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji for a display of military capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brieana E. Bolfing)

A U.S. Marine Corps and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force litter team carries a simulated casualty during a mass casualty drill during exercise Resolute Dragon 22 at Kamifurano Maneuver Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 6, 2022. Resolute Dragon 22 is an annual exercise designed to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the U.S.-Japan Alliance by exercising integrated command and control, targeting, combined arms, and maneuver across multiple domains.

The Norwegian Home Guard Youth run a Biathlon at Camp Ripley Training Center in Little Falls, Minnesota, on February 7th, 2024. The Norwegian Home Guard is training with the Minnesota National Guard as a part of the 51st annual Norwegian Reciprocal Troop Exchange (Minnesota Army National Guard

970717-M-8708Y-008. Complete Scene Caption: 1ST Platoon, Bravo Company, 1ST Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, start a platoon size patrol up an Estonian road as part of the training during BALTIC CHALLENGE '97. BALTIC CHALLENGE is a multinational exercise conducted in the spirit of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) initiative. More than 2600 military personnel from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, and the US, will participate in the second "in the spirit of PfP" land exercises conducted in the Baltic region. Co-Commanders for the exercise being held in Paldiski, Estonia are Colonel Oscar Mark, Estonian Defense Forces and Colonel D. L. Andrews, US Marine Corps Reserve. While BALTIC CHALLENGE will conduct training along peacekeeping/humanitarian assistance mission standards, significant US Navy and Marine Corps capabilities never exercised in Europe will be performed as well. This includes the use of equipment from the Marine Corps Norway Air-Landed Marine

SPECIALIST Dustin Hill (left), 3rd 297th Infantry Regiment, Alaska Army National Guard, Juneau, Alaska, and SPECIALIST Damion Ripley (right), 2nd 297th Infantry Regiment, Alaska Army National Guard, Ketchikan, Alaska, stand guard at the entry control point of the compound that they are required to keep secure during Exercise NORTHERN EDGE 2001. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN EDGE 2001 Country: United States Of America (USA)

Closest to the camera, US Air Force SENIOR AIRMAN Brian Coleman, A Satellite Communications Journeyman and USAF 2nd Lieutenant David J. Wheelock, Communications and Information Systems Officer download tents during Exercise RESCUE VENETO. A USAF M923A1 Cargo (6X6) 5 ton truck is seen. Subject Operation/Series: RESCUE VENETO Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)

A Special Forces candidate assigned to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School provides security during the final phase of field training known as Robin Sage in central North Carolina, January 23, 2022. Robin Sage is the culmination exercise for Soldiers in the Special Forces Qualification Course and has been the litmus test for Soldiers striving to earn the Green Beret for more than 50 years. (U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens)

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, break down the Division's mobile command post to move to a new strategic location during Joint Pacific Multinatinal Readiness Center-Alaska 23-02, April 1, 2023. JPMRC-AK 23-02 helps Soldiers and leaders develop and refine the tactics, techniques, and procedures necessary to successfully operate in remote and extreme Arctic winter conditions and overcome environmental and military challenges.

Air National Guard Security Forces specialists participate in a seven-mile ruck march in subzero temperatures at Camp Ripley Training Center, Minnesota as part of the Air National Guard's Security Forces Cold Weather Operations Course (CWOC) on January 17, 2024. The two-week CWOC course combined classroom instruction, outdoor skills development, and a 3-day, field training event that required students to build and sleep in arctic tent systems, subsisting on cold weather Meals Ready to Eat and incorporated land navigation, live saving skills, and cold water immersion events. 50 students from Air National Guard wings from across the U.S. participated in the advanced, cold weather survival course planned by personnel assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing, Minnesota Air National Guard.

U.S. Air Force Airmen participating in Advanced Ready Training - Outside the Wire debrief after the end of training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, Feb. 9, 2024. The ART-OTW course is a pre-deployment requirement to gain experience in specialized tactics and techniques through strenuous training scenarios. Air Force

U.S. Marines with 2d Combat Engineer Battalion, 2d Marine Division, prepare charges during a demolition range while deployed with Marine Rotational Forces Europe (MRF-E) 23.1 in Setermoen, Norway, March 31, 2023. MRF-E focuses on regional engagements throughout Europe by conducting various exercises, mountain warfare training, and military-to-military engagements which enhance overall interoperability of the U.S. Marine Corps with allies and partners.

German soldiers assigned to Unteroffizierschule des Heeres toured the 7th Army Training Commands (7ATC) Grafenwoehr Training Area (GTA) and interacted with U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 1st Armored Division at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Feb. 22, 2024. The U.S. Soldiers were presenting the vehicles they use and answering questions from the German students during German-American Partnership Week. The German-American Partnership Week allows the German students to improve their English language skills and become familiar with the customs of U.S. Soldiers at GTA while also building stronger relationships with their U.S. allies. Army

020114-F-3838S-010. Base: Spangdahlem Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

U.S. Army Green Berets assigned to 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) participate in opening ceremonies of Noble Partner 22 at Vaziani Military Base, Georgia, Aug. 29, 2022. The Noble Partner 22 exercise consists of 2,400 military personnel from 21 countries and is designed to enhance Georgian, regional ally, partner, and U.S. forces' readiness.

U.S. Soldiers and Bosnian soldiers conduct a medical evacuation training brief during Exercise Combined Resolve 17 (CbR 17) at Hohenfels Training Area, Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, May 26, 2022. CbR 17 is a United States Army Europe- Africa directed, 7th Army Training Command executed exercise that takes place at JMRC from May 20 to June 19, 2022. The event is designed to evaluate and assess a unit's ability to conduct operations in a complex, multi-domain simulated battle space. The focus of the rotation is to exercise combined arms operations in a multinational environment.

Special Forces candidates assigned to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School pull a teammate to his feet during the final phase of field training known as Robin Sage in central North Carolina, January 23, 2022. Robin Sage is the culmination exercise for Soldiers in the Special Forces Qualification Course and has been the litmus test for Soldiers striving to earn the Green Beret for more than 50 years. (U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens)

U.S. Army paratroopers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, move to a staging area during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center-Alaska 23-02 at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, March 29, 2023. JPMRC-AK 23-02 helps Soldiers and leaders develop and refine the tactics, techniques, and procedures necessary to successfully operate in remote and extreme Arctic winter conditions and overcome environmental and military challenges.

030126-M-1852W-023. Base: Marine Corps Base, Camp Fuji State: Honshu Country: Japan (JPN) Scene Major Command Shown: 3/12 HQ Btry

Alaska Army National Guard Spc. Jamal Murphy, left, from Kotlik, and Spc. Luke Barnes, from Palmer, both infantryman with Bison Company, 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment, prepare to ground their gear after completing a 5-kilometer snowshoe ruck march near the Alaska Army National Guard Readiness Center in Bethel, Feb. 3, 2024. (Alaska National Guard

Soldier in camouflage with rifle Soldier in camouflage with rifle in his hands ,model released, Symbolfoto Copyright: xZoonar.com/SergeyxSukhorukovx 3207548 ,model released, Symbolfoto ,property released

Finnish soldiers assigned to the Satakunta Jaeger Battalion call for air support as part of the multinational training exercise, Vigilant Fox, held at Niinisalo, Finland, July 26, 2022. The 3/4 ABCT, and Finish and British army units trained in Finland to further strengthen the relations and interoperability between the nations.

U.S. Marines with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit and Hellenic Marines with the 32nd Hellenic Marine Brigade, conduct non-lethal weapons training during exercise Alexander the Great 2022, Glafyra, Greece, May 5, 2022. Alexander the Great 22 strengthens interoperability and force readiness between the U.S., Greece, and Allied nations, enhancing strategic defense and partnership while promoting security and stability in the region.

Service members from Norway, Minnesota National Guard conduct asymmetric threat training with local law enforcement agencies, April 3, 2022 at Camp Ripley. (Minnesota National Guard Photo by Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Katie Hass, a platoon commander with Combat Logistics Battalion 6, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, briefs Marines on safety during a machine gun range in Setermoen, Norway, Feb. 21, 2024. CLB-6 is in Norway apart of Marine Rotational Forces Europe 24.1 which focuses on regional engagements throughout Europe by conducting various exercises, arctic cold-weather and mountain warfare training, and military-to-military engagements, which enhance overall interoperability of the U.S. Marine Corps with allies and partners. Marine Corps

Leadership from the Wisconsin National Guard, including Maj. Gen. Paul E. Knapp, Wisconsin's Adjutant General, visited soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery and 132nd Brigade Support Battalion, both a part of the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, during Northern Strike 23-1 on Jan. 25 in Camp Grayling, Mich. Northern Strike is a winter exercise hosted by the Michigan National Guard, and took place at Northern Michigans National All-Domain Warfighting Center from Jan. 20-29.

Swedish Marines with 202d Coastal Ranger Company, 2d Marine Swedish Battalion, coordinate 81mm mortar fire from a fire direction center. The U.S. Marines with Mobile Reconnaissance Company, 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, relay mortar fire adjustments from RQ-20 Puma surveillance feed, to the Swedish fire direction center while conducting a bilateral live fire mortar range during exercise Archipelago Endeavor 22 (AE22) on Berga Naval Base, Sweden, Sept. 14, 2022. AE22 is an integrated field training exercise that increases operational capability and enhances strategic cooperation between the U.S. Marines and Swedish forces.

U.S. Soldiers and NATO allies complete a historic wet-gap crossing operation as part of Defender Europe 22 held at Nowogród, Poland, May 19, 2022. Defender Europe 2022 is a series of U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercises in Eastern Europe. The exercise demonstrates U.S. Army Europe and Africas ability to conduct large-scale ground combat operations across multiple theaters supporting NATO.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Stephen Maranian, center, commanding general of 56th Artillery Command, walks alongside Swedish Army Brig. Gen. Laura Swaan Wrede, left, deputy chief of the Army, and Col. Magnus Ståhl, right, commander of A 8, Artillery Regiment, during Nordic Strike 22a Swedish Army-led, 56th Artillery Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa-supported live-fire exerciseat Vidsel Test Range, Sweden, Sep. 27, 2022. Nordic Strike 22 is a bilateral field artillery live-fire exercise in which U.S. Army Europe and Africa provides ready, combat-credible forces for its Swedish partner, that exercises multi-domain capabilities while enhancing readiness and lethality to defend against near-peer adversaries.

060308-A-3733B-004. Subject Operation/Series: NOBLE SHEPHERD Base: Hohenfels State: Bavaria Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, prepare a Browning M2 .50 Caliber Heavy Machine Gun Qualification Range at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Feb. 29, 2024. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment, assigned to V Corps, America's forward deployed corps in Europe, works alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces capable of rapid deployment throughout the European theater to defend the NATO alliance. Army

U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), Georgia Army National Guard (GA ARNG), prepare for crowd riot control training during Kosovo Forces 33 in Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, Jan. 31, 2024.KFOR 33 is a multinational training event conducted to prepare the 48th IBCT (GA ARNG) for their deployment to the Kosovo Regional Command East.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Marotta, a UH-60 Black Hawk crew chief with the New Jersey Army National Guard's 1-171st General Support Aviation Battalion (MEDEVAC) instructs Soldiers on hoist operations at the Medical Simulation Training Center (MSTC) on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Jan. 6, 2022. The MSTC provides state of the art training to aid students in gaining proficiency in treating all areas of trauma and basic medical scenarios.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians from the 148th Fighter Wing, Minnesota Air National Guard prepare a remotely operated robot during a weapons of mass destruction exercise at the Air National Guard base in Duluth, Minnesota on December 1, 2020.

Zaragoza, 11/29/2022. Felipe VI attends the evaluation exercise being carried out at the San Gregorio National Training Center by the personnel of the XII rotation of the Enhanced Force Presence (eFP) operation that will soon be deployed in Latvia. San Gregorio Maneuver Field. Photo: Fabián Simón. ARCHDC.

U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division, load a CH-53E Super Stallion assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, while they conduct an air-insertion during Resolute Dragon 22 on Kamifurano Maneuver Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 5, 2022. Resolute Dragon 22 is an annual bilateral exercise designed to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the U.S.-Japan Alliance by exercising integrated command and control, targeting, combined arms, and maneuver across multiple domains.

U.S. Army Spc. Justin Slone, a radar specialist attached to Alpha Ares Battery, 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, supporting 3rd Infantry Division, finishes a tactical test during the Dracula Games'' hosted by the Romanian Air Defense at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, Jan. 19, 2024. The Dracula Games were a series of mental and physical small-team challenges involving Soldiers from four different countries: the 3rd Infantry Division representing the U.S., Eagle Troop representing the U.K., the 12th Croatian Contingent Iron Boars, and the Romanian Air Defense Transylvanian Gepards. The 3rd Infantry Divisions mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, Americas forward deployed corps in Europe.

A U.S. Air Force security forces Airman, assigned to the Ohio National Guards 180th Fighter Wing, prepares to fire an M240 machine gun during a heavy weapons training event at Fort Custer in Augusta, Mich., Jan. 9, 2024. The training gives Airmen hands-on experience with various heavy weapons, ensuring they are prepared for any situation around the world. (Air National Guard

Distinguished visitors pay a visit to the 11th Airborne Division as part of Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 to observe the U.S. Army's arctic warfare capabilities and strategies at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 16, 2024. The Large Scale Combat Operations scenario used in JPMRC 24-02 helps Soldiers and leaders develop and refine the tactics, techniques, and procedures necessary to successfully operate in remote and extreme Arctic winter conditions and overcome both environmental and military challenges. Army

020424-F-1014W-004. Subject Operation/Series: JOINT FORGE 2002 Base: Pazaric Country: Bosnia And/I Herzegovina (BIH) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Brian Smith, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense chief with Combat Logistics Battalion 6 (CLB-6), Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, gives a safety brief before a barricade range in preparation for exercise Freezing Winds 22 in Syndalen, Finland, Oct. 11, 2022. Task Force Red Cloud, headquartered by elements of CLB-6, is deployed to Finland in support of Exercises SYD 2022 and Freezing Winds 2022 to enhance U.S. and Finnish select interdependence in the maritime domain; solidify bilateral maritime maneuver within the Finnish littoral environment; and foster strong relationships between U.S. Marine Corps and Finnish Defense Force sustainment units.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Timothy Pope, an instructor with Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) in Bridgeport, California, demonstrates the application of the Marine Corps Cold Weather Infantry Kit (MCCWIK) to the Marines of Fox Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve during exercise Arctic Edge 2024 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, on Feb. 22, 2024. The MCCWIK is strategically designed to alleviate the individual Marines load by providing a specialized, lightweight, durable, and mobile solution for efficiently transporting essential equipment and supplies across snow-covered terrain. Arctic Edge 2024 (AE24) is a U.S. Northern Command-led homeland defense exercise showcasing the military's capabilities in extreme cold weather, highlighting joint force readiness, and reinforcing the U.S. military's commitment to mutual strategic security interests in the arctic region. Marine Corps

South Carolina Army National Guard (SCARNG) Soldiers from A Co. 1-118th Combined Arms Battalion (CAB), "move to contact" on Ojojibara Maneuver Area, Sendai, Japan, on February 17, 2010. The training was part of FTX North Wind 2010, a joint exercise involving elements of the South Carolina National Guard and elements of the 44th Infantry Regiment of the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF).

030220-F-3886C-024. Base: Rhein-Main Air Base Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 6 (CLB-6), Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, load magazines before a table 6 range in preparation for exercise Freezing Winds 22 in Syndalen, Finland, Oct. 10, 2022. Task Force Red Cloud, headquartered by elements of CLB-6, is deployed to Finland in support of Exercises SYD 2022 and Freezing Winds 2022 to enhance U.S. and Finnish select interdependence in the maritime domain; solidify bilateral maritime maneuver within the Finnish littoral environment; and foster strong relationships between U.S. Marine Corps and Finnish Defense Force sustainment units.

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment (1/2CR) exchange patches with German soldiers during a Schuetzenschnur (German weapons proficiency test) event with the German partner unit of 1/2CR, the Panzergrenadierbataillon 112, at Regen, Germany, Sept. 29, 2022. 1/2CR provided an opportunity for exemplary Soldiers to earn a foreign award and to build camaraderie with German Army counterparts in order to strengthen NATO and multinational partnerships.

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Justin Steiner, a landing support platoon commander with Combat Logistics Battalion 22, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable (MEU(SOC)), speaks with a Hellenic Army Soldier during the 26th MEU(SOC) Exercise Odyssey Encore, Volos, Greece, Jan. 8, 2024. The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) Marine Air-Ground Task Force readiness sustainment exercise enhances the units operational capabilities as a crisis response force. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied and partner interests.

In swirling winds, fog and pounding rains, Private First Class Thad Mills of the 297th Army Infantry Alaskan National Guard, Alpha Company, sets up concertina wire in order to provide dock security support for the USS OGDEN (LPD 5) while deployed to Ketchikan, Alaska, during Exercise NORTHERN EDGE 2001. Northern Edge is Alaska's premier joint training exercise and it lasts for two weeks. Over 10,000 Canadian and United States forces combine to practice protecting Alaska and it's borders. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN EDGE 2001 Country: United States Of America (USA)

Soldiers from Bravo Company, 16th Engineers Battalion, 130th Brigade, Bamberg, Germany, lay barbed wire to build a fence around a minefield in Dubrave, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Subject Operation/Series: JOINT ENDEAVOR Base: Dubrave Country: Bosnia And/I Herzegovina (BIH)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joshua Vega, a rifleman with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, prepares an 81mm mortar system for Mission Rehearsal Littoral Exercise 2022 at Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan, May 8, 2022. The purpose of the MRLEX was to conduct an airfield survey of an existing aircraft landing zone for infrastructure improvement, runway repair and preparation of potential forward arming and refueling points, as well as progress integration initiatives with our Japanese allies while advancing III Marine Expeditionary Forces and Marine Corps Installations Pacifics goals tied to agile combat employment, expeditionary advanced base operations, and humanitarian assistance disaster relief.

U.S Army Capt. Jimmy Rink, an Observer Coach (OC), assigned to B Company, 70th Brigade Engineer Battalion, Engineer Reconnaissance Team, walks with a platoon during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 18, 2024. JPMRC 24-02, executed in Alaska with its world-class training facilities and its harsh Arctic environment, builds Soldiers and leaders into a cohesive team of skilled, tough, alert, and adaptive warriors capable of fighting and winning anywhere in the world. Army

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Joseph Owen, Mobile Reconnaissance Platoon commander, 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, and Cpl Patrik Andersson, unmanned aerial system operator, 2d Swedish Marine Battalion, coordinate a flight path for an RQ-20 Puma drone while conducting a bilateral live fire mortar range during exercise Archipelago Endeavor 22 (AE22) on Berga Naval Base, Sweden, Sept. 14, 2022. AE22 is an integrated field training exercise that increases operational capability and enhances strategic cooperation between the U.S. Marines and Swedish forces.

One Dutch and One German Paratrooper walks off the Drop Zone with their assigned parachute, combat equipment, and weapon during Exercise Falcon Leap at Hechtselse Heide Drop Zone, Hechtel-Eksel, Belgium., Sep. 15, 2022. More than 1000 Paratroopers from all over the world, 13 different nationalities, multiple airdrops per day, and training with each other equipment for two weeks. this is NATO's largest technical airborne exercise.

Twenty Minnesota National Guard, four Croatian, and three Canadian Soldiers are competing in Minnesotas Best Warrior Competition March 29 - April 1, 2023, at Camp Ripley, near Little Falls, Minnesota. The annual competition tests the military skills, physical strength and endurance of the top Soldiers and noncommissioned officers nominated by units across the state. This year two of Minnesotas longstanding partner nations, Croatia and Canada, have sent competitors to participate. Minnesotas winners will move on to compete against the best Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from multiple states at the Region IV Best Warrior Competition hosted by the Ohio National Guard in May.

Finnish Army Staff Sgt. Benjamin Blomqvist (center), a combat boat craft commander with Vaasa Coastal Battalion, gives a safety brief to Marines before executing a littoral reconnaissance range in preparation for exercise Freezing Winds 22 in Syndalen, Finland, Oct. 8, 2022. Task Force Red Cloud, headquartered by elements of Combat Logistics Battalion 6, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, is deployed to Finland in support of Exercises SYD 2022 and Freezing Winds 2022 to enhance U.S. and Finnish select interdependence in the maritime domain; solidify bilateral maritime maneuver within the Finnish littoral environment; and foster strong relationships between U.S. Marine Corps and Finnish Defense Force sustainment units.

DN-ST-87-03749. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN WEDDING '86 Base: Cape Wrath Country: Scotland (SCT)

The Soldiers of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), along with Soldiers from Albania, Armenia and Moldova and Active Duty Soldiers from Hohenfels, Germany, participated in Operation Bronze Shield, which was to simulate a disturbance turned riot, at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, in Hohenfels, Germany, on October 17, 2022. The 76th IBCT, Task Force Nighthawk, is preparing for their rotation in Kosovo as part of KFOR 31.(U.S. Army photos by Sgt. 1st Class Herschel Talley)

U.S. Army Gen. Charles Flynn, Commander of U.S. Army Pacific and Maj. Gen. Jonny Lindfors, Chief of Staff of the Swedish Army, observe capabilities of the 11th Airborne Division during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 15, 2024. The Large Scale Combat Operations scenario used in JPMRC 24-02 helps Soldiers and leaders develop and refine the tactics, techniques, and procedures necessary to successfully operate in remote and extreme Arctic winter conditions and overcome both environmental and military challenges. Army

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Bryan Watson, a mortarman with 2d Combat Engineer Battalion, 2d Marine Division, prepares an M889A1 mortar round during a live-fire mortar range near Setermoen, Norway, March 30, 2023. Marines are deployed to Norway as part of Marine Rotational Forces Europe 23.1 which focuses on regional engagements throughout Europe by conducting various exercises, arctic cold-weather and mountain warfare training, and military-to-military engagements, which enhance overall interoperability of the U.S. Marine Corps with allies and partners.

A Soldier assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), stands for an interview after the completion of training on Dec. 2, 2022, at Grafenwoehr, Germany. Our commitment to defending NATO territory is ironclad and the United States will continue to bolster our posture to better defend our NATO allies. (U.S. Army photos by Staff Sgt. Malcolm Cohens-Ashley, 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs.)

010117-F-9033M-008. Base: Cannon Air Force Base State: New Mexico (NM) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

DA-SC-86-04486. Subject Operation/Series: ORIENT SHIELD Base: Marine Corps Base, Camp Fuji State: Honshu Country: Japan (JPN)

Soldiers from the 1-181st Field Artillery Battalion of the Tennessee National Guard listen to instruction on unmanned aerial vehicles by Jeff Hardy, Director of Emergency Management in Maury County in the SAREX 23 in Pickett State Park near Jamestown, TN Jan. 7, 2023. The multi-agency group worked on tracking, locating, and evacuating missing persons as part of a training exercise with other military and civilian agencies to strengthen partnerships in a joint environment.

Mountaineering instructors from Northern Warfare Training Center, hold a class about basic anchors with 11th Airborne Division Soldiers at H Rock at the Rock Site during Basic Military Mountaineering Course on Black Rapids Training Site 10 July. The purpose of the 14-day course is to train Soldiers on how to maneuver through mountainous terrain, and then go back to their units and provide the units with Soldiers capable to get across the mountainous terrain of Alaska. (Photo provided by Staff Sgt. Christopher Dennis/ 11th Airborne Division Public Affairs NCO)

Close-up of a soldier aiming with a gun

Airmen assigned to the 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, fill out a simulated chemical detection stanchion at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Missouri, June 4, 2022. The wing was conducting a large-scale readiness exercise to test Airmens ability to perform in a degraded and contested environment.

A soldier from 2nd Bn., 502nd Inf. Regt. 101st Airborne Div., fires an M-60 machine gun during a live-fire exercise. Base: Fort Campbell State: Kentucky (KY) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Airmen from the 436th Aerial Port Squadron load cargo bound for India during a foreign military sales mission at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Jan. 22, 2022. The United States and India relationship focus is to continue to build a strategic partnership to promote shared interests in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.(U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. J.D. Strong II)

A few artillery Marines enjoy a hot meal during the 12th Marine Relocation Exercise at Yausubetsu maneuver area. Base: Hokkaido Country: Japan (JPN)

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Garduno, assigned to Palehorse Troop, 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, teaches a class on how to operate the PD-100 Black Hornet Nano unmanned aerial vehicle during Sergeants Time Training at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Oct. 13, 2022. The Black Hornet provides surveillance and reconnaissance support providing situational awareness on the battlefield.

U.S. Soldiers assigned to Palehorse Troop, 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment learn how to operate the AN/PRC-163 radio during Sergeants Time Training at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Oct. 13, 2022. The radio is a component of the Integrated Tactical Network that provides situational awareness and enables fast decision-making during tactical operations.

Two Czech Paratroopers walk off the Drop Zone with their assigned parachute during Exercise Falcon Leap at Hechtselse Heide Drop Zone, Hechtel-Eksel, Belgium., Sep. 15, 2022. More than 1000 Paratroopers from all over the world, 13 different nationalities, multiple airdrops per day, and training with each other equipment for two weeks. this is NATO's largest technical airborne exercise.

Fifteen Minnesota National Guard and two Croatian Soldiers are competing in Minnesotas Best Warrior Competition April 7-10, 2022, at Camp Ripley. The annual competition tests the military skills, physical strength and endurance of the top Soldiers and noncommissioned officers nominated by units across the state. Croatia and Minnesota have worked together for 25 years as part of the National Guards State Partnership Program. Minnesotas winners will move on to compete against the best Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from states across the region at Camp Ripley in May. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Luther C. Talks)

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