← Military & Defence

Military Personnel Operations

Images depict military personnel engaged in various tasks, including equipment handling, tent setup, and construction activities in deployment environments.

An Airmen with the 914th Aeromedical Staging Squadron constructs a tent to maintain readiness June 5, 2022 on Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, New York. In deployed environments, these tents are constructed and used as staging facilities to triage patients before being airlifted to a medical facility.

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Jan. 07, 2022) - U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Travis, assigned to the 15th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, 15th Medical Group, uses a portable colorimeter to test the pH and chlorine levels of a water sample from a bulk storage tank at Hickam Elementary School. The Interagency Drinking Water System Team is a joint initiative where the U.S. Navy is working closely with the Hawaii Department of Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army to restore safe drinking water to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam housing communities through sampling and flushing. For detailed information, go to: www.navy.mil/jointbasewater.

U.S. Soldiers, assigned to the 1436th Engineer Vertical Construction Company, spread concrete at Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, July 21, 2022. The 1436th EVCC augments a variety of 378th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron shops, including the pavements and construction equipment shop, the structures shop, the water and fuel systems shop, and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning shop. The pavements and equipment shop handles building the foundation and setting the defenses of PSABs semi-permanent infrastructure. To do this Airmen and Soldiers pour concrete slabs and erect barriers for site security. Though PSAB will remain semi-permanent, construction and maintenance occur to accept follow-on forces, increase air and land power capabilities, and reaffirm the U.S.s growing partnership with the KSA.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Devin Bergeron, 30th Civil Engineer Squadron pavements and construction supervisor, cuts into concrete using a rescue saw during Operation Turning Point on Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., June 14, 2022. Sailors, Marines, and Airmen worked together during Operation Turning Point, participating in exercises that involved rapid airfield repair, or RADR, following a simulated airfield attack.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joshua Moore, an electrician with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, and a native of New York, center, plans out installation of electrical wires with members of the 30th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers at the Ban Prakaet school at Chanthaburi, Thailand, Feb. 21, 2024. Marines of Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 lent their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts during Cobra Gold 24. Joint Exercise Cobra Gold is the largest joint exercise in mainland Asia and a concrete example of the strong alliance and strategic relationship between Thailand and the United States. This is the 43rd iteration of the multilateral exercise held from Feb. 27 to March 8, 2024. Marine Corps

Readiness Challenge VIII participants from Air Combat Command's 366th Civil Engineer Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, take part in the rapid airfield damage repair event April 19, 2022, at the Silver Flag Exercise Site, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The Department of the Air Force CE event is hosted by the Air Force Civil Engineer Center. After a 20+ year hiatus, the challenge, a premier event for Department of the Air Force civil engineers, is back. This year's Readiness Challenge is the initial operating capability event before the challenge reaches full operating capability within the next two years. At this year's event, which runs through April 22, eight teams representing major commands and U.S. Space Force are facing off in about 20 events showing myriad of CE capabilities from emergency airfield lighting and water purification to building a guard shack from the ground up and firefighting and EOD operations.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 36th Wing assemble a tent during an Operational Readiness Exercise at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Sept. 12, 2022. Operationalizing readiness-enhancing concepts are critical to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Airman 1st Class Joshua Fleming, a firefighter assigned to the 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, cuts through debris with a chainsaw as part of Operation Merbok Recovery, while in the village of Koyuk, Sept. 27, 2022 More than 130 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.

Staff Sgt. Waylon Dashiell and Capt. John Zielinski look over plans of the Blackfeet Nation Senior and Cultural Center in Heart Butte, Montana August 9,2022. The 141st Civil Engineer Squadron, 141st Medical Group and 141st Force Support Squadron all participated in the deployment for training, strengthening bonds between neighbors.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Millard Morgan, 169th Civil Engineer Squadron engineer from the South Carolina Air National Guard, installs waterlines and shutoff valves during construction of a community center for the Blackfeet Nation Native Americans at Heart Butte, Montana, September 6, 2022. This temporary deployment is part of the 169th Civil Engineer Squadrons yearly Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) that helps Airmen train in a real-world environment to acquire and maintain their trade skills.

U.S. Soldiers with E company ("Evil Eye"), 1-3 Attack Battalion, 12 Combat Aviation Brigade partake in "Evil Eye Athletic Competition" held at Feb. 1, 2024, at Bismarck Kaserne, Ansbach, Germany. Army

030401-A-9157N-002. Base: Lajas Adentro State: Chiriqui Country: Panama (PAN)

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Daniel Lewis, a logistics chief with Combat Logistics Battalion 4, Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, prepares tires to be transported by an MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft with Marine Medium Tiltrotor squadron 265, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, at Kin Blue, Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Aug. 25, 2022. Lewis, a native of Daytona Beach, Florida, graduated from Triton Regional High School In 2012 and enlisted out of Recruiting Substation South New Jersey in 2014. The purpose of the training was to increase Helicopter Support Team proficiency and to practice Expeditionary Advanced Base concepts in preparation for future operations. 3rd MLG, based out of Okinawa, Japan, is a forward-deployed combat unit that serves as III MEFs comprehensive logistics and combat service support backbone for operations throughout the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.

PORT HUENEME, Calif. (Aug. 11, 2022) Seabees, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 18, attach ramps to a bridge project during NMCB 18s Field Training Exercise (FTX). FTX is designed to analyze a battalions construction capability, expeditionary logistics, and combat operations to support major combat operations, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance.

Senior Airman Andrew Leal, 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron, fuels technician, shuts off the valve of a fuel truck during a major accident response exercise Aug. 30, 2012, at RAF Mildenhall. The MARE simulated a fuel spill due to a cracked flange connection during a fuel transfer.

020514-F-6932M-008. Subject Operation/Series: NEW HORIZONS 2002 Base: Camp Dingo State: Kingston Country: Jamaica (JAM)

Canadian Armed Forces Master Cpl. Tanner Stangby, an Operational Support Hub electrical distribution technician, and U.S. Air Force Senior Airman David Russell, a 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron electrical systems apprentice, perform electrical maintenance at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, March 27, 2023. Canadian and American forces engaged in a personnel exchange, allowing their electricians to work together and gain a better understanding of how each force operates. Joint ventures like this improve coalition cohesion on both a micro and macro level and enhance the overall capabilities of allied forces in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, and Royal Thai marines with the Royal Thai Marine Corps Construction Company of Combat Engineers, prepare to pour concrete into a foundation footer at the Ban Prakaet school at Chanthaburi, Thailand, Feb. 12, 2024. Marines of MWSS-171 lent their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts during Cobra Gold 24. Joint Exercise Cobra Gold is the largest joint exercise in mainland Asia and a concrete example of the strong alliance and strategic relationship between Thailand and the United States. This year will be the 43rd iteration of the multilateral exercise and will be held from Feb. 27 to March 8, 2024. Marine Corps

220717-F-KO270-1043 MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii (July 17, 2022) U.S. Air Force Airmen with the 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group assemble a tent at Marine Corps Base Hawaii during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three 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.

Alaska Air National Guardsmen clean up storm debris for Operation Merbok Response in Koyuk, Alaska Sept. 27, 2022. More than 130 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. (Alaska National Guard photo by Sgt. Seth LaCount)

Alaska Air National Guardsmen clean up storm debris for Operation Merbok Response in Koyuk, Alaska Sept. 27, 2022. More than 130 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. (Alaska National Guard photo by Sgt. Seth LaCount)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Grooms, a bulk fuel specialist with 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group connects a fuel line during Mountain Training Exercise 1-23 (MTX) at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Calif., Oct. 9, 2022. HMH-462 supported 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division during MTX while enhancing self-deployment capability and advancing mission skill progression in a high-altitude, austere environment.

Airmen and soldiers from the New Jersey National Guard search house-to-house for victims of Hurricane Sandy on Long Beach Island, N.J., on Nov. 1. Soldiers from the Cherry Hill, N.J., Armory provided vehicles and medics, while airmen from the 177th Fighter Wing and 108th Wing provided ground support in the search and rescue operation. When confronted with an empty house, they marked the entry way with red tape. Homeowners who were found were advised of the mandatory evacuation, and queried on if they had food and water. Due to limited cell reception, the airmen and soldiers relied on text messaging for communications in the field.

(From left) Staff Sgt. Paxton Paillot and Airman 1st Class Laura Garza, both structures specialists assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, remove a section of damaged subfloor in a residential living building, July 27, 2022, at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The high heat and humidity of the UAE can cause damage to wood structures over time. Structural specialists inspect for and repair damaged flooring by removing compromised plywood and installing a more resilient form board.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Dylan Carmichael from the 92nd Logistics Readiness Squadron pulls KC-135 chocks on Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, Oct 6, 2022. Carmichael preformed team building activities for the second annual Petroleum Oils and Lubricants rodeo.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Lazaro Cisneros Jr., a landing support specialist with Combat Logistics Battalion 45, Landing Support Company, 4th Marine Logistics Group, inspects the placement of cargo netting over tires during Integrated Training Exercise 3-22 on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California April 2, 2022. ITX is a live-fire event that increases unit readiness. It teaches the tactical application of combined-arms maneuver, offensive and defensive operations during combat.

TECH. SGT. Evans videotapes SGT. Holemyer, left and MASTER SGT. DeLeon as they set up a satellite dish during Operation Desert Shield. The men are members of the Joint Combat Camera Team. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

US Air Force AIRMAN First Class Corby Priddy, a Satellite Wide Band Communications Journeyman from the 54th Combat Communications Squadron, Robbins Air Force Base, Georgia, sets up an INMARSAT satellite at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, during Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. SRA Storm is part of the coalition forces of the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, that enforce the no-fly and no-drive zone in Southern Iraq to protect and defend against Iraqi aggression in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: Prince Sultan Air Base Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

Major Gen. Francis Evon, adjutant General for the Connecticut National Guard, tosses a shovel full of dirt during a ceremonial ground breaking at the future site of the Putnam Readiness Center Oct. 28, 2022. In a press release, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont explained the creation of the new Putnam Readiness Center is part of the states broader goal to maintain National Guard facilities in each of Connecticuts eight counties so troops can be called upon quickly in the event of an emergency, such as a severe weather events and natural disasters.

OKINAWA, Japan (Feb. 05, 2024) Seabees, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 4, Airmen, assigned to 18th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES), mix concrete and water in a crater to complete an expeditious repair in an airfield damage repair exercise, during Keen Edge '24. Keen Edge is an annual bilateral exercise conducted by the United States Forces Japan and the Japanese Self Defense Force. NMCB 4 is forward deployed throughout the Indo-Pacific region to support and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. As the stand-in, crisis response, naval engineering force, NMCB 4 maintains a ready posture to deliver in-theater expeditionary logistics via expeditionary shore infrastructure, forward damage repair, and mobile construction. (US Navy

MANGALIA, Romania (Sep. 08, 2022) Assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11, Builder 2nd Class Cooper Adkins and Builder 3rd class William Mann measure exterior plywood sheathing of a Sukkah structure, Sep. 08, 2022. NMCB 11 is forward deployed to execute construction, humanitarian assistance, and theater security cooperation in the U.S. Sixth and Seventh Fleet areas of operation.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Tanner Kovach, 305th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, prepares rails to receive cargo aboard a C-17 Globemaster during a Multi-Capable Airman course on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Sept. 20, 2022. The two-day training course provided 305th AMXS Airmen with skills and knowledge outside of their Air Force specialty code in order to create Multi-Capable Airmen.

220720-N-PI330-1120 NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (July 20, 2022) Utilitiesman 2nd Class Charles Denig, left, and Construction Electrician 2nd Class Anthony Cook, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 (NMCB 133), install a ventilation outlet at a construction project in Rota, Spain, July 20, 2022. NMCB 133 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.

STAFF Sergeant Alan Vanguilder, USAF, 148th Civil Engineer Squadron, Minnesota Air National Guard, paints one of several newly constructed "road jacks." The Wing's Civil Engineers have constructed numerous jacks in the last few days. The jacks provide enhanced protection, throughout the Wings roadways, for the unit's resources and personnel supporting Operation NOBLE EAGLE. Subject Operation/Series: NOBLE EAGLE Base: Duluth International Airport State: Minnesota (MN) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Republic of Korea and U.S. Air Force members fill a simulated crater with water and concrete during Rapid Airfield Damage Repair (RADR) training at Kunsan Air Base, ROK, April 26, 2022. Partnership between U.S. and ROK Airmen is critical to ensuring flighline operability, and synchronized contingency response.

030405-M-5607A-003. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Dallas Topp, a landing support specialist with Combat Logistics Battalion 22, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, inspects a bag during a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation (MCCRE) on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Aug. 27, 2022. CLB-22s MCCRE is the battalion's final evaluation to demonstrate combat readiness through proficiency in core mission essential tasks before they begin a change of operational control (CHOP) to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

220706-N-SS900-1017 SAN DIEGO (July 6, 2022) Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Marvin Chaparro-Mendez, a native of Omaha, Neb., removes non-skid aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), July 6. Vinson is currently pierside in its homeport of San Diego.

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Senior Airman Irvin Johnson, 374th Communications Squadron cable and antenna maintainer, cuts a length of fiberoptic cable off of a reel at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 23. The cabling provided high-speed network access to a new "tent city" of additional office space for military members stationed here temporarily for Operation Tomodachi.

GULFPORT, Miss. (Sep. 28, 2022) Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1, lay asphalt for during a parking lot repair onboard Naval Construction Battalion Canter Gulfport. The asphalt repair is the last step in completing a new bathroom installation on base. NMCB 1 is conducting an intense homeport training plan to expand their ability to execute construction, humanitarian assistance, and theater operations.

From left, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Benjamin Carlson, commander of the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Col. John Gustafson, commander of the 386th Expeditionary Mission Support Group and Maj. Angela Peterson, commander of the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, shovel the first mound of dirt on the site of the 386th ELRSs new aerial port administrative building at Ali Al Salem Air Base, May 10, 2022. This facility will consolidate various cargo and cargo-related functions such as Travel Management Office, Special Handling, Load Planning and Forecasting to streamline processes and communications.

111115-A-TF780-005SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (Nov. 15 2011) Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 23 embarked aboard High Speed Vessel (HSV 2) Swift, carry a sheet of aluminum that will be used as part of a security gate at Escuela Basica Rafaela Santaella. The Seabees will replace missing letters and repaint the monument as part of a community service project in support of Southern Partnership Station 2012. Southern Partnership Station is an annual deployment of U.S. ships to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility in the Caribbean, Central and South America.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Brandon Zinkiewicz, assigned to Combat Cargo aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force UNITAS LXIII, secures cargo with chains aboard a landing craft in Rio de Janeiro, Sept. 3, 2022. Marines and their equipment are moving ashore from the Mesa Verde to begin training during UNITAS LXIII. UNITAS is the worlds longest-running annual multinational maritime exercise that focuses on enhancing interoperability among multiple nations and joint forces during littoral and amphibious operations in order to build on existing regional partnerships and create new enduring relationships that promote peace, stability and prosperity in the U.S. Southern Commands area of responsibility.

From left, U.S. Air Force Capt. Victor Guinn, Capt. Ryley Paquette and 2nd Lt. Katelyn Baumer, all from the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, shovel the first mound of dirt on the site of the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadrons new aerial port administrative building at Ali Al Salem Air Base, May 10, 2022. This facility will consolidate various cargo and cargo-related functions such as Travel Management Office, Special Handling, Load Planning and Forecasting to streamline processes and communications.

Seattle Seahawks players learn about the 22nd Special Tactics Squadrons mission during a base visit to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Sept. 20, 2022. The National Football League players showed their appreciation for JBLM service members by participating in military demonstrations, touring the units on base and meeting service members.

Members of the 202nd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers (RED HORSE), Florida Air National Guard, head south from Bradenton, Florida, to clear debris from roadways in Manatee, Charolette, and Lee counties, Sept. 29, 2022. The 202nd RED HORSE Squadron, stationed at Camp Blanding, Florida, is a specialized, highly mobile civil engineering team comprised of Florida Air National Guardsmen that provides rapid response capabilities for multiple worldwide contingencies and operations.

U.S. Army Spc. Ashley Jacobs, a combat medic with the Delaware Army National Guard Medical Detachment, handles canned goods at a drive-thru mobile pantry on the grounds of the Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, June 24, 2020. About 25 soldiers and airmen of the National Guard joined volunteers with the Food Bank of Delaware there, distributing much-needed pantry items to address the increased demand for food assistance amid COVID-19.

The 1st Brigade / 102nd Division are shown here at the Engineers Vertical Skill Building on Texas Avenue on Fort Dix, NJ instructing various Army soldiers from various units during their 12W10 Masonry Course. Army MOS 12W Specialists are skilled at working on heavy carpentry and masonry projects. Soldiers need to adapt to their surroundings and often construct infrastructure and planning with a quick turn-a-round time.(Photos taken by the Fort Dix TSC Training Support Center)

The 378th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Fire and Emergency Services Flight hosted a firefighter challenge for Airmen, Soldiers and personnel assigned to Prince Sultan Air Base, Oct. 15, 2022.The challenge tested the participants physical strength and endurance with simulated tasks that are common to fire scenes. The Event was held as a part of Fire Prevention Week.

Tech. Sergeant David Her, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron Electrical Systems section chief lays a spool of electric cable as part alternate landing surface training at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 27, 2022. Several 8th CES flights worked together to set up an emergency airfield lighting system to stay proficiently trained on the rarely used operation. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Steven M. Adkins)

Senior Airman Ernesto Silio Cabrera, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron, water and fuels system maintenance technician from Misawa Air Base, Japan, and members of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), practice conducting runway repairs as part of a bilateral training scenario at Suwon Air Base, Republic of Korea, July 6, 2022. During the training, members of the United States Air Force and ROKAF took turns fixing a damaged cement training pad and observed each others techniques and procedures.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 169th Civil Engineer Squadron from the South Carolina Air National Guard make concrete repairs to help build a community center for the Blackfeet Nation Native Americans at Heart Butte, Montana, September 6, 2022. This temporary deployment is part of the 169th Civil Engineer Squadrons yearly Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) that helps Airmen train in a real-world environment to acquire and maintain their trade skills.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Marcus Bradley, 18th Civil Engineer Squadron electrical systems technician, prepares emergency airfield lighting systems during Keen Edge at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Feb. 6, 2024. EALS are used when an emergency runway has been designated, allowing aircraft to find and safely land on them in the event of severe damage to the main runway. Air Force

Georgia Air National Guardsman Master Sgt. Jerome Miller, vehicle maintenance technician, 165th Vehicle Maintenance, poses for a photo prior to performing a periodic maintenance inspection on a fire truck that belongs to the 165th Airlift Wing Fire Department on March 30, 2022 in Savannah, Georgia. Miller has been in the Georgia Air National Guard for 15 years. He spent 12 years in the aircraft engine shop and moved to vehicle maintenance to expand his skill set to other types of equipment. Both of Miller's parents were active-duty Army and he said he found the Air National Guard to be more appealing because it was more suitable for family life and he could choose his duty station. He said he has enjoyed the unique travel and training opportunities that would not have been available to him outside of the military.

120523-N-BJ279-113PUERTO BARRIOS, Guatemala (May 23, 2012) Navy Diver 2nd Class Ramon Mercado, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2, Company 2-1, observes a Guatemalan diver cutting metal. Company 2-1 is participating in Navy Dive-Southern Partnership Station 2012, a multinational partnership engagement designed to increase interoperability and partner nation capacity through diving operations.

050901-A-4362C-010. Base: Camp Liberty Country: Kuwait (KWT) Scene Major Command Shown: Southeast

U.S. Army soldier, assigned to 3rd Armored Brigade Combat team, 1st Cavalry Division, participates in Railhead Operations in Poland. 3ABCT's vehicles arrived in Poland to aid in maximizing military capabilities.

Sailors assigned to the hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), take in supplies delivered by the Chargers of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26 to the medical site in Jeremie, Haiti, during Continuing Promise 2022, Dec. 11, 2022. Comfort is deployed to U.S. 4th Fleet in support of CP22, a humanitarian assistance and goodwill mission conducting direct medical care, expeditionary veterinary care, and subject matter expert exchanges with five partner nations in the Caribbean, Central and South America.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Thomas Rodgers, a heavy equipment operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), drives a heavy lift forklift to unload supplies from a truck during Steel Knight 23 on Camp Wilson, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Nov. 30, 2022. The exercise provides 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing with the opportunity to refine Wing-level warfighting in support of I Marine Expeditionary Force and fleet maneuver. Rodgers is a native of New York City.

Sergeant Gattis, USMC, with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal section, Marine Service Support Group 26, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) tapes plastic explosives to a Soviet surface-to-air missile (SAM), which lies near an Afghan observation post near Kandahar International Airport, Kandahar, Afghanistan, during OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Kandahar International Airport Country: Afghanistan (AFG) Scene Major Command Shown: 26 MEU

A U.S. Air Force firefighter with the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron rolls up a hose after a live fire exercise at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 12, 2022. The 31st CES fire department provides fire, rescue, and emergency services to Aviano AB.

011017-F-7910D-011. Base: Shaw Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: Air Combat Command

GULFPORT, Miss. (Oct. 25, 2012) Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 participate in a masonry course that utilizes the Technical Trainer at Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport. The U.S. Navy is constantly deployed to preserve peace, protect commerce, and deter aggression through forward presence. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting.

NEW YORK (Nov. 6, 2012) Navy Diver 1st Class Franklin Horn, left, from Temecula, Calif., assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2, and Construction Electrician 2nd Class Gayland Andrews, from Mount Rose, Colo., assigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 202, start a pump to remove water from basements flooded by Hurricane Sandy during relief efforts in Queens, N.Y. CBMU-202 and MDSU-2 are operating under the U.S. Northern Command Defense Support of Civil Authorities mission, working closely with civil authorities and the Federal Emergency Management Agency following the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Chad Fisher, 1st Communications Maintenance Squadron unit training manager, left, and Tech. Sgt. Ricardo Hernandez, 1st CMXS network operations section chief, assemble communications equipment at Kapaun Air Station, Germany, April 5, 2022. Further developing electromagnetic spectrum operations as a 435th Air Ground Operations Wing resource for U.S. Air Forces in Europe, the 1st CMXS provides real-time detection, analysis and mitigation of communication threats.

070307-M-6412J-051. Subject Operation/Series: EDGED MALLET State: Bargoni Country: Kenya (KEN) Scene Major Command Shown: 26TH MEU

A1C Micah Johnson, 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Force Protection Flight member observes contractors building an addition to the Flex Gym at Ali Al Salem Air Base, April 5, 2022. The 386 ECES Force Protection Flight helps maintain base level security by accurately accounting for and escorting other country nationals (OCNs) to and from various work sites across the installation and ensure their proper departure from base at the end of the day.

U.S. Airmen with the South Carolina Air National Guards 169th Civil Engineer Squadron, work alongside Royal Canadian Engineers from 14 Wing, Greenwood, Nova Scotia, to pour and finish concrete sidewalks at the guest cabins at Bellows Air Force Station, Waimanalo, Hawaii, May 10, 2019. Airmen with the 169th Civil Engineer Squadron are gaining hands-on, multidisciplinary training at Bellows during their deployment for training while improving safety and quality of life on base.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Ben Holstein, a water support technician with Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 22, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, inspects the Lightweight Water Purification System while participating in a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation (MCCRE) on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Aug. 22, 2022. CLB-22s MCCRE is the battalion's final evaluation to demonstrate combat readiness through proficiency in core mission essential tasks before they begin a change of operational control (CHOP) to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Pfc. Logan Dearduff, a West Des Moines, Iowa, native and carpentry and masonry specialist assigned to the 831st Engineer Company, Iowa Army National Guard, sprays concrete outside the historic Herrold School House in the Camp Dodge training area in Johnston, Iowa, on June 14, 2022. The 831st EC was assigned to complete various projects around Camp Dodge during their annual training. The Soldiers poured new concrete for a sidewalk at the school and sprayed it off with high-pressure water.

Pfc. Christian Gasmen, a human resources specialist with the 90th Human Resources Company, 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, conducts a sled push and pull during a physical fitness competition hosted by the Special Operations Recruiting Team on Fort Stewart, Georgia, June 8, 2022. Competition events train Soldiers to push past their physical and mental limits while under stress and fatigue.

Soldiers with the Army Reserve's 389th Engineer Company of Des Moines, Iowa, work on a troop project June 21, 2022, at Camp Courage on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The company worked on several projects to improve the camp during their 2022 annual training, including putting new metal siding on numerous buildings. Troop projects are coordinated by the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works and help improve the installation's infrastructure while at the same time providing training for Army engineer units.

030715-M-5578G-009. Base: Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: 1ST Marine Division

220831-N-UA321-1001 CHESAPEAKE, Va. (Aug. 31, 2022) Construction Electrician 1st Class Dennis Alwardt pulls weeds from the courtyard at Deep Creek Elementary School during Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads' 6th Annual Servicing Our Schools initiative Aug. 31. More than 250 military members from various commands supported 28 elementary, middle, and high schools in the city of Chesapeake during the initiative. These military members helped lighten the load for school teachers by volunteering to help them set up their classrooms for the upcoming academic year. This effort allowed the teachers to focus on other responsibilities related to planning, developing, and organizing student instruction.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Keegan Dahlhauser, the battalion master gunner assigned with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, completes the hammer hold event during the Viking games at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Jan. 12, 2024. The games, which was hosted by the Norwegian Telemark Battalion "Task Force Viking", included a variety of team-based events that tested competitors' stamina, speed, strength, and endurance.

040505-F-5281B-078. Base: Lager Aulenbach State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: EUCOM

220607-N-PI330-1246 - Builder 3rd Class Jason Amaya, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133, cuts wood for a construction project for the Latvian national guard, June 7, 2022 in Liepaja, Latvia. NMCB 133 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.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Andrew Ruiz, a motor transport operator with Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, loads baggage before the retrograde portion of exercise Native Fury 22 at Yanbu Commercial Port, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sept. 2, 2022. Native Fury 22 is a biennial exercise focused on the demonstration of the rapid offload and integration of a Maritime Pre-Postitioned Force in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of regional security, crisis response, and contingency operations.

221005-N-VG565-1031NORFOLK, Va. (October 5, 2022) Rear Adm. John F. Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, begins demolition for the future Readiness of Carriers (ROC) office space, Oct. 5. The ROC will provide near real time operational war fighting capability timelines for the entire carrier fleet and is tasked with achieving, sustaining and articulating aircraft carrier readiness across all functional areas.

Soldiers from 1st Platoon, 797th Engineer Company from Barrigada, Guam U.S. Army Reserve, prepare a post to construct a roof over the newly built walkway for the Ratu Nalevawada School construction project during Exercise Cartwheel 2022, Nadi, Fiji, September 20, 2022. Capable and ready land forces positioned throughout the Indo-Pacific bolster allies and partners and ensure that the Theater Army and INDOPACOM are prepared for any contingency or conflict

CHICAGO (June 27, 2017) Electronics Technician 2nd Class Charles Stephens, left, assigned to Navy Operational Support Center Austin, and Equipment Operator 2nd Class Jeremy Gray, assigned to Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 10, build archery targets for the 2017 Department of Defense Warrior Games. The Warrior Games are an annual event allowing wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans to compete in Paralympic-style sports.

Mongolian Armed Forces Capt. U. Khatanzorig assists in demonstrating a field hospitals capabilities during exercise Gobi Wolf 2022 in Bayankhongor, Mongolia, Sept. 6. Gobi Wolf is a multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief engagement between military components of the government of Mongolia and U.S. Army Pacific. Participating countries also include Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. (Alaska National Guard photo by Victoria Granado)

030806-F-7709W-004. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Kirkuk Country: Iraq (IRQ)

050120-F-2760K-004. Base: Ramstein AB Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

A member of the Singapore Army with the 30th Combat Engineer Brigade lays down bricks at the Ban Prakaet school in Chanthaburi, Thailand, Feb. 17, 2024. Marines of Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 lent their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts during Cobra Gold 24. Joint Exercise Cobra Gold is the largest joint exercise in mainland Asia and a concrete example of the strong alliance and strategic relationship between Thailand and the United States. This year will be the 43rd iteration of the multilateral exercise and will be held from Feb. 27 to March 8, 2024. Marine Corps

Chief Petty Offier Evan Beaton (left) and Master Sailor Kieran Scott (right) coordinate with a Belizean shipyard worker to unload dive equipment from sea containers for Exercise TRADEWINDS in Belize City, on 6 May, 2022.Photo: Corporal Mitchell Paquette, 12 Wing Imaging Services

Army Reserves 411th Engineer Company loaded railcars with army equipment at Fort McCoy, WI Nov. 1, 2022. Working with Fort McCoys Logistics Readiness Center, soldiers must organize, load and secure vehicles and equipment on the correct weight-rated rail cars to transport each item safely.

U.S. Marine Corps recruits with Golf Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, participate in a pugil sticks event at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Feb. 2, 2023. Recruits executed Marine Corps Martial Arts Program techniques throughout the pugil sticks event.

A U.S. Marine Corps explosive ordnance disposal technician with 3d Littoral Logistics Battalion, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, analyzes an unmanned underwater vehicle during a joint EOD exercise at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Sept. 24, 2022. EOD technicians around the joint force conducted a week long joint-service level exercise where service members cohesively integrated, trained, and competed with one another while utilizing experimental technology. The training demonstrated progress in the U.S. Marine Corps Force Design 2030 efforts.

The 202nd RED HORSE Squadron clear roads in Fort Myers Beach, Florida in response to Hurricane Ian, Sept. 30, 2022.

U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. John M. Tierney, a railway operations crewmember of the 757th Expeditionary Railway Center (ERC), measures the railway length during an inspection at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, August 6, 2022. The 757th ERC is the Department of Defenses only rail unit, whose mission is to assess rail infrastructure and provide feasibility and rail analysis for military installations both domestically and abroad.

Washington National Guard service members take part in the annual Washington State Summer Con at the state fairgrounds in Puyallup, Wash., June 17-18, 2022. Guests got to meet Guardsmen, learn about military equipment, and the mission of the Washington National Guard.

Lt. Dolyn Tell, left, a detective with the Division of Narcotics, and Lt. Lebuu Gibbons, a detective with the Division of Criminal Investigation, perform pre-flight maintenance on the RQ-20 Puma drone on Koror, Republic of Palau, July 17, 2022. The Marines of Task Force Koa Moana 22 worked with Palauan law enforcement in operating the RQ-20 Puma, furthering an exchange of techniques and procedures to enhance future surveillance and intelligence gathering capabilities to help promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kyle Bedrosian, a combat engineer with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, passes a bucket of concrete to a Royal Thai marine with the Royal Thai Marine Corps Construction Company of Combat Engineers while filling a foundation footer at the Ban Prakaet school at Chanthaburi, Thailand, Feb. 12, 2024. Marines of MWSS-171 lent their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts duringCobra Gold 24. Joint Exercise Cobra Gold is the largest joint exercise in mainland Asia and a concrete example of the strong alliance and strategic relationship between Thailand and the United States. This year will be the 43rd iteration of the multilateral exercise and will be held from Feb. 27 to March 8, 2024. Marine Corps

U.S. Marine Corps recruits with Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, are given instruction from a Martial Arts Instructor during Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, April 10, 2023. MCMAP is an integrated, weapons-based system that incorporates the full spectrum of the force continuum on the battlefield, and contributes to the mental, character, and physical development of Marines.

The 1st Inland Cargo Transfer Company (ICTC), 39th Transportation Battalion (MC) recently conducted a demonstration of the Rapidly Available Interface for trans-Loading (RAIL) at Coleman Worksite in Mannheim, Germany from May 3rd to 10th. The 1st ICTC validated their ability to transport, build, and employ the modular ramp system. The first two of these state of the art systems have been given to 1st ICTC for future training and employment throughout the theater. These operations ensure that the Soldiers whom would deploy these systems are able to do it in a fast and accurate manner, each repetition gets them closer to perfection.

Soldiers from the 230th Vertical Engineer Company, Hawaii Army National Guard, inspect the layout of one of the twenty micro-shelters being built in Pahoa, Hawaii, June 7, 2018. To Date, more than 600 homes have been destroyed by the lava flow. Service members from the Hawaii National Guard teamed up with local organizations to help build micro-shelters for the displaced residents affected by the Puna lava flow.

Maj. Gen. Scott F. Benedict, commanding general of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), left, discusses MV-22 stow rings with Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) Commanding Officer Capt. James Belmont and FRCE V-22 Branch Head Andrew Rock during an Aug. 30 tour of the depot by 2nd MAW leadership. The tour focused on the V-22 Osprey, F-35 Lightning II and future plans for F-35 maintenance and capabilities at FRCE.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jacob East, a fire protection specialist with the 776th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron fire department, returns a fire hose to a P-19 Rosenbauer PANTHER Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicle during joint training with U.S. Army medics from the 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment at Chabelley Airfield, Djibouti, May 16, 2022. The readiness exercise served as their annual inspection where they responded to a simulated vehicle fire with injuries.

TAMUNING, Guam (June 2, 2022) - Seabees with Amphibious Construction Battalion 1 paint areas of Guam Memorial Hospital in support of the local work force during Pacific Partnership 2022. Now in its 17th year, Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific.

of 3