Military Training and Operations

Images depicting service members in combat uniforms during training exercises or briefings, showcasing teamwork and preparation for missions.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 509th Security Forces Squadron prepare to breach a hanger during readiness training on Whiteman Air Force Base, Sept. 22, 2022. In order to maintain preparedness Whiteman Air Force Base Airmen frequently conduct various training exercises each year to ensure we are ready to fight tonight.

040224-M-3980Y-004. Base: Clark Air Base State: Luzon Country: Philippines (PHL)

U.S. Army Sgt. Nichole Giroff with the 8th Battallion, 229th Regiment instructs Soldiers on a cold and hot load of a Black Hawk (UH-60) Helicopter during Operation Viking at Joint Base Cape Cod, Mass., July 20, 2022. Operation Viking is an intense joint task force exercise designed to prepare Soldiers with realistic training simulating deployment of civil affairs units in direct support of a contingency operation in Africa.

070327-M-9876R-019. Complete Scene Caption: CPL. Marcela Hain (right), Marine Wing Support Squadron 27, Marine Wing Support Group 27, 2nd Marine Air Wing, and other Marine and Sailors, receive training aboard Asad, Iraq on various Improvised Explosive Devices being used to attack Coalition and Iraqi forces, while attending the Lioness Program. This program is being utilized to ensure proper care is taken while searching Female Iraqis. Regimental Combat Team 2 is deployed with II Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation Iraq Freedom in the Anbar Province of Iraq MNF-W to develop the Iraqi Security Forces, facilitate the development of official rule of law through democratic government reforms, and continue the development of a market base economy centered on Iraqi reconstruction. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by SGT. James R. Richardson) (Released) Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Al Asad State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: RCT-2

U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Kristin Caulfield, Observer Coach/Trainer, Team Lead, 2-361st Training Support Battalion, 85th U.S. Army Reserve Support Command, observes lanes training during CSTX 86-22-02 at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, August 16, 2022. Caulfield served in Iraq in 2003 with Soldiers from the 459th Engineer Company (Multi-role Bridge Company), and U.S. Marines and constructed a float bridge over the Diyala River in Iraq on April 7, 2003. It was the first float bridge constructed under enemy fire since World War Two. Two U.S. Marines, Lance Cpl. Andrew Julian Aviles and Cpl. Jesus Martin Antonio Medellin, were killed when enemy artillery struck their vehicle. Caulfield serves today as an OC/T to guide and ready Soldiers for combat environments.

U.S. Army Capt. Julissa Myers, Paratrooper assigned to the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, puts the finishing touches to her face paint camouflage in preparation a blank-fire exercise as part of Lipizzaner V at Pocek Range in Postonja, Slovenia, Mar. 12, 2019. Lipizzaner is a combined squad-level training exercise in preparation for platoon evaluation, and to validate battalion-level deployment procedures. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa or Central Commands' areas of responsibility.

U.S. Army Soldiers with 741st Ordnance Battalion (EOD), 96th Troop Command, Washington National Guard conduct a change of command ceremony on Camp Murray, Wash., April 3, 2022. The outgoing commander, Lt. Col. Amanda E.G. Doyle, relinquished command to Lt. Col. Horace Allen IIIafter nearly two years.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 509th Security Forces Squadron prepare to breach a hanger during readiness training on Whiteman Air Force Base, Sept. 22, 2022. In order to maintain preparedness Whiteman Air Force Base Airmen frequently conduct various training exercises each year to ensure we are ready to fight tonight.

Capt. Justine Bolten, occupational therapist for the 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, fixes her face paint during the camouflage and concealment task of the Expert Field Medical Badge Warrior Skills lane, May 17, 2022. The 10th Mountain Division is conducting E3B, which encompasses Expert Infantry, Soldier and Field Medical Badge, from May 16 to 26.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jessica Domingo, right, and Cpl. Daisy Romero, assigned to a female engagement team (FET), speak with an Afghan man in his compound during a patrol in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Dec. 30, 2010. The FET worked with infantry Marines by engaging women and children in support of the International Security Assistance Force.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (Nov. 15, 2022) - Rear Admiral Cynthia A. Kuehner (left), commander Naval Medical Forces Support Command (NMFSC) and Capt. Kimberly Toone (right), commander Navy Medicine Operational Training Command (NMOTC), discuss operational details during Operation Firebreak, November 15, 2022. Operation Firebreak is an exercise designed to evaluate operational readiness this iteration specifically focused on the Role 2 providers and the in-field surgical readiness of ERSS team 29 and Fleet Surgical Team 5. NMOTC is the Navys leader in operational medical training in the fields of aviation, aviation survival, surface and undersea warfare, expeditionary and special operations medicine.

U.S. Army soldier, assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, inspects their vehicle during Motorpool Monday. Motorpool Monday is conducted weekly to ensure all vehicles are working efficiently.

070327-M-9876R-018. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Al Asad State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: RCT-2

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass talks with Airmen assigned to the 141st Air Control Squadron in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, May 15, 2022. CMSAF Bass spent time with Airmen at the 141st ACS and emphasized the importance of total force integration and overcoming challenges to more effectively accomplish the Air Force mission and be ready for the ever-evolving battlefield that future conflicts may hold.

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 55th Signal Company (Combat Camera), 21st Signal Brigade, conduct Modern Army Combatives training at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, July 22, 2022. Combatives is the term for hand-to-hand combat training and techniques within the Army branch of the United States military.

Staff Sergeant Erin Peña, a Military Training Leader in the 332nd Training Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi, supervises nonprior service technical training students as they march back to the Triangle after classes end for the day at Dolan Hall February 9, 2010. There are currently 55 MTLs assigned to the 81st Training Group.

U.S. Marines with Papa Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, stand at the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor ceremony on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Oct. 21, 2022. The EGA is the official emblem and insignia of the Marine Corps.

Amn. 1st. Class, 147th Air Support Operations Squadron, Texas Air National Guard, competes in a 6 mile foot march during the Best Warrior Competition at Camp Swift, Texas, May 4, 2022. The friendly, three-day competition challenges service members on professional military knowledge, marksmanship, obstacle course and land navigation. The Army winners of this event will move on to represent Texas at the National Guards Region V Best Warrior Competition.

070327-M-9876R-003. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Al Asad State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: RCT-2

Key leadership from the Idaho National Guard and several other U.S. states joined partner nations on June 30, 2022 in Morocco to see the capabilities of multinational armies working together simultaneously in a combined arms live-fire mission. During the exercise, Soldiers from Idaho's 1st Battalion of the 148th Field Artillery Regiment fired the M795 high explosive rounds from the M109A6 howitzers as ground support with Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin Army National Guards, a Marine Corps Reserve unit based in California and active-duty Soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas, with preparatory and destructive fires and obscuration using M825 white smoke rounds.

050205-F-4903I-056. Base: Tallil Air Base Country: Iraq (IRQ)

Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Denise Jelinski-Hall, senior enlisted advisor to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, at a town hall meeting with troops at MFO South Camp near Sharm El Sheik, Egypt, on Oct. 21, 2011. Maryland National Guard members are currently deployed to the Sinai in support of the international peacekeeping force.

OKINAWA, Japan (March 31, 2023) Information Systems Technician 1st Class Nicole Kazyak answers interview questions after she graduated from the 2-23 Jungle Leaders Course at the Jungle Warfare Training Center in Okinawa, Japan March 31, 2023. The Jungle Leaders Course teaches service members to navigate and survive in the jungle over 30 training days and Kazyak is the first-ever female to graduate from this course.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Cody Poe, 23rd Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal team leader, speaks to Thomasville High School Junior ROTC students at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Jan. 12, 2023. Students learned about different devices and protective equipment used by EOD technicians.

(Right to left) Lt. Col. Kira Coffey, 36th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron commander, Col. Julie Gaulin, 374th Airlift Wing vice commander, and Senior Master Sgt. Jonathan Onekea, 36th AES first sergeant, listen to remarks during a ceremony remembering Senior Airman Jeremy Jutba-Hake, a 36th Airlift Squadron loadmaster who passed away during Operation Christmas Drop in 2015, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 9, 2022. Jutba-Hake suffered heart complications during post-flight duties that led to his passing following an Operation Christmas Drop flight in 2015.

U.S. Army Reserve Spc. Krystal Fernandez, a supply specialist with the 143d Expeditionary Sustainment Command, labels equipment during a layout on Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Jan. 19, 2023.

Victoria Moreno, an administrator at Edison High School, Stockton, California, 12th Marine Corps District, Western Recruiting Region, adjusts her protective gear during 12 Stalls at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 15, 2022. Educators from Los Angeles and Sacramento attended the workshop to learn about recruit training, the fleet Marine Force, and the Marine Corps as a whole.

Field portrait of Lance Corporal R. DeJesus, USMC, a member of Military Police Detachment, 26th Marine Service Support Group, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) standing guard at the front gate of the forward operating base located at Kandahar International Airport, Kandahar, Afghanistan, during OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Kandahar International Airport Country: Afghanistan (AFG)

A German range safety oversees U.S. Army Spc. Koryelle Means, with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 39th Strategic Signal Battalion, as she fires with the German Heckler and Koch P8 pistol and competes for the Schuetzenschnur, the German marksmanship badge, on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, Sept. 08, 2022. Members of the support element to the German National Military Representation at SHAPE provided the opportunity to compete for the coveted medal.

U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, yell out the words to Fiddlers Green, a poem famous among cavalry scouts, during a lane training on communications as part of a Spur Ride at Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, June 25, 2022. Soldiers from various units participated in the Spur Ride, a challenging event where physical fitness and teamwork are needed to emerge and earn their spurs.

Newly promoted 1st Lt. Chesnee Giraldo, a quartermaster officer assigned to the 55th Quartermaster Field Feeding Company, 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, speaks at her promotion ceremony Sept. 9, 2022, in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. The pair are very close and Andres deployment to Europe made it possible for him to promote her.

Recruits with Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, tackle the rappel tower aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., July 25, 2022.The rappel tower is the ultimate challenge to recruits who have fears of heights, and drives them to overcome those fears in order to proceed with their journey to become United States Marines.

U.S. Navy Lt. Jessica Prock, a flight surgeon with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, congratulates hospital corpsman 2nd class Joelle Eusebiodupont, with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st MEU, on her promotion after the ceremony aboard Amphibious Assault Ship USS Tripoli, in the Philippine Sea, Sept. 13, 2022. The Meritorious Advancement Program recognizes sailors whose performance reflects a rank higher than their current station, and ensures they are allowed to reach their full potential.

U.S. Air Force Airman Riley Holland, 60th Civil Engineer Squadron fire protection specialist, stands in front of a fire truck at Travis Air Force Base, California, Sept. 14, 2022. The 60th CES started wearing a morale patch in support of Suicide Prevention Month.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Pamela Besa, 335th Training Squadron student, uses a handheld Kestrel weather sensor to collect weather observations during the weather initial skills course outside of the Joint Weather Training Facility at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, July 21, 2022. The weather apprentice course, which graduated 650 students this past year, takes 151 academic days to complete. Approximately 7,400 students go through the 335th TRS's 13 Air Force Specialty Codes each year.

Army Reserve Spc. Helena Bockstadter, assigned to the USAR Legal Command and Spc. Hallie Koches, assigned to the 78th Army Band, discuss different courses on the Confidence Course during the Army Reserve Best Squad Competition, at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, on May 15, 2022. Approximately 40 soldiers from across the nation traveled to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, to compete in the 2022 U.S. Best Squad Competition from May 14-21, 2022 BWBSC is an annual competition that brings together the best Soldiers and squads from across the U.S. Army Reserve to earn the title of Best Warrior and Best Squad among their peers. Competitors are evaluated on their individual and collective ability to adapt to and overcome challenging scenarios and battle-focus events that test their technical and tactical abilities under stress and extreme fatigue.

U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mary Riggs, Executive Director, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, speaks with members of Appalachian Care Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) 2022 at Wise, Va., Aug. 19, 2022. IRT is a Department of Defense (DoD) military training opportunity, exclusive to the United States and its territories, that delivers joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness. Simultaneously, IRT provides key services (health care, construction, transportation, and cybersecurity) with lasting benefits for our American communities.

AIR BASE 201, Niger - U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Mykal Villalobos, the fitness operations Airman-in-charge with the 724th Expeditionary Air Base Group, is responsible for three fitness facilities servicing over 1,000 patrons weekly at Nigerien Air Base 201, Niger. She developed a six-month fitness calendar encouraging AB 201 personnel to participate in events that foster overall mental and physical wellness. She and her team provide a healthy outlet that improves the quality of life for over 600 personnel.

DM-SC-86-08594. Base: Quantico State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Army Spc. James Powell of Wellsboro, Pa., assigned to 1st Battalion, 108th Field Artillery, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, provides security outside the pay office at the ministry of electricity in the city of Taji, Iraq, Feb. 12, 2009.

U.S. Army nurses Capt. MayGrace Kushner, New York Army National Guard, stands resolute in formation during the Mandela Day celebration ceremony at Khanyiselisizwe High School near Richards Bay, South Africa 17 July 2022. Kushner is part of a team of 15 medical personnel from the New York Army National Guard and Army Reserve partnering with medical professionals of the South Africa National Defense Force to treat patients in the KZN communities. MEDREX is a medical training exercise, planned and executed by the United States Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, that allows the U.S. military to demonstrate their commitment to global partners as well as exchange best medical practices with their African counterparts. MEDREX 2022-South Africa is part of the larger Exercise Shared Accord taking place 11-27 July in the KZN.

Staff Sgt. Jasmine Handy, the non commissioned officer in charge of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wings Honor Guard, participates in a 9/11 memorial ceremony, as part of the color guard September 11, 2022, at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The purpose of the ceremony was to ensure those who saw that day continue to remember it, and those too young to remember know and feel what occurred.

U.S. Air Force Reserve air transportation specialists assigned to the 67th Aerial Port Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, finish unloading a U.S. Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy cargo aircraft at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru, June 27, 2023, during exercise Resolute Sentinel 23. Reserve Citizen Airmen are vital to our Nations overall military success to defend our homeland against peer and near-peer threats and to help ensure our partner nations militaries have United States support when they need it.

220908-F-LN908-0233ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 8, 2022) Boatswain's Mate Seaman Giselle Olivera, from Rancho Cordova, Calif., stands in a doorway during security reaction force training aboard the Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary sea base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4), Sept. 8, 2022. Hershel "Woody" Williams is rotationally deployed to the U.S. Naval Forces Africa area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet, to defend U.S., allied and partner interests.

U.S. Navy Capt. Katherine T. Ormsbee, Commanding Officer of Navy Reserve Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command, Lt. Cmrd. Steven Gnilka, mission commander of Appalachian Care Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) 2022, and Shiela Collins, vice president of the board of directors, Health Wagon, speak during Appalachian Care IRT 2022 at Wise, Va., Aug. 17, 2022. IRT is a Department of Defense (DoD) military training opportunity, exclusive to the United States and its territories, that delivers joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness. Simultaneously, IRT provides key services (health care, construction, transportation, and cybersecurity) with lasting benefits for our American communities.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Camille Cheney, an aviation ordnance systems technician with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 stands by in preparation for a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sep. 9, 2022. Realistic CBRN training teaches Marines about proper protective measures, which increase their chances of survival during a CBRN attack, provides information about various contamination threats, and instills confidence in their equipment.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Rashel Jefferson, 54th Airlift Squadron flight attendant, listens to a womens panel on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, Aug. 24, 2022. Guest speakers shared their experience within the Air Force in observance of Womens Equality Day.

041228-M-5585B-006. Base: Fallujah State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)

Smiling mature female army soldier talking on mobile phone while standing against truck at base on sunny day

U.S. Army Sgt. Daniela Lucero assigned to the 301st MEB out of Joint Base Louis-Mchord works as a Battle NCO during Yama Sakura 83 Dec 10th, 2022. Lucero tracks the movement and maneuverability of the units involved in Yama Sakura. (U.S. Army photos by Spc. Aaron Downing)

The Interior Alaska Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps visits 168th Wing as part of summer camp and learns about the 168th Wing, pilot, boom operator, aircraft maintenance, security forces, and civil engineering missions. The Interior JROTC cadets are students at West Valley High School Marine Corps JROTC, Lathrop High School Army JROTC, Eielson Air Force Base High School Air Force JROTC, and North Pole High School Air Force JROTC.

ARTA, Djibouti (Sep. 22, 2022) - U.S. Navy Sailors from Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti conduct a live-fire exercise to maintain operational efficiency at Djibouti Range Complex, Sep. 22, 2022. Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti serves as an expeditionary base for U.S. military forces providing support to ships, aircraft and personnel that ensure security throughout Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. The base enables maritime and combat operations ing the Horn of Africa and Southwest Asia. The base enables maritime and combat operations in the Horn of Africa while fostering positive U.S. Africa relations.

Moldovan Soldat Classa III Natalia Ciosmedji, medic, Brigade 3, tightens a tourniquet on the leg of the casualty during tactical combat casualty care (TCCC or TC3) assessment being watched by U.S. Army Soldiers from 30th Medical Brigade to see where they were at in terms of ability in Chisinau, Moldova, on Feb. 29, 2024. The nine-line medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) is the timely and efficient movement and enroute care provided by medical personnel to wounded being evacuated from a battlefield or combat zone requiring urgent care at a better-equipped facility using medically equipped ground vehicles or aircraft. Army

A U.S. Army Soldier with the 153rd Medical Detachment (Blood Support), 56th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 62nd Medical Brigade, conducts a practical exercise wearing advanced chemical protective garments on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Sept. 23, 2022. The practical exercise was the culmination of a 2-day introductory course on chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incident basics, taught by decontamination subject matter experts with the Washington National Guards 10th Homeland Response Force.

030803-F-6844O-006. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Kirkuk Air Base Country: Iraq (IRQ)

050402-F-8769K-388. Base: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Army Spc. Jennie Baez, with 47th Force Support Battalion, provides security for Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment during an operation in the Al Anbar province of Iraq Sept. 27, 2006.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Leggett Land, left, and Spc. Julius Land both U.S. Central Command customs agent with 133rd Military Police Company, give a Marine with Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, his flight ticket 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-Positioned Force in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of regional security, crisis response, and contingency operations.

Pfc. Rylan Parsons, a Soldier 10th Mountain Division, catches her breath after completing the Legacy Days Ski Trooper Cup at Vail, Colorado, Feb. 25, 2024. The Ski Trooper Cup was a competition between multiple U.S. Army units that involved push-ups, climbing up a slope, rappelling, skiing down a mountain between gates, pull-ups, and glacading. Army

Paratroopers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division conduct Sustained Airborne Training in preparation for Operation Falcon Blitz on Fort Bragg, NC, Jan. 27, 2023. Paratroopers will conduct an airborne operation in order to enhance brigade readiness and lethality.

Airman 1st Class Alli Brown, a member of the 914th Air Refueling Wing's 30th Aerial Port Squadron, directs Senior Airman Kodjo Fiawoo in a 10K Forklift while conducting proficiency and certification training on Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, New York, August 23, 2022. Forklift certified Airmen can rapidly move heavy cargo around base, and aboard/off aircraft, allowing it to be prepared for transit once it arrives at its destination.

221008-N-CM110-1031 SOUTH CHINA SEA (Oct. 8, 2022) - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Fernando Martinez, from Orland Hills, Illinois, assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) assembles communication equipment in an 11-meter rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) during a training evolution in the South China Sea Oct. 8, 2022. Tripoli is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Army Soldiers, assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, work alongside NATO Allies and Partners to input coordinates into their firing operating systems during a multinational live-fire training as part of Exercise Dynamic Front 2022 (DF22), Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, July 17, 2022. DF22, led by 56th Artillery Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa directed, is the premiere U.S.-led NATO Allies and Partners integrated fires exercise in the European theater focusing on fire interoperability and increasing readiness, lethality and interoperability across the human, procedural and technical domains.

Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment conduct Combat Water Survival Training May 22, 2022 at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. This training allows for a simulated environment, meant to assist Soldiers in developing survival skills to help prepare for situations such as helicopter crashes near large masses of water. Its good to have these experiences with one another, said 1st Lt. Jonathan Mercado. Being able to conduct this training successfully is going to identify who may need additional support and ensure success for follow on missions.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer reviews the formation of Michigan National Guard troops as their commander-in-chief along with U.S. Army Major General Paul D. Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, at Camp Grayling Maneuver Training Center, Mich., for the 2022 Pass and Review Ceremony on June 17, 2022. (Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Ashley Goodwin) The Pass in Review Ceremony comes at the end of the Michigan National Guards annual training. Annual training is the two-week yearly training period conducted by all National Guard members to ensure mission-readiness by improving the skill level of Soldiers and Airmen with military duties.

The 2022 Minnesota National Guard Women's Leadership Forum was held at General Mills headquarters in Golden Valley, Sept. 17, 2022. Throughout the day, Minnesota National Guard service members participated in professional development, education and mentorship."A priority for the Minnesota National Guard is partnerships," said Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke, Adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard. "And General Mills' support demonstrates our shared partnership and the depth of our shared partnership and common goal of diversity and inclusion and the desire to really lift women up." (Minnesota National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

Sgt. Bethany Hall, an all-source intel analyst with Charlie Company, 519th Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion, 525th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade, is promoted from Specialist to Sergeant on Sept. 1, 2022 in Wiesbaden, Germany. Hall is currently deployed in Europe with individuals from XVIII Airborne Corps in order to assure NATO allies and deter Russian aggression.

040422-F-7194F-007. Base: Kadena Air Base State: Okinawa Country: Japan (JPN)

U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Carissa Kassing, a Marine with Golf Campany, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, stands at parade rest after receiving her Eagle, Globe, and Anchor at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 24, 2022. Kassing was recruited out of Phoenix, Ariz., with Recruiting Station Phoenix.

U.S. Air Force Major Jessica Watts (right), 77th Fighter Generation Squadron (77th FGS) commander, and U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Stephen Mullins, 77th FGS avionics specialist, give the Double Down hand signal while boarding a Boeing 767 on the flightline at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Oct. 15, 2022. The 77th Fighter Squadron and accompanying personnel deployed downrange to provide combat air support for the Central Command Area of Responsibility.

221007-N-LH674-1044 SAN FRANCISCO (Oct. 7, 2022) Equipment Operator 3rd Class Dalton Blackstone, assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion One (ACB 1), poses for a portrait at the Humanitarian Assistance Village (HAV) exhibit during San Francisco Fleet Week (SFFW) 2022. SFFW is an opportunity for the American public to meet their Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard teams and experience America's sea services. During Fleet Week, service members participate in various community service events, showcase capabilities and equipment to the community, and enjoy the hospitality of the city and its surrounding areas.

U.S. military personnel from a joint civil affairs team huddle together for a premission cheer at Camp Liberty, Iraq, Jan. 21, 2008, prior to going on an assessment mission of the Hateen industrial park in Baghdad, Iraq.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Alexandra Hammerbeck, a 354th Operations Support Squadron (OSS) Airfield Management Operations (AMOPS) journeyman, communicates with the air traffic control tower and AMOPS at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, July 14, 2022. AMOPS Airmen ensure the safety of all personnel and equipment on the airfield.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Joy Dukes, B52H navigator, assigned to the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, prepares to board the B-52H Stratofortress at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as part of a routine Bomber Task Force mission, Feb.12, 2024. BTF enhances readiness, to include joint and multilateral, to respond to any potential crisis or challenge in the Indo-Pacific. Air Force

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Mckenzie Munson and Airman First Class Trinity Ward, both from the 138th Security Forces Squadron, Oklahoma Air National Guard, monitor the flightline at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia on May 4, 2022. Sentry Savannah is a total force integrated exercise that showcases the nation's combat aircraft readiness, tests the capabilities of our warfighters in a near-peer environment and trains our next generation of fighter pilots for tomorrows fight.

040505-F-6844O-003. Base: Vandenberg Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AFSPC

A recruit with Kilo Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, is preparing to goes down the rappel tower at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Dec. 5, 2022. The 47-foot-tall rappel tower helps recruits overcome their fear of heights and to trust their gear.

Boston (July 21, 2022) U.S Navy Fireman Caitlyn Holder, from Temecula, California, and Seaman Nicole Gonzalez, from Manteca, California, test a P-100 pump in the Charlestown Navy Yard. USS Constitution, is the worlds oldest commissioned warship afloat, and played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, actively defending sea lanes from 1797 to 1855. During normal operations, the active-duty Sailors stationed aboard USS Constitution provide free tours and offer public visitation to more than 600,000 people a year as they support the ships mission of promoting the Navys history and maritime heritage and raising awareness of the importance of a sustained naval presence. USS Constitution was undefeated in battle and destroyed or captured 33 opponents.

030525-M-1623M-018. Base: Twentynine Palms State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Olivia Gerlach, (left) and Airman Katharine Schueren, ramp services specialists assigned to the 721st Aerial Port Squadron, finish loading pallets of ammunition on a 60K Tunner to be transferred to a C-130 Hercules on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 7, 2022. The 721st APS provides world-class aerial port services in support of five combatant commands and plays a critical role in Air Mobility Commands global air mobility support system.

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

Airmen and their children participate in a variety of activities as part of a "Take your child to work day" event, June 21, 2022, at the 179th Airlift Wing, Mansfield, Ohio. Some of the activities included touring a C-130, visiting the fire department, and watching a flag folding demonstration.

From left, Staff Sgt. Jose Bianche, Spc. Kaylie Ocampo, Pfc. Kameron Davis, and Pfc. Gabriel Baczewski, all assigned to the 2d Multi-Domain Task Force, watch to see if their coordinates hit the target during a Patrol Lane exercise as part of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa's Best Squad Competition in Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Aug. 9, 2022. The team represented the 56th Artillery Command in the competition, which tests squads' tactical proficiency, communication, and overall cohesion as they compete for the title of Best Squad.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Trissa Bennett, KC-135 aerial refueling specialist assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, poses in front of a U.S. Flag shes flying for her father during a U.S. Presidential support operation within U.S. Air Forces Central area of responsibility July 15, 2022. AFCENT forces remain postured to uphold whole of government diplomacy efforts to promote security and regional stability in the Middle East.

Indiana National Guard and Nigerien medical professionals discuss behavioral health treatment and techniques, Sept. 22, 2022 in Niamey, Niger. The Indiana National Guard state partnership medical team spent more than two weeks in Niamey, Niger during the month of September working alongside the Niger armed forces first combat medic team to provide instruction in tactical combat casualty care and behavioral health.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Joshua Barber, 319th Comptroller Squadron financial operations technician, listens to a safety brief Oct. 7, 2022, at the year end training initiative event at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The YETI is an annual pre-winter training event hosted by the 319th Reconnaissance Wing safety office to raise awareness for challenges specific to the northern tier locations.

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Feb. 25, 2016) Machinery Technician 2nd Class Paul Avella, right, and Maritime Enforcement Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Patterson, left, members of the U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, conduct pressure point and escort training with Warrant Officer Chakam Touko Yves, a member of the Cameroon Navy, aboard USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1). The Military Sealift Command expeditionary fast transport vessel USNS Spearhead is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to support the international collaborative capacity-building program Africa Partnership Station.

U.S. Marine Cpl. Cody Cole, a combat marksmanship coach with Marksmanship Training Division, Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, monitors a stopwatch during an annual rifle qualification at Range 116A on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, May 11, 2022. Camp Pendletons Marksmanship Training Division trains 22,000 Marines and sailors each year across the installation to effectively engage targets with both rifles and pistols. The ARQ is a timed course of fire, ranging from 500 yards down to 15 yards. Cole is a native of Fayetteville, Tennessee.

PEARL HARBOR (July 15, 2022) U.S. Navy and U.S. Army distinguished visitors receive a brief prior to departing from a helicopter landing zone (HLZ) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, at Ford Island, Hawaii, July 14, 2022. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's 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 world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

Recruits from India company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, participate in the initial drill inspection on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Sept. 26, 2022 . Initial Drill is the first marker of the recruits' discipline and unit cohesion.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Erin Hoover, 60th Medical Group first sergeant, delivers a presentation titled, A Passion for the Profession during a TEDxTravisAFB event at Travis Air Force Base, California, Oct. 24, 2022. The event included several topics designed to inspire creative solutions to challenges of the future.

Staff Sgt. Keyli Pillaro-Estrada, 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, finishes pre-flight checks on a Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II during Black Flag 22-2 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Sept. 21, 2022. During the exercise, members of the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps were trained in consolidated F-35 cross service maintenance and logistics.

President Egils Levits of the Republic of Latvia visits the Regional Command-East Latvian contingent on Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo, April 22, 2022. During the visit, Levits met with the RC-East command team, multi-national partner commanders, and Latvian troops who are currently in support of the KFOR mission in Kosovo to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all. (U.S. Army photos by Sgt. Matthew Damon)

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Basic cadets from the Class of 2026 and cadet cadre participate in the annual Swearing In ceremony held on Stillman Field at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 24, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joshua Armstrong)

Chief Master Sgt. Darryl Guppy, 647th Civil Engineer Squadron senior enlisted leader, speaks with Senior Airman Ruel Denoon, 647th CES heating, ventilation, and air conditioning journeyman, during a Feed the Dorms event near the Hale Aina Dining Facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, June 29, 2022. Military dorm residents were invited to join members from the Hickam Chiefs Group to enjoy a free meal and conversation.

A polish soldier cheers on her fellow soldiers competing 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.

120716-N-CI293-038SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 16, 2012) Lt. j.g. Daniel Glenn, center, assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 3 describes functions of his unit during an interview with Fox40 Live reporter Alisa Becerra as his team members secure the bomb suit during Sacramento Navy Week. Sacramento Navy Week is one of 15 Navy weeks planned across America for 2012. Navy weeks are designed to show the investment Americans have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.

011008-F-3873G-016. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: RAF Lakenheath State: East Anglia Country: England / Great Britain (ENG) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

A military police Soldier with 16th MP Brigade speaks with school children from the local North Carolina community Sept. 15, 2022, about what it is like to patrol on base at Fort Bragg, N.C. This was part of Fort Braggs Meet Your Army Day that showcased different aspects of Army life to the public.

Capt. Cyanela Hernandez Borrero, a clinical psychologist assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Medical Squadron, celebrates after being nominated for Company Grade Officer of the Quarter, October 4, 2022 at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. Embracing the spirit of football season, the theme for the third quarter awards was a tailgating event. Airmen were encouraged to wear their favorite teams jerseys and decorate their sections while they cheered on their Wingmen.

of 2