Modern Military Personnel in Action

Images of contemporary military personnel equipped with modern gear, depicting various roles within the U.S. Army and Marine Corps during training exercises.

Portrait of United States airborne infantry man with gun.

Portrait of United States airborne infantry man with gun.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Gage Scafe from Hudson, Ohio, a low altitude air defense gunner assigned to 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 28, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, operates a FIM-92 Stinger and scouts for notional adversary aircraft in support of a low altitude air defense exercise in support of Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-23 at Tacts Airfield, near Wellton, Arizona, Oct. 13, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

Portrait of United States airborne infantry man with gun.

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Robert Eden, an air traffic control team instructor with Marine Air Control Squadron 1, Marine Aircraft Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), poses for a photo on Inyokern Airfield, California, Dec. 2, 2022, during exercise Steel Knight 23. The exercise provides 3rd MAW an opportunity to refine Wing-level warfighting in support of I Marine Expeditionary Force and fleet maneuver. Eden is a native of Dearborn, Michigan.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Cameron Gottschalk, a radio operator with 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, runs with an ammunition can during a martial arts instructor course physical training session at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 8, 2022. MAI courses certify Marines to instruct and monitor Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training and advance Marines in the program, distinguishing their levels of experience with different colored belts.

040814-M-3658J-032. Base: Mcb Pendleton State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A U.S. Marine hikes off of Range 218 during the 13th Annual Recon Challenge on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 29, 2022. The Recon Challenge consists of a 25-mile hike on Camp Pendleton that involves a kilometer open-ocean swim, underwater knot tying, casualty evacuation drills, and live-fire marksmanship drills. Participants in the Recon Challenge wear the names of fallen Reconnaissance Marines on their packs to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. (U.S. Marine Corps photo Cpl. Andrew Cortez)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Mark O'Neill, from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, observes his squad during dismounted maneuvers at on Rodrigez range complex in Yongpıyong, South Korea, March 24, 2007, during exercise Reception, Staging, Onward movement, and Integration / Foal Eagle 2007. The annual joint command post and field training exercise demonstrates U.S. resolve to support South Korea against external aggression while improving combat readiness and joint/combined interoperability.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Cordell Merten, 603rd Air Operations Center noncommissioned officer in charge of the imagery support element, sprints toward the finish line during the Norwegian Foot March at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 5, 2022. Traditionally, the event simulated overnight movement by a dismounted light infantry element with the objective to seize attack positions. The element would occupy the positions prior to day break and continuously fight until they consolidated its gains later that evening.

U.S. Staff Sgt. Devon Simpson, representing the U.S Army Special Operations Command, pulls a sled during the stress shoot portion of the Army Best Squad Competition on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Oct. 5, 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.

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Roy Hallgarth Jr., a Henryetta, Oklahoma native, infantry Marine with Company F., 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, poses for a photo during a Marine Air-Ground Task Force Distributed Maneuver Exercise as part of Service Level Training Exercise 2-24 at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 13, 2024. MDMX prepares Marines for future conflicts by conducting offensive and defensive live-fire and maneuver training scenarios within an austere training environment. Marine Corps

Reserve Marine Lance Cpl. Isaiah Kilian, a bulk fuel specialist with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 473, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, carries a fuel line to replenish an incoming aircraft at a forward arming and refueling point (FARP) at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 8, 2022. A FARP extends the combat radius of aircraft and reduces their turn-around time to the objective.

US marine in the desert uniform and protective military eyewear

040805-A-6748E-030. Base: Bayji State: Salah Ad Din Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Gabriel Peavey, a rifleman with 3d Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, poses for a picture during the Super Squad Competition at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 14, 2022. The week-long Super Squad Competition incorporates a variety of combat-related tasks designed to evaluate each squads proficiency.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Samuel Jarret, an infantryman with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, conducts radio checks during exercise Bougainville II at Dillingham Airfield, Hawaii, Oct. 25, 2022. A company with 3d Littoral Combat team secured an expeditionary advanced base at Dillingham Airfield in order to enable early warning of air and missile threats. Bougainville II is a field exercise that allows the MLR and its subordinate units to conduct expeditionary advanced base operations across the island of Oahu. BVII displays the MLRs ability to rapidly establish and displace EABs while executing command and control in a dispersed environment.

230214-N-NH267-1101 INDIAN OCEAN (Feb. 14, 2023) U.S. Navy Fire Controlman (Aegis) 2nd Class Cody McDonald, from Spring Creek, Nev., rests on an M4 carbine during a visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) gun shoot on the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60). Paul Hamilton, part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, is in U.S. 7th Fleet conducting routine operations. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navys largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with Allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Colin Floyd, a rifleman with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, participates in a reenlistment ceremony during a live-fire machine gun range on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan, August 31, 2022. This training improved the Marines proficiency at the tactical level and developed small-unit leadership. 3/3 is forward deployed in the Indo-Pacific under 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program. I want to pass more knowledge to my junior Marines as they are the next generation of the Corps, said Cpl. Floyd, who re-enlisted during the live fire range. Floyd is a native of Federal Way, Washington.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Christopher Jacobson, commander of the 724th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron, 409th Air Expeditionary Group (AEG), participates in a Memorial Day ruck march at Nigerien Air Base 201, Agadez, Niger, May 30, 2022. 409th AEG members rucked 8.2 miles around the perimeter of the installation in remembrance of U.S. service members who lost their lives in service to the U.S. military.

CHRISTIAN SLATER in SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE (2012), directed by MAKSIM KOROSTYSHEVSKY.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Kaiser with 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division instructs U.S. Soldiers on clearing and disassembly procedures for the M249 light machine gun in preparation for upcoming ranges and training such as Defender Europe at Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, May 9, 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 in support of NATO.

A U.S. Marine with Force Reconnaissance Company, 2d Reconnaissance Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force observes his sector while conducting a security patrol with Swedish Marine rangers during exercise Archipelago Endeavor (AE22) at Berga Naval base, Sweden, Sept. 15, 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. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Justin Tullock, a battery gunnery sergeant with 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, listens to communications over an AN/PRC-163 multi-channel handheld radio at Artillery Firing Area 30 on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 6, 2022. Live-fire exercises with High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems are conducted in order to enhance the tactical and operational readiness of 1st MarDiv Marines for exercises and real-world operations.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Haideeth Porras, a San Diego native and an embarkation and logistics specialist with III Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group shares her experiences in the Marine Corps and her first time in South Korea on U.S. Army Garrison Casey, Gyeonggi, South Korea, Feb. 4, 2023. The Fallbrook Union High School graduate participated in Bushido Strike 23 on her second rotation in the Republic of Korea. III MSB is is conducting Bushido Strike 23, which comprises training events including a Marine Corps combat Readiness Evaluation in South Korea to validate its mission essential tasks of providing combat service support, security and administrative services to III Marine Expeditionary Force.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Anthony Caballero, a rifleman with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines 3d MarineDivision, prepares to board an MV-22 Osprey at Kamifurano Maneuver Area, Hokkaido, Japan,Oct. 1, 2022. Resolute Dragon 22 is an annual bilateral exercise designed to strengthen thedefensive capabilities of the U.S.-Japan Alliance by exercising integrated command and control,targeting, combined arms, and maneuver across multiple domains.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jake Brandimarte, a Seaford, New York, native and squad leader with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, poses for a photo during Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 28, 2022. I was actually going to join the Navy because thats all I was ever exposed to and then one of my high school football coaches was a Marine Corps infantryman and he was actually with 1st Battalion, 6th Marines. said Brandimarte. He persuaded me and told me if I was going to join the military then you might as well go hard and join the Marine Corps infantry. So now here I am and Im happy with my decision. The purpose of a MCCRE is to formally evaluate the units combat readiness in preparation for deployment.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. James Justen, a Mooresville, North Carolina native and a scout sniper assigned to Weapons Company, 2d Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment, poses for a photo during a reconnaissance and surveillance field exercise on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 5, 2022. The reconnaissance and surveillance exercise was conducted to prepare teams for the Battle Field Exercise Team Leader Evaluation and increase platform interoperability. I joined the Marine Corps in order to seek better opportunities, achieve personal goals and desires,” said Justen. I’ve always wanted to be a Marine. A challenge I faced early on was transitioning from a mortarman to a scout sniper, but now I am a faithful P.I.G to my sniper platoon and sniper community as a whole, P.I.G. meaning professionally instructed gunman.”

A U.S. Marine with the Maritime Raid Force, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) demonstrates the capabilities of his improvised stone hammer during a jungle survival course at the Jungle Warfare Training Center, Okinawa, Japan, April 6th, 2022. The jungle survival course gives Marines the confidence to operate as stand-alone entities when logistical support cannot be guaranteed. The 31st MEU, The Marine Corps only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S Marine Corps Recruit Alexander Washington with Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, waits for his marksman coach to clear him off the line at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. April 12, 2022. All recruits must participate in the table two rifle qualification course during the 3rd phase of recruit training. Washington was recruited out of Little Rock Ark. with Recruiting Station Little Rock Ark.

U.S. Army Cpl. Armando D. Butler, a paratrooper assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), pulls rear security during a live fire exercise, during exercise Rock Proof in Postonja, Slovenia, April 28, 2014. Sky Soldiers are here for a two week training exercise with their partners from the Slovenian armys 10th Battalion. (

060614-F-7234P-168. Base: Fort Jackson State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Kentucky Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Corey Stawser with Task Force Red Dragon, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), conducts a squad live-fire exercise in Djibouti at Arta range complex, Djibouti, June 8, 2022. CJTF-HOA, operating from Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, is a dynamic operational headquarters, supporting missions to counter violent extremist organizations, responding to crises and enhancing stability in East Africa.

american marine corps special operations modern warfare soldier with fire arm weapon and protective army tactical gear ready for battle

U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Austin Mclain, a motor vehicle operator with Combat Logistics Battalion 4, Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, prepares to mount an M2 Browning machine gun into a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle turret at a mounted machine gun range during exercise Winter Workhorse at the Central Training Area, Okinawa, Japan, Dec. 6, 2022. Winter Workhorse is an annual exercise for CLR-3 to train to carry out mission-essential tasks in forward-deployed, austere environments.

U.S. Army squads from across III Armored Corps compete for the title of the corps Best Squad during a head-to-head competition at the III Armored Corps Best Squad Competition 2022 at Fort Hood, Texas, Jun. 25, 2022. On day four of the competition, all squads went head-to-head on a 12 mile ruck march against the clock to see which squad would finish first. Spc. Kole Vigilancia with the 89th MP squad poses for a picture during the ruck event. The III Armored Corps pulled only the best from across its divisions and separate brigades to compete in this years inaugural competition. The best squad goes on to compete in the U.S. Army Forces Command competition at Fort Hood in August.

120122-S-8108M-002 Army Pfc. Shari Crump (center) listens to a convoy brief by her platoon leader prior to a resupply mission at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La., on Jan. 22, 2012. Crump is a truck driver assigned to the 82nd Airborne Divisionís Company F, 1st Brigade Combat Team, which is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in early spring.

040517-F-6244S-004. Base: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Noah Byron, a Genesee, Pennsylvania Native, and a mortarman with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, poses for a photo during a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation (MCCRE) on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 6, 2022. I joined the Marine Corps because the atmosphere was very driven said Byron I looked up to the people who served in the Marines before me, I am grateful I joined this organization. The purpose of a MCCRE is to formally evaluate the units combat readiness in preparation for deployment.

A U.S. Air Force Combat Controller from the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field Fl., packs up equipment after an airdrop of humanitarian aid in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan 18, 2010 for distribution. Department of Defense assets have been deployed to assist in the Haiti relief effort following a magnitude 7 earthquake that hit the city on Jan. 12, 2010.

US Marine Corps Sergeant Putney relays information pertaining the arrival of logistic supplies during Weapons Training Instruction in Yuma, Arizona. Base: Yuma State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Muscular soldier in field uniform with rifle.

U.S. Marine Corps special operations command Marsoc raider with weapon.

Lance Cpl. Raymond Weeks, a Marine with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, makes his way up Machine Gun Hill during a company assault exercise at Range 400 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. Feb. 28.

U.S. Army Reserve Spc. Erick Dovel, a horizontal construction engineer with the 409th Engineer Company, awaits the M249 light machine gun range at Fort Carson, Colorado, Nov. 5, 2022. Dovel was in one of six squads to compete in the 244th Engineer Battalions Best Squad Competition which tested them on battle tasks and drills.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Tyvon Stenson from the 822nd Base Defense Squadron, Moody AFB, Florida, mans an Entry Control Point during AGILE FLAG 22-2, at Avon Park Auxiliary Air Field, July 21, 2022. AGILE FLAG 22-2 marks a significant milestone in standardizing the way ACC organizes, trains, and equips for ACE after a period of experimentation.

110216-A-CJ112-042 U.S. Army Pvt. Zach Mecthel, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, watches for enemy movement during training at Fort Hood, Texas, on Feb. 16, 2011.

041231-F-2034C-026. Base: Balad Ruz Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Hayden Burchell, an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launcher gunner with Kilo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, Marine Forces Reserve, poses for a portrait before loading the launcher onto a KC-130J Super Hercules assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, while conducting a HIMARS rapid insertion training event during Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 2-22 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, April 6, 2022. Best job in the Marine Corps, said Burchell, referring to his billet of HIMARS launcher gunner. The fact we can get on an aircraft, fly somewhere, roll off and shoot 6 rockets, destroy a target, and get back on to leave basically within an hour. Burchell said the uniforms are what drove him to join the Marine Corps, but the standards have made him stay. Honestly, I chose the Marine Corps because of the uniforms, said Burchell when asked about when he joined over 4 years ago, But being

U.S. Army Spc. Marcelino Villarreal, from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 162nd Field Artillery Regiment, Puerto Rico National Guard, provides security while Soldiers from Charlie Company, 26th Field Artillery Regiment recover a humvee stuck on a muddy road in the Khowst Province, Afghanistan, March 25, 2007.

U.S Marine Corps recruit Eli Leavitt with Bravo Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, waits to be cleared off the line at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. June 13, 2022. All recruits must participate in the table two rifle qualification course during the 3rd phase of recruit training.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Angel Rosales, an El Paso, Texas, native and a antitank missileman with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, poses for a photo during a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 4, 2022. Ever since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to be infantry. I wanted to learn and experience something different than everyone else around me. said Rosales. I think the biggest reason people should stay in the Marine Corps is the camaraderie. It's the brothers you didnt realize you would be gaining. Its different from your hometown friends because you are going to suffer with these Marines everyday but you always come together in the end. The purpose of a MCCRE is to formally evaluate the units combat readiness in preparation for deployment.

U.S. Army Ranger with machine gun and night vision goggles standing near a wall.

A Belgian Armed Forces soldier assigned to ISTAR COY takes cover behind a Pandur Armored Personnel Carrier with his M249 light machine gun during Exercise Combined Resolve 17 (CbR 17) at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, on June 3, 2022. CbR 17 is a U.S. Army exercise consisting of 5,600 service members, NATO Allies, and partners from over 10 countries, and is designed to assess units' abilities to conduct operations in a multi-domain battle space.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Christopher Ingram, a rifleman with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, participates in Stand-in Force Exercise on Okinawa, Japan, Dec. 10, 2022. SiF-EX is a Division-level exercise involving all elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force focused on strengthening multi-domain awareness, maneuver, and fires across a distributed maritime environment. This exercise serves as a rehearsal for rapidly projecting combat power in defense of allies and partners in the region. Ingram is a native of Florence, AL.

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. John Buck, a platoon commander with Battalion Landing Team, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, supervises a boat formation during a rehearsal for a bilateral amphibious landing in the Philippine Sea, Oct. 6, 2022. The bilateral amphibious landing will be a combined interoperability event during KAMANDAG 6 involving members of the Philippine Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Marine Corps, and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. KAMANDAG is an annual, bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen interoperability, capabilities, trust and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences.

Airmen from the 5th Security Forces Squadron stand guard in front of a B-52H Stratofortress for inspection during the exercise Prairie Vigilance at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Sept. 17, 2022. Prairie Vigilance tests the 5th Bomb Wings ability to conduct strategic-bomber readiness operations.

Pennsylvania Air National Guardsman, Airman 1st Class Timothy Abraham, assigned to the 171st Air Refueling Wing, performs a body search on another Security Forces Defender during an unauthorized entry into a restricted area exercise, October 15, 2022 near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Bryan Hoover)

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Douglas Dembroge, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, conducts a contact patrol with other Corpsmen and Marines on July 22, 2022, during training on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The 2/24 is an infantry battalion based out of Chicago consisting of approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors. The battalion falls under the 23rd Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division. The 2/24 is holding annual training at Fort McCoy. (Photos by Scott Sturkol, Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office)

Portrait of female soldier carrying rifle and standing against white background

030914-M-9023R-012. Subject Operation/Series: CROCODILE 2003 Base: Camp Samuel Hill State: Queensland Country: Australia (AUS) Scene Major Command Shown: Golf 2nd Bn 3rd Mar

modern warfare american marines soldier in action while sneaking and aiming on laseer sight optics in combat position and searching for target in battle

WA, Arlington, Arlington Fly-in, World War II military show. (Editorial Usage Only)

U.S. Army ROTC Cadet Josh Donlon, a squad leader with Bucknell University Army ROTC, stands in line with other cadets during a field training exercise.

SFC Clarence Ortiz, platoon leader of Co. A, 1ST Bn., 35th Inf., 25th Div., sights enemy positions while moving along the slopes of the Parker Cattle Ranch during Operation Thunderbolt. Subject Operation/Series: THUNDERBOLT Base: Schofield Barracks, Kaneohe Bay State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Army Pvt. Eduardo Duenas, assigned to 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, carries ammunition to the firing line while training on an M240b machine gun at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, March 23, 2023. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment provides V Corps, Americas forward-deployed corps, with combat-credible forces capable of rapid deployment throughout the European theater to defend the NATO alliance.

Cpl. Anthony Aglin a command group driver assigned to the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, applies camouflage paint to his face while looking into the mirror of his High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) during the second morning of Command Post Exercise II, on training area 24, Fort Carson Colorado, August 16, 2022. Soldiers use various methods of camouflage, such as face paint, to disguise themselves and to minimize the amount of exposure when facing a simulated or actual enemy.

Hellenic Special Forces conduct a room clearing evolution during exercise Alexander the Great 22, Greece, May 12, 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.

051007-A-5563H-004. Base: New Orleans State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: B Btry 1/160th FA

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Walker Clark II, a field artillery officer with 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, I Marines Expeditionary Force Information Group, routes aircraft into the area of operations during a live-fire close air support exercise at Barry M. Goldwater Range, Gila Bend, Arizona, July 26, 2022. 1st ANGLICO trains to enhance proficiency in CAS and expand digital communications capabilities.

Recruits with Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, complete the land navigation course aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., April 25, 2022. Recruits spend a week learning the skills needed to correctly use a compass, read a map, and plot points.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jose Martinez, a signals intelligence and electronic warfare analyst with Alpha Company, 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, returns to the 25 yard line during an annual rifle qualification on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, July 8, 2022. The ARQ is a three-day, combat-centric course of fire that tests Marines marksmanship skills in a dynamic-shooting environment.

A U.S. Marine with 3d Marine Division weighs in with their gear in support of an Alert Contingency Marine Air-Ground Task Force (ACM) drill at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, Sept. 1, 2022. Routine short-notice ACM drills ensure III Marine Expeditionary Force Marines remain ready to rapidly deploy and maintain regional security in the Indo-Pacific.

A U.S. Army Soldier with 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division (25th ID), poses for a photo after defending an objective as the opposing force during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center rotation 23-01 at Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Nov. 2, 2022. JPMRC uses training scenarios specific to certain environments to train the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th ID with joint, allied and partnered forces in conditions in which they would fight.

OKINAWA, Japan (Feb. 04, 2024) Sgt. Logan Vetter, assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 172, measures simulated unexploded ordinance during a joint base recovery after attack (BRAAT) exercise with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 4. 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

U.S. Marine Holds a Sack of Opium Poppy Seeds

Spc. Garret VanBrink, with the Force Protection Company, 81st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 81st Brigade Combat Team, Washington Army National Guard, takes a break from training during a visit from Col. Ronald Kapral, the commander of the 81st BCT, and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Sweeney, the command sergeant major of the 81st BCT, Feb. 6 at Contingency Operating Base Q-West, Iraq. About 2,400 Washington National Guardsmen and 900 California National Guardsmen deployed with the 81st BCT based out of Seattle in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October. They are scheduled to return home this summer.

Spc. Logan Gardiner, an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technician with 52nd Ordnance Group, poses for a photo during the Best Warrior and Best Squad Competition hosted by 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Command at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2022. The 20th CBRNE Commands Best Squad Competition and Best Warrior Competition is a single event used to select the best Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Soldier of the Year from Soldiers within the command and its major subordinate commands.

220701-N-KD380-1004 SAN DIEGO - (July 01, 2022) - Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 2nd class Daniel Tomicich, from Olathe, Kan., tests communications during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 in Southern California. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The worlds largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the worlds oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

Portrait of modern combatant with dirty face, wearing a beanie hat and holding firearm.

U.S. Navy Hospitalman Matthew Hubbard, a field medical technician, with 1st Transportation Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, prepares a notional casualty for testing of Autonomous Casualty Evacuation (ACE) technology during a simulated casualty drill at Camp Pendleton, California, Oct. 19, 2022. Battalion FX 1-23 is a 1st Transportation Battalion exercise integrated with Project Convergence 22, where Marines and Sailors leverage a series of joint, multi-domain engagements, integrating artificial intelligence, robotics, and autonomy to enhance warfighting capabilities and accelerate decision-making timelines.

Paratroopers assigned to Charlie Troop, 1-73 Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division take part in the Combat Water Survival Test for the XVIII Airborne Corps Best Squad Competition on Fort Stewart, GA, July 27, 2022. The Best Squad Competition tests squads' physical, technical and tactical abilities under stress and fatigue to determine which squad from the XVIII Airborne Corps will advance to the Forces Command Best Squad Competition in the coming months.

U.S. Soldiers with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team complete a 3.6 mile run in combat gear during a physical training exercise at Camp McGregor, New Mexico, Jan. 14, 2024. They are training at Camp McGregor as they prepare for a deployment to the Horn of Africa.

U.S. Army Spc. Logan Speakman, a Blackhawk Maintainer/Crew Chief assigned to the Falcon team at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, poses for a photo inside a hangar in Hohenfels, Germany, Sept. 29, 2022.

U.S. Army Spc. Logan Speakman, a Blackhawk Maintainer/Crew Chief assigned to the Falcon team at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, poses for a photo inside a hangar in Hohenfels, Germany, Sept. 29, 2022.

closeup of modern warfare soldier hands putting protective battle gloves white background

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Maurice Selders, Houston, Texas native, administration specialist, Headquarters and Support (H&S) Battalion, Marine Corps Installations East (MCIEAST) - Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, poses for a portrait during Exercise Urgent Response on MCB Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 15, 2022. H&S Battalion Marines conducted identification checks and established vehicle control points in support of Exercise Urgent Response, an installation-wide exercise that plans for and executes anti-terrorism response procedures.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Doveber Frauenhofer, a Baltimore native and a mortarmen with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, supervises Marines conducting a live-fire exercise during the Adversary Force Exercise (AFX) at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, April 15, 2022. The purpose of AFX is to create a credible, realistic threat for the exercise forces participating in the Integrated Training Exercise to engage against during the upcoming MAGTF Warfighting Exercise in a force-on-force, unscripted wargame.

Providers assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division conduct security operations on Fort Bragg, NC, March 29, 2022. The Field Training Exercise ensures Paratroopers stand ready to fight, win, and meet the 18 hour deployment standard.

Today the 10th Mountain Division honored the Soldiers from Task Force 2-14 by participating in the Mogadishu Mile. The original mile was a route taken by Soldiers from a Blackhawk helicopter crash site to a rally point held by the 10th MTN DIV on National Street during the Battle of Mogadishu on October 4, 1993.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Gabriel Price, a signals intelligence operator with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit carries a CESAS-II system on his back aboard the the amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) during Noble Odyssey in the Miyako Strait, Aug 27, 2022. Noble Odyssey consists of infantry and signals intelligence Marines helping to sustain a landing craft, utility (LCU) in open waters for prolonged periods by providing warnings, force protections, and electronic attacks against adversaries. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

A cadet transitions from the rope to the top of the tough one obstacle on the obstacle course on Fort Knox, Ky, June 9. Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 399th Regiment, will lead thousands of Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadets from across the country through the confidence/obstacle course and rappel tower at Fort Knox this summer starting in early June.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Emily Sandoval, a data systems administrator with Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, poses for a photo during exercise Native Fury 22 at a Logistics Support Area established in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Aug. 21, 2022. Native Fury 22 is a biennial exercise focused on the demonstration of the rapid offload and integration of a Maritime Prepositioned Force in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of regional security, crisis response, and contingency operations.

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Douglas Dembroge, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, conducts a contact patrol with other Corpsmen and Marines on July 22, 2022, during training on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The 2/24 is an infantry battalion based out of Chicago consisting of approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors. The battalion falls under the 23rd Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division. The 2/24 is holding annual training at Fort McCoy. (Photos by Scott Sturkol, Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office)

A Soldier from Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry Regiment showcases to newly arrived trainees will look like and the kind of warfighter they can be 22 weeks later during a rifle squad demonstration.

Staff Sgt. Dallin Cone, a security forces craftsman assigned to the 39th Security Forces Squadron, poses for a portrait during a training exercise on Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. The 39th SFS provides cutting edge force protection for Incirlik AB and its geographically separated units in Turkey including flightline security, law enforcement services and support for numerous contingency operations in Europe and Asia. Prior to joining their operational flight, new members assigned to the 39th SFS participate in a 5-day field training exercise to assess each Airmans ability to execute baseline security tactics, techniques and procedures needed for securing NATOs Southern Flank. On the final day of the exercise, defenders showcase all of their new training with a ruck run, simulated tactical casualty combat care scenario, active shooter response scenarios, and conclude by securing a protective aircraft structure. Once the Airmen complete this training exercise, theyre given the official 39th

U.S. Army Spc. John Orefice, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 134th Field Artillery Regiment, Ohio National Guard, poses for a photo during Northern Strike at Camp Grayling, Mich., Aug. 12, 2022. Northern Strike tests multi component and coalition forces through a challenging, realistic and detailed scenario based on relevant real-world security challenges and future conflicts.

Paratroopers assigned to Charlie Troop, 1-73 Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division participate in Squad Lanes for the XVIII Airborne Corps Best Squad Competition on Fort Stewart, GA, July 28, 2022. During the Best Squad Competition, competitors were tested on a wide range of subjects including land navigation, marksmanship, casualty care, physical fitness, small-unit tactics and endurance.

Competitors participate in a 12-mile Ruck March during the 2022 National Guard Bureau Region 2 Best Warrior Competition, held May 17-20, 2022, at Camp Dawson, Kingwood, West Virginia. The Best Warrior Competition is a physically and mentally challenging three-day competition that tests competitors on a wide range of technical and tactical skills relevant to todays combat operating environment. Region 2 consists of competitors from Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Regional winners from across the nation will advance to compete at the national-level competition this summer.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Ian Jennings, a range coach with 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, observes Marines during an annual rifle qualification on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, July 8, 2022. The ARQ is a three-day, combat-centric course of fire that tests Marines marksmanship skills in a dynamic-shooting environment.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Katelyn Radosin, a parachute rigger from Philadelphia, assigned to 1st Landing Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group poses for a photo prior to conducting static line airborne operations during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-23 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, Sept. 30, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

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