Modern Military Training Exercises

Images of U.S. Marines and soldiers in various training scenarios, focusing on coordination and weapon handling in dynamic environments, showcasing teamwork and tactical operations.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Bryson Foto, a Ponchatoula, Louisiana, native and a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, calls out commands at a live-fire range during a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 25, 2022. The purpose of a MCCRE is to formally evaluate the units combat readiness in preparation for deployment.

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, provide support by fire during a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 25, 2022. The purpose of a MCCRE is to formally evaluate the units combat readiness in preparation for deployment.

920th Rescue Wing pararescuemen litter carry a patient simulating injuries at Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida, Nov. 18, 2022. Airmen from across the wing worked to ensure pararescuemen and aircrew from HH-60G Pave Hawk and HC-130J Combat King II aircraft enhanced their abilities to treat critically injured patients in austere locations, support ground special operations teams, and conduct extended duration overland movement and in-flight patient care.

U.S. Army Soldiers from 1st Infantry Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, conducts convoy operations on Pohakuloa Training Grounds, Oct. 31, 2022. Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 23-01 is a regional combat training center (CTC) rotation that builds combat readiness in Americas Pacific Division and is a key way the Army forces engage in a joint environment with our regional allies and partners.

Cadet Bobby Wilkins (right), University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, assists his teammate in securing their rope during the One Rope Bridge event on April 29 at the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition. Day one at Sandhurst saw 48 teams pushing their limits through 12 events held across the West Point grounds and rucking a total of 30 miles. The Sandhurst Military Skills Competition is an annual event hosted by the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. featuring colleges from around the United States and world fighting for the title of best military program in the world. | Photo by Sarah Windmueller, U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs

A U.S. Marine assigned to Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, changes the barrel of a .50-caliber machine gun during small caliber action team training aboard the amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25) in the Pacific Ocean, Feb. 1, 2024. Somerset is currently underway conducting routine operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet with elements of the 15th MEU. Marine Corps

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Cameron Roof, a machine gunner with Battalion Landing Team 2/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Pittsboro, Indiana, observes as a Philippine Marine disassembles a U.S. M240B machine gun in Claveria, Philippines, Oct. 3, 2022. The bilateral training was conducted as part of KAMANDAG 6 to share tactics, techniques and procedures. 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 shared experiences.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Donavan Merrill, a rifleman with 2d Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, provides security during a regimental field exercise on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Dec. 8, 2022. Marines conducted the FEX to enhance combat capabilities while maintaining operational readiness throughout the regiment.

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade load a simulated casualty into a vehicle during Bayonet Week at Grafenwoehr, Germany, June 27, 2023. Bayonet Week is a series of competitive events within the 173rd Airborne Brigade that inspire all Sky Soldiers to honor their heritage during the last week of June. These events take place in both Germany and Italy and consist of tournament-style competitions that test strength, endurance, speed, knowledge and indomitable spirit as individuals and teams.

220730-N-LI768-1124MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii (July 30, 2022) Republic of Korea Marines discuss operations at Pyramid Rock Beach during an amphibious raid for a multinational littoral operations exercise as part of 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.

A U.S. Army Soldier from 1st Infantry Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, rucks during convoy operations on Pohakuloa Training Grounds, Hawaii, Oct. 31, 2022. Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 23-01 is a realistic training rotation allow us to rehearse strategic movement, and train in unique environments and conditions where they are most likely to be employed in the event of crisis or conflict.

U.S. Marine Cpl. Adolfo Soto, a radio operator with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, rests after a hike during Mountain Training Exercise 1-23 at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center Bridgeport, California, Oct. 6, 2022. During MTX, the Marines learned various skills to become more proficient in combat and survival in an austere mountain environment. Soto is a native of Los Angeles.

Marines with the Fleet Marine Force perform a remote advise and assist exercise with assistance from Marine Raiders with Marine Forces Special Operations Command during RAVEN, April 25, 2022. RAVEN is a training exercise held to evaluate all aspects of a Marine Special Operations Company prior to a special operations deployment.

13F advanced individual training students of Bravo Battery, 1-78th Field Artillery Battalion, conducted their culminating training exercise on 14 February on top of OP Andrews. CPT Ryaan Villagomez, the Bravo Battery Commander coordinated with the C-UAS school house and drone pilots to provide the students with a demonstration of a new UAS/UAV platform.

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- An Academy Cadet Cadre motivates a Basic Cadet from the Class of 2026 as they complete the assault course at the U.S. Air Force Academy's Jacks Valley in Colorado Springs, Colo., on July 12, 2022. Basic Cadet Training (BCT) is a six-week indoctrination program to guide the transformation of new cadets from being civilians to military academy cadets prepared to enter a four-year officer commissioning program. (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Brian Morris sprints with ammunition cans for a combat fitness test during Korea Viper 24.1 at Republic of Korea 1st Marine Infantry Division Headquarters, Republic of Korea, Feb. 8, 2024. The CFT is an annual physical fitness evaluation that measures a Marine's combat readiness and includes a movement to contact, ammunition can lift, and maneuver under fire. In its first iteration, Korea Viper demonstrates the ROK-US Marine Corps ability to respond decisively in the region as a singular, unified force while strengthening relationships and trust between the two allies. Morris, a native of California, is a rifleman with 2d Battalion, 7th Marines. 2/7 is forward deployed in the Indo-Pacific under 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program. Marine Corps

FORT HOOD, Texas - U.S. Army FORSCOM Best Squad competitors representing 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command move to a secured position during the urban obstacle lane of the FORSCOM Best Squad Competition 2022 at Fort Hood, Texas, Aug. 18, 2022. The Best Squad Competition promotes esprit de corps and recognizes Soldiers who demonstrate commitment to Army Values and embody the Warrior Ethos.

Combat engineers with the 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion participated in their annual training of demolition and explosive breaching through doors and wall structures on May 6, 2022. Combat engineers provide support of mobility, counter mobility and survivability for Soldiers within the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team during combat missions. Our job is to make sure that we proficiently enable our combat personnel to move from point A to point B, said Sgt. 1st Class Robert Smith, platoon sergeant with the 116th BEB. Counter mobility is to keep the enemy from moving forward, so that we can move forward with our mission. We go in and get the good guys if they are trapped or we go in where there are bad guys behind a door, and it is imperative we do this safely with maximum survivability.

U.S. Marines with 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, participate in Table 3A course of fire range during ANGLICO Basic Course 1-22 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 5, 2022. This basic training enhances the capabilities of ANGLICO Marines to plan and execute liaison missions in support of joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational operations.

U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, drive a Polaris MRZR during a company defense at Range 220 during an Adversary Force Exercise as part of Service Level Training Exercise 2-24 at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 5, 2024. The purpose of AFX is to create a credible, realistic threat for the exercise forces participating in SLTE 2-24 to engage against during the upcoming Marine Air-Ground Task Force Warfighting Exercise in a force-on-force, unscripted wargame. Marine Corps

A Panamanian Soldier carries an 80-pound block during the assaulter stress test of the Fuerzas Comando 2022 competition in La Venta, Honduras on June 16, 2022. Fuerzas Comando improves the relationships between partner forces while testing operational skills on multiple levels.

The United States Army's most qualified uniformed interrogation teams met at Fort Bragg, North Carolina to compete in the inaugural Army Interrogation Olympics to determine the Army's Best Interrogation Team of the Year. Military Intelligence Soldiers from Regular Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard components met and thrived in an austere field environment while refining and improving individual and collective HUMINT, analytical, leader, and Soldier skills. The competition was hosted by the 525th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade from August 8 to 10, 2022.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Phillip Banuelos, left, a motor transport operator, with 1st Transportation Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, and Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Genualdi, center, a capabilities integration officer with Combat Development and Integration, and Staff Sgt. Matthew Pitman, right, a tactic and integration instructor with Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1), disassemble the TRV-150 (TRUAS) drone after experimentation during Battalion Field exercise 1-23 on 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.

Joint training exercise with Det 2. 6 Co. 3/238th AVN MEDEVAC, Cox Health and Missouri State Highway Patrol at Hercules Glade Wilderness, Bradleyville, Mo., Oct. 06, 2022. Multiple Missouri departments teamed up to practice life-saving MEDEVAC scenarios. (Photo by U.S. Army National Guard Spc. Rose Di Trolio.)

Paratroopers from 1st Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) dismount a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to pull security as part of exercise Immediate Response 19 at Udbina Airbase, Croatia, May 17, 2019. The U.S. forces presence and commitment to the defense of its allies and partners are important symbols of assurance and provide deterrence against potential adversaries.

U.S. service members participate in tactical lanes while competing in the 2022 Spc. Hilda I. Clayton Best Combat Camera Competition at Fort A.P Hill, Virginia, May 20, 2022. The annual multi-day competition tests the physical, tactical and technical proficiency of visual information and public affairs specialists across the DOD and participating international competitors.

U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron (MWHS) 1 prepare to fire during a field exercise at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 18, 2023. MWHS-1 conducted rear area security combat readiness rehearsals, which allowed Marines the opportunity to assess their readiness in a field environment and engage in team-based training exercises.

A group of European Paratroopers conducts actions in the aircraft with a Polish Jumpmaster during Exrcise Falcon Leap on Eindhoven Air Base, Eindhoven, Netherlands., Sep. 13, 2022. More than 1000 Paratroopers from all over the world, 13 different nationalities, multiple airdrops per day, and training with each other equipment for two weeks. this is NATO's largest technical airborne exercise

Soldiers assigned to the 233rd Military Police Company navigate their way through the Gettysburg Land Navigation Course at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, July 15, 2022. Each Soldier had a specific role on the team; there was someone in charge of the map, someone in charge of the compass, and the other two kept pace count and navigated the terrain.

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew Danner, commanding officer of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, meets with U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 31st MEU, conducting defensive posturing for Iron Fist 23 at Hijudai, Japan, Feb. 19, 2023. U.S. Marines with the 31st MEU and soldiers with 1st ARDR conducted bilateral defensive posturing to increase their ability to operate in austere environments. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Navy, the JGSDF, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

U.S. Navy corpsmen with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and soldiers with the 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, conduct bi-lateral medical operations during a mass casualty exercise at Hijudai, Japan on Feb. 19, 2023. The training simulated a mass casualty event granting the bi-lateral medical team an opportunity to actively practice medical care in the field with closely simulated pressure and conditions during Iron Fist 23. Iron Fist is an annual bilateral exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Navy, the JGSDF, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

U.S. Soldiers wait to be picked up by helicopters south of Balad Ruz, Iraq, March 22, 2009. The Soldiers are assigned to Recon Platoon, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ty Cochrane, an air support operations operator with Marine Air Support Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, establishes communications at Landing Zone Falcon during exercise Resolute Dragon 22 at Kamifurano Maneuver Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 1, 2022. Resolute Dragon 22 is an annual exercise designed to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the U.S.-Japan Alliance by exercising integrated command and control, targeting, combined arms, and maneuver across multiple domains.

Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team engage in various mission durian Operation Nakoa Fleek in Schofield Barracks, HI. Operation NAKOA FLEEK is a two-week multi-echelon exercise designed to validate the Brigades Capability Set Integration (CSI), train and certify lethal companies, troops, and batteries, and exercise the Warriors sustainment capacity in a dynamic and complex battlefield against a thinking and reacting enemy.

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to 173rd Airborne Brigade wait to board a Bravo Company, 2-227th General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Grafenwoehr, Germany, April 27, 2022. 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Chinooks executed a paradrop training exercise of over 200 Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

A U.S. Soldier assigned to Task Force Hurricane from the 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, assigns his comrades a security area during a platoon immersion in Al-Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, June 12, 2022. The immersion was a training event meant to build interoperability between the U.S Army and Royal Saudi Land Force at the platoon level while enhancing both U.S. and partner nation skillsets.

U.S. Army Combat medics assigned to the 1065th Medical Company Area Support, 101st Troop Command of the Puerto Rico Army National Guard carry a litter with a simulated casualty as part of a field training exercise during annual training at Camp Santiago Joint Training Center, Salinas, Puerto Rico, July 15, 2022. The medics were tested on various tasks, including providing immediate treatment of casualties by element, with a trauma section, laboratory, and X-ray services for prompt and accurate diagnostics as part of their training requirements as combat medics for future deployments.

Army National Guard officer candidates conduct static load training on a CH-47 Chinook during Phase III of Officer Candidate School on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., July 17, 2022. During Phase III, candidates will receive their final leadership evaluations from the qualified instructors of 2nd Battalion, 205th Regimental Training Institute, Washington Army National Guard.

Capt. Joe Pazcoguin, commander of Company B, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, talks with 1st Lt. Austin Cattle of Company B and 1st Lt. Mitchell Creel of the 530th Engineer Company during a clearance operation in western Kandahar City, Feb. 1. The joint clearance with the Afghan Uniformed Police of Police Substation 8 yielded three mortar rounds, seven rocket-propelled grenades and one anti-personnel mine. Pazcoguin is a native of Altoona, Pa. while Cattle and Creel hail from Everett, Wash. and Monroe City, Mo. respectively.

U.S. Air Force security forces, explosive ordinance disposal and airfield management Airmen from the 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, conduct a response to fire exercise at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, May 19, 2022 while participating in the Raging Gunfighter exercise. Raging Gunfighter is an Air Combat Command exercise designed to simulate operating a Lead Wing from an Austere Environment. The purpose of the exercise is to prepare the 366th Fighter Wing and its Airmen for potential future operations in accordance with the National Defense Strategy

A U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Control Party member (right) points at a target in the field to a U.S. Air Force Combat Controller while participating in close air support training during Emerald Warrior 2014 on Hurlburt Field, Fla., May 1, 2014. Emerald Warrior is an annual, joint exercise to train special operations, conventional and partner nation forces in combat scenarios designed to hone special operations air and ground combat skills, and is the Department of Defense's only irregular warfare exercise.

Sgt. Corey L. Collins, a Soldier with the 404th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), United States Army Reserve, signals to a Black Hawk with the 1-150th Assault Helicopter Battalion, New Jersey Army National Guard, during sling load training at Coyle Drop Zone, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Feb. 29, 2016.

An Italian paratrooper from the Folgore Parachute Brigade reviews proper exit procedures of UH-60 Black Hawk with a U.S. Soldier from 12th Combat Aviation Brigade during rehearsals for an air assault on Lielvarde Airbase, Latvia, during NATO exercise Steadfast Javelin II. Steadfast Javelin II is a NATO exercise involving over 2,000 troops from 10 nations and takes place across Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The exercise focuses on increasing interoperability and synchronizing complex operations between allied air and ground forces through airborne and air assault missions.

New York Army National Guard Soldiers from the 42nd Infantry Division, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, conduct crew-served weapon qualifications at Fort Drum, N.Y. on June 19th, 2019. The crew-served weapons qualification and validation exercise is to unsure the units and Soldiers are trained and ready to deploy and be combat-ready.

FORT HOOD, Texas - U.S. Army Sgt. Jalyna Jurich, an advance enhanced early warning systems operator assigned to 22nd Theatre Missile Warning Company, rolls a tire during the urban obstacle lane of the FORSCOM Best Squad Competition 2022 at Fort Hood, Texas, Aug. 17, 2022. The Best Squad Competition promotes esprit de corps and recognizes Soldiers who demonstrate commitment to Army Values and embody the Warrior Ethos.

U.S. Army Spc. Davie Bowden, assigned to the 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, waits in an armored ambulance vehicle during a multinational ambulance exchange point training during Defender 22 at Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, May 26, 2022. Defender Europe 22 is a series of U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercises in Eastern Europe; it demonstrates the ability to conduct large-scale ground combat operations across multiple theaters in support of NATO.

U.S. Army soldier assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, sits on top of an Abrams M1A2 SEPV3 Main Battle Tank. The arrival of these tanks in Poland will help the 3ABCT produce combat-credible forces alongside NATO allies.

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

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Melvin Cargill, 917th Security Forces Squadron tactics team, takes out an aggressor” during the Firing and Tactics Event at Camp Minden, La., Nov. 13, 2010. The event was part of the first Global Strike Challenge, which wrapped up Nov. 17, 2010, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

A U.S. Coast Guardsman attached to a Marine Security Response Team participates in a boarding exercise simulation as a part of Operation Nanook, Aug. 4, 2022. An MSRT unit embedded with USCGC Bear (WMEC 901) for Operation Nanook to showcase specialized Coast Guard law enforcement capabilities to partner nations.

U.S. Marines with 3rd Landing Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, conduct a building clearing drill at Military Operations in Urban Terrain Town, Eastern Training Area, Okinawa, Japan, July 19, 2022. 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.

Combat engineers with the 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion participated in their annual training of demolition and explosive breaching through doors and wall structures on May 6, 2022. Combat engineers provide support of mobility, counter mobility and survivability for Soldiers within the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team during combat missions. Our job is to make sure that we proficiently enable our combat personnel to move from point A to point B, said Sgt. 1st Class Robert Smith, platoon sergeant with the 116th BEB. Counter mobility is to keep the enemy from moving forward, so that we can move forward with our mission. We go in and get the good guys if they are trapped or we go in where there are bad guys behind a door, and it is imperative we do this safely with maximum survivability.

U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Caleb Graves with Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, provides aid to a simulated casualty during exercise Winter Workhorse 24 on Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan, Feb. 3, 2024. Graves is a native of Tennessee. Winter Workhorse is a regularly scheduled training exercise that is designed to enhance warfighting capabilities in contested environments. Marine Corps

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Felicia Sotelo-Spence assigned to 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division pull security during the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 exercise at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 17, 2024. JPMRC 24-02, executed in Alaska with its world-class training facilities and its harsh Arctic environment, builds Soldiers and leaders into a cohesive team of skilled, tough, alert, and adaptive warriors capable of fighting and winning anywhere in the world. Army

U.S. Soldiers assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery Regiment (1-487 FA), 29th Brigade Support Battalion, Hawaii Army National Guard conduct fire support certification at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Jan. 6, 2024. Soldiers conduct certification on various weapon platforms to maintain proficiency to validate combat capabilities and readiness.

Marines from Camp Lejeune-based units conduct a littoral exercise aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Jan. 25. During the training, Marines and Sailors are experimenting with new concepts and forces to prepare for future scenarios in littoral environments along the East Coast. They will be testing new tactics and training with multi-domain reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance teams in accordance with Force Design 2030. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by LCpl. Dakota Dodd)

U.S. Army Spc. Collin Landrola, an infantryman assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, observes teammates as they fire downrange at enemy target pop-up targets during the III Armored Corps Best Squad Competition June 24, 2022, at Fort Hood, Texas. 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 at the U.S. Army Forces Command competition at Fort Hood in August.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Keanu Delossantos, left, and Pfc. Logan Reich, right, both radio operators with Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, establish communications during a helicopter raid exercise at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Dec. 12, 2022. The exercise simulated taking control of an enemy airfield and supporting further seize and denial operations. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a ready 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 Maj. Michael Guard, a forward air control officer assigned to Headquarters Company, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, instructs Marines during Mjolnir Strike, Bombing Target 11, Piney Island, North Carolina, Aug. 10, 2022. Mjolnir Strike is a Joint Terminal Attack Controller training exercise and designed to instruct individual Marines to coordinate offensive air operations.

Oklahoma Army National Guardsman, Sgt. James Elkins, III, member of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), conducts squad-level lane training Nov. 22, 2016, during pre-mobilization at Camp Gruber Training Center (CGTC), near Braggs, Oklahoma, in preparation for their deployment to Ukraine. The 179th is the first of two six-month rotations to the Ukraine as part of the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine, a training mission focused on providing defensive and security training to Ukrainian forces within the U.S. Security Cooperation agreement.

A United Arab Emirates soldier from the 11th Mountain Battalion take a tactical pause during a live fire exercise while participating in Joint Readiness Training Center Rotation 23-04, Feb. 22, 2023. United Arab Emirate soldiers from the 11th Mountain Battalion are participating in the training rotation alongside U.S. Army Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade. UAE soldiers will train alongside a U.S. Army brigade throughout this JRTC rotation to increase tactical interoperability and readiness.

Airmen from the 171st Air Refueling Wing and the 911th Airlift Wing take part in a Combat Lifesaver Course, May 15, 2022, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The students were run through a series of realistic trauma scenarios using tactical maneuvers to approach casualties then provide frontline life-saving medical treatment.

U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to Bastion Company, 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade conduct a "seize the objective" exercise at the Novo Selo Training Site, Bulgaria, Feb. 3, 2023. During this exercise Soldiers are required to correctly and proficiently react to enemy contact, return live fire, and provide medical care under fire. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.

U.S. Navy medical personnel with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, carry casualties across the flight deck during a casualty evacuation exercise aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), in the Philippine Sea, Feb. 16, 2024. The exercise enables corpsmen and ship surgeons to refine their response-and-triage tactics while underway. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the America 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. Marine Corps

Staff Sgt. Joseph Jagiello (left) and his crew Sgt. Zachary Tenaro (center) Spc. Micheal Graham (right) poses for a picture beside their M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) in the Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, July 17, 2022. Dynamic Front 2022, 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.

Day three of the 310th ESC Best Warrior Competition, Feb. 6, 2024 consisted of the Army Combat Fitness Test, a squad patrolling lane and a media on the battlefield event held at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. 2nd Lt. Aaron Pauly took lead on the patrolling lane in a "Portuni village."

220603-N-PG340-1066 SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND, Calif. (June 3, 2022) U.S. Navy Seabees with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5 take notes at a convoy brief during Operation Turning Point, also known as their Field Training Exercise, at San Clemente Island. Operation Turning Point is an around the clock exercise that focuses on constructing advanced bases while maintaining proficiency in tactics and survivability. NMCB-5 is homeported out of Port Hueneme, California. They train on high-quality construction, expeditionary logistics, and combat operations to execute construction and engineering projects for major combat operations, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance.

A U.S. Army paratrooper assigned to 2ndBattalion, 503 Parachute infantry Regiment makes contact with his team and scans the drop zone for his assembly area at Juliette Drop Zone onApril 15, 2021. This training gave our paratroopers the opportunity to test their tactics, techniques and procedures and to gain confidence in their equipment.The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United European, Africa and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployable across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthened the alliance.

U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 pose for a group photo at the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Haramura Training Area, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 19, 2022. Kamoshika Wrath is an annual field exercise that focuses on unit-level training. The exercise consisted of patrols, water purification, pistol qualification, heavy equipment operations and annual requirements to meet unit training and readiness standards.

U.S Army Soldiers from Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve forces conduct live-fire battle drills during the 254th Regional Training Institute's Infantry Advanced Leaders Course 22-02 on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, April 7, 2022. The Advanced Leaders Course is a branch-specific course that provides Soldiers selected for promotion to Staff Sgt. an opportunity to enhance leadership, technical skill, tactical expertise and experience needed to lead squad-size units.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Alejandro Sanchezrincon, left, and Lance Cpl. Mikel Smalle, right, both field artillery cannoneers with Charlie Company, 3d Battalion, 12th Marines, 3d Marine Division utilize a ramming staff to load an M777 howitzer during Artillery Relocation Training Program 22.2 at the Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan, Aug. 31, 2022. ARTP is an exercise held to strengthen the defense of Japan and the U.S.-Japan Alliance as the cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Spc. Russell Gregory, a petroleum supply specialist with A Company, 626th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) puts fuel in a truck during the Division Training Density on Fort Knox, KY, April 29, 2022. The purpose of this training is to execute a decentralized division training density from dispersed field environments in order to enhance readiness, while stressing communications and sustainment systems across extended distances.

A U.S. Soldier, right, with the 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion gets his backpack weighed for a 12 km ruck march hosted by a German army reserve group nearby the 7th Army Training Commands Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, April 1, 2023.

U.S. Army Sgt. Daniel Hernandez, a visual information specialist assigned to 3rd Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne), 8th Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne), conducts a tactical skill lane while competing in the 2022 Spc. Hilda I. Clayton Best Combat Camera Competition at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, May 20, 2022. The annual multi-day competition tests the tactical and technical proficiency of visual information and public affairs specialists across the DOD and participating international competitors.

Airmen from the 423d Security Forces Squadron advance their position during a field training exercise at Stanford Training Area, England, Aug. 17, 2022. Instructors from the 820th Base Defense Group and 435th Security Forces Squadron Ground Combat Readiness Training Center, conducted the exercise to evaluate and bolster the combat readiness skills of the defenders from the 423d SFS.

A Brazilian Marine Joint Terminal Attack Controller and U.S. Marine Joint Terminal Attack Controllers with 4th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force UNITAS LXIII, control a UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters during simulated close air support in São Pedro da Aldeia, Brazil, during exercise UNITAS LXIII, Sept. 5, 2022. UNITAS develops and sustains relationships that improve the capacity of our reemerging and enduring maritime partners to achieve common objectives. Additionally, the military-to-military exchanges foster friendly mutual cooperation and understanding among participating Navies and Marine Corps.

U.S. Army Soldiers from 25th Infantry Division, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, prepare to conduct a convoy on Pohakuloa Training Grounds, Oct 31, 2022. Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 23-01 is a regional combat training center (CTC) rotation that builds combat readiness in Americas Pacific Division and is a key way the Army forces engage in a joint environment with our regional allies and partners.

Members of Barksdale Air Force Base's 2d Security Forces Squadron discuss their plan during the tactics portion of the Global Strike Challenge at Camp Minden, La., Nov. 13, 2010. Global Strike Challenge is the world's premier bomber, intercontinental ballistic missile and security forces competition with units from Air Force Global Strike Command, Air Combat Command, Air Force Reserve Command, and the Air National Guard competing for the title "best of the best."

Spc. Edward Yakubian from Hull, Mass., a member of Combat Observation Lasing Team 4, Fire Support Element speaks with members of the Afghan uniformed police during an assessment of their facilities and infrastructure given by the Task Force Currahee Military Police Platoon, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) from Fort Campbell, Ky., on Combat Outpost Munoz, Paktika province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2010.

Technical Sgt. Corban Lundborg, an airman with the 4th Combat Camera Squadron, conducts close-quarter battle (CQB) training July 12, 2022, at the Naval Weapons Station, Joint Base Base Charleston, SC. During this event, airmen conducted refresher training on effective room-clearing techniques, designed to ensure team members are capable of integrating with combat teams while providing combat camera capabilities.4th Combat Camera Squadron's mission is to provide senior Department of Defense and joint leaders with a directed imagery capability in support of strategic, operational and planning requirements during wartime operations, worldwide crises, contingencies, joint exercises and humanitarian operations.Photos by Technical Sgt. Christopher S Muncy

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Casey Barron, 375th Force Support Squadron services, laughs with fellow services airmen while they build a Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen during Ballistic Badger 2022, Oct. 19, 2022, on Volk Field Air National Guard Base, Wisconsin. BB22 is a training opportunity for airmen at the Showcase Wing to rehearse the ability to execute rapid global mobility.

Spc. Dylan Fahey, Combat Medic Specialist, 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, prepare a casualty for extraction during the Army's Best Medic Competition.Twenty-two two-Soldier teams from all around the world traveled to Fort Hood, Texas to compete in the finals to be named the Armys Best Medic. The competition is a 72-hour arduous test of the teams physical and mental skills. Competitors must be agile, adaptive leaders who demonstrate mature judgment while testing collective team skills in areas of physical fitness, tactical marksmanship, leadership, warrior skills, land navigation and overall knowledge of medical, technical and tactical proficiencies through a series of hands-on tasks in a simulated operational environment. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Herman)

U.S. Soldiers assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery Regiment (1-487 FA), 29th Brigade Support Battalion, Hawaii Army National Guard conduct fire support certification at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Jan. 6, 2024. Soldiers conduct certification on various weapon platforms to maintain proficiency to validate combat capabilities and readiness.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Kristine Ordinario (left), Cpl. Jared Earp (center) and Gunnery Sgt. Michael Benson, combat engineers with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, prime a 40-pound cratering charge during exercise Eagle Wrath 22, at Combined Arms Training Center (CATC) Camp Fuji, Japan, May 14, 2022. Eagle Wrath is an annual MWSS-171 exercise at CATC Camp Fuji, Japan, designed to increase squadron proficiency in conducting real-world contingency missions while in a forward operating environment.

U.S. military forces compete to earn the German Shutzenschner at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo August 27, 2022. The Shutzenschner, or German Armed Forces Badge for Weapons Proficiency, is a decoration of the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany worn by enlisted Soldiers.

U.S. Army Spc. Brandon Ingram, a signal support specialist assigned to Charlie Company, 588th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, stabilizes an antenna at a re-transmission site near Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, June 23, 2022. The 3/4 ABCT is among other units assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, proudly working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America's forward-deployed corps in Europe.

U.S. Soldiers attending the Small Unit Ranger Tactics course offload from a UH-60 Blackhawk at the 25th Infantry Divisions Lightning Academy, Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii, August 1st, 2022. Soldiers were flown around the East Range before being required to navigate the jungle in small teams while conducting tasks and performing under fire.

U.S. Marines assigned to Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, construct targets in preparation for live-fire training events during Exercise Cobra Gold in Chantaburi province, Thailand, Feb. 26, 2024. Cobra Gold demonstrates the U.S. commitment to the region by building interoperability, multilateral cooperative arrangements, advancing common interests, and a commitment to our allies and partners in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Marine Corps

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, interact with role players during a situational training exercise in Exercise Western Accord 14, June 24. Exercise Western Accord 14 is a U.S. Africa Command-sponsored, U.S. Army Africa-hosted annual joint training and partnership exercise between the U.S. and Economic Community of West Africa States, which is designed to increase interoperability between military forces and ensure the common ability to conduct peace operations throughout Western Africa.

220603-N-SI601-1261 PHILIPPINE SEA (June 3, 2022) Members of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5, attached to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, deployed aboard the U.S. Navys only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), conduct a maritime interdiction exercise with Republic of Korea special forces aboard ROKS Marado (LPH 6112) during Carrier Strike Group Exercise 2022. Carrier Strike Group Exercise is a bilateral exercise between the U.S. Navy and Republic of Korea Navy. This exercise allows our navies to refine operations and engagement to strengthen future cooperation while supporting the alliance that remains vital to the security interests of both nations and to stability in Northeast Asia.

U.S. Army National Guard Spc. James Murphy, assigned to 160th Engineer Company, 721st Troop Command, 72nd Troop Command, prepares for improvised explosive device training on July 14, 2022 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. The unit ran through practical exercises after studying in a classroom environment during annual training.

Tactical air control party Airmen with the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron conduct covert ground surveillance operations in The Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho, August 20, 2022. These tactical training maneuvers ensure effective communication in deployed locations.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Alexander Devereux, a combat photographer, with Headquarters and Service Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, prepares to fire an M18 during the Depot Competition in Arms Program on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Jan. 17, 2024. The Depot Competition in Arms Program enhances the marksmanship proficiency of Marines and sends the top three shooters to compete with the depot shooting team at the Marine Corps Marksmanship Competition. Devereux is from Farmington Hills, Michigan.

U.S. Army Sgt. Cooper Meiner, a combat medic with the 421st Medical Battalion (Multifunctional) annotates a spot report after the react to live fire portion of the 30th Medical Brigade Best Squad Competition at Franken Kaserne military base, Ansbach, Germany on Feb. 27, 2024. The competition evaluates each squads technical and tactical abilities, as well as their discipline and teamwork.

060314-N-0057D-016. Base: Fort Jackson State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Members assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing respond to a simulated ground attack and mass casualty scenario during routine training at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, April 25, 2022. During training, first responders launched into action to assist volunteers, tending to mock injuries and providing trauma care. These scenarios allow security forces and medical personnel to maintain their readiness and protect the Wolf Pack.

Soldiers of the New Jersey Army National Guards Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment, 44th Brigade Combat Team, prepare to mount an incoming UH-60 (Blackhawk) helicopter during the eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) exercise at Fort Drum, New York on July 15, 2022. More than 2,500 Soldiers from the New Jersey Army National Guard are participating in the training event, which enables brigade combat teams to achieve the trained platoon readiness necessary to deploy, fight, and win.

U.S. Marine Cpl. Marcus Jones, a team leader with Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, waits to board an MV-22B Osprey during a Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 23, 2022. This training evolution tested the Marines' ability to provide timely aid to isolated personnel in potential search and rescue situations.

Soldiers with the 2nd-113th practice moving as buddy teams at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ, April 23, 2022. These soldiers drilled to enhance their skill in operating the M240 and working as machine gun crews.

U.S. Soldiers competing in the Army Best Squad Competition participate in land navigation course on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Sept. 29, 2022. The Army Best Squad Competition tests Soldiers on their individual and collective ability to adapt to and overcome challenging scenarios and battle-readiness events that test their physical and mental endurance, technical and tactical abilities, and basic warrior skills under stress and extreme fatigue. (U.S. Army photo Cpl. Deandre Dawkins)

Senior Airman Armani Alexander, a Defender with the 403rd Security Forces Squadron stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, keeps her M249 light machine gun ready to cover her fellow Defenders during an area security operations exercise, May 19, 2022, at Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center, Ohio. The training was part of the two-week Integrated Defense Leadership Course, based at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, and using training grounds at CJAG. IDLC was designed to provide Reserve Defenders with intensely focused hands-on training to achieve and maintain combat readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo/Eric M. White)

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