Recognition and Awards

Various ceremonies where military personnel receive accolades and recognition, demonstrating pride, unity, and the importance of leadership in the armed forces.

An airman in the Joint Honor Guard takes part in the honor cordon as Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosts United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace for talks at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., May 11, 2022. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)
An airman in the Joint Honor Guard takes part in the honor cordon as Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosts United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace for talks at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., May 11, 2022. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)
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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Lyndanesha Martin, 145th Security Forces Squadron, proudly displays her Phoenix Raven accoutrements at the North Carolina Air National Guard base, Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, Aug. 28, 2022. Staff Sgt. Martin is the first female from the North Carolina Air National Guard to be inducted into the small but mighty Phoenix Raven Program which centers on training a limited number of security forces personnel to provide security for Air Mobility Command aircraft in high-threat areas.
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Army 2nd Lt. Isiah Davis smiles after being commissioned as an officer in the Kentucky National Guard at the Kentucky State Capitol rotunda in Frankfort, Ky. on Sept. 24, 2022. Davis and six other lieutants were joined by friends and family at the commissioning ceremony.
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Inter-American Defense College Leadership hosts a hail and farewell ceremony on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., Aug. 24, 2022. During the ceremony arriving team members were greeted and departing members received awards, parting gifts and shared a few words with fellow staff members, students and faculty.
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U.S. Navy Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Robert Fenwick, from Homestead, Florida, assigned to the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), has his new rank pinned on by his family and fellow chiefs during a chief petty officer pinning ceremony at the Coastal Virginia Church, in Norfolk, Virginia, Oct. 21, 2022. John C. Stennis is in Newport News Shipyard working alongside NNS, NAVSEA and contractors conducting Refueling and Complex Overhaul as part of the mission to deliver the warship back in the fight, on time and on budget, to resume its duty of defending the United States.
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220512-N-BF073-0085MAYPORT, Fla. -- (May 12, 2022) - Lt. Stephanie Morales, a2012 graduate from Freeport high school in Freeport, N.Y. and a2017 graduate from Virginia Tech, is proud to serve her country this Armed Forces Day as the flag aid for U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet. The month of May marks Military Appreciation Month, and includes Armed Forces Day, which honors those currently serving in the military, and Memorial Day, which honors the sacrifices of those who died while serving their country. Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the 3rd Saturday of May and stems from the unification of the armed forces under the Department of Defense. U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern Commands joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, st
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DN-ST-90-01229. Base: Naval Air Station, Pensacola State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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170630-N-ES994-021CHICAGO (June 30, 2017) Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Steven Giordano talks with athletes, families and sponsors of the Department of Defense Warrior Games in Chicago during a reception at the Fisher House. The Warrior Games are an annual Paralympic-style event designed to showcase the resilient spirit of our nation's wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans.
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RADM Alan Reyes, Deputy Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command and Sonny Busa, National Capital Region Delegate with the USS Telesforo Trinidad Campaign, proceed outside to await the start of outdoor activities during an unveiling and dedication of a Virginia Historical Marker honoring Filipino Sailors in the U.S. Navy on May 28, 2022. The event occurred at the Philippine Cultural Center of Virginia in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
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LUANDA, Angola (Nov. 2, 2022) Command Senior Chief Petty Officer Terry Vines, left, assigned to the expeditionary sea base USS Hershel Woody” Williams (ESB 4), provides a guided tour of Williams’ bridge to U.S. Embassy personnel and their families following the ship’s arrival in the Angolan port Nov. 2, 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.
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The Association of the United States Armys (AUSA) Annual Meeting is the largest land power exposition and professional development forum in North America. This years meeting, Oct 10-12, provided presentations on the State-of-the-Army, panel discussions and seminars on military and national security subjects, more than 700 exhibitors, and a variety of networking events available to all that attend. Among the exhibitors were BENEFEDS and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Other exhibitors included Soldier for Life, Army Retirement Services, MyArmyBenefits, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, the Defense Commissary Agency, and the Army Chaplain Corps. The Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Christine Wormuth, was the keynote speaker.
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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Otis Jones, former vice superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy, is promoted from colonel to brigadier general in an official ceremony with his family pinning on his new rank, June 29, 2022. Jones' last official duty day at the school was July 1, 2022. He leaves the Academy to serve as the commander of the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joshua Armstrong)
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Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks speaks at the National Capital Region ROTC Detachment commencement at Fort Myer, Virginia, May 20, 2022. The class of 2022 had 87 cadets with 14 of them commissioning as Distinguished Military Graduates, the top 20% of cadets in the nation.
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Soldiers with the 1946th Financial Management Support Detachment, District of Columbia National Guard, are greeted by family, friends, senior leadership and D.C. National Guard Family Programs reps at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Feb. 16, 2024. Guard members returned from a nine-month deployment to Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, providing financial management support to Kosovo Forces assigned to the NATO peacekeeping mission. Air National Guard
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110815-N-PW494-088ARABIAN SEA (Aug. 15, 2011) Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Laura T. Malone, left, helps Rear Adm. Nora Tyson, commander of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2, put together a GBU-38 500 lb. bomb in the forward bomb assembly area aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). George H.W. Bush is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility on its first operational deployment conducting maritime security operations and support missions as part of Operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn.
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DETROIT, Mich. - Members of Womens Army Corps (WAC), attend the VetFast Veteran Breakfast event during The Armed Service Salute on Nov. 6, 2022. (Army Reserve photo by Pfc. Joseph Honce, 220th Public Affairs Detachment). The Womens Army Corps (WAC) was created during World War II to enable women to serve in noncombat positions. Never before had women, with the exception of nurses, served within the ranks of the U.S. Army. More than 150,000 women served within WAC during World War II. The Armed Service Salute (TASS) is a celebration of Michigan's veterans, active military, civilian community support, and the authentic patriotism inspired by that collaboration. TASS consists of three events on one day of continuous patriotic Veterans Day observance. Events like these help to further solidarity between the military and the public.
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U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Benjamin Gomez, expeditionary firefighting and rescue specialist, Marine Wing Support Squadron 273, Marine Air Control Group 28, teaches students with Eau Claire High School how to use a hose during a tour at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort, South Carolina, Jan. 11, 2024. The students visited MCAS Beaufort to better familiarize themselves with Marine Corps Aviation.
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (April 14, 2022) - Dana Shropshire, emergency management officer at Naval Hospital Jacksonville, gives instructions to Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Brian Williams at a First Receiver Operations Training. Shropshire, a native of Valdosta, Georgia, says, Our trainings provide direction to our staff to be prepared for possible disaster.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson takes her turn in an M-113, which is an armored personnel carrier. Behind her, at right, is Mission Specialist Thomas Reiter from Germany, and represents the European Space Agency. The STS-121 crew is taking turns driving the M-113 as part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress training from the pad and a simulated countdown. Mission STS-121 is designated for launch on July 1.
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U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Antonio Grant gives a speech during a Black History Month ceremony aboard the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) as part of Pacific Partnership 2024-1, Feb. 10, 2024. Pacific Partnership, now in its 19th iteration, is the largest multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific and works to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships. Navy
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86th Airlift Wing chaplains hold up a wooden plaque at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, May 6, 2022. The 86th Force Support Squadron Airmen and Family Readiness Center and the 86 AW chaplain corps hosted the 2nd Annual Military Spouse Appreciation Day to offer free food, games, prizes and resources to spouses and their families.
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U.S. Army Lt. Col. Ryan Scott, 2-10 AHB Commander, conducts his last flight as battalion commander on Fort Drum, Ny. July 15, 2022. Lt. Col. Scott was pinned his Master Aviator Wings afterwards, after completing 15 years of service and 2,000 flight hours.
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U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Otis C. Jones, 86th Airlift Wing commander, presents a trophy to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kuniko Moore, a U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder team player, after an intramural flag football game at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 28, 2022. Baumholders team played together throughout the season and was able to use that experience to their advantage to win the game.
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The Surgeon General of the Army and Commander of U.S. Army Medical Command, LTG R. Scott Dingle, his wife Sonja, Command Sergeant Major Diamond Hough and his wife MAJ. Marie Hough at the Surgeon General's Ball 2022.
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SAN DIEGO (Oct. 13, 2022) Yeoman 1st Class Jannell Glenn delivers a speech during a cake cutting ceremony for the Navy's 247th birthday at Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleets headquarters. The central theme of this year is On Watch - 24/7 for 247 Years, which highlights our Navys enduring ability to remain fully ready to respond to and effectively deter emergent threats.
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U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Jacquita Melton assumed the role of Command Chief of the Ohio Air National Guard's 178th Wing in Springfield, Ohio during a change of authority ceremony held Dec. 3, 2022. Melton is the ninth command chief master sergeant of the Ohio National Guard's 178th Wing.
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220823-N-AS200-0202 POINT MUGU, Calif. (Aug. 23, 2022) - Lt. Casanova Love, a native of Alexandria, Louisiana, relieved Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michelle Hamilton as Security Officer (SECO) of Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), Aug 23, 2022. NBVC is a strategically located Naval installation composed of three operating facilities: Point Mugu, Port Hueneme and San Nicolas Island. NBVC is the home of the Pacific Seabees, West Coast E-2D Hawkeyes, 3 warfare centers and 80 tenants.
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051117-A-9419D-045. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Lansing State: Michigan (MI) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Mr. Warren Pugsley, brother of newly promoted Chief Master Sgt. Carmen Daniels, reads a proclamation signed by Shareeta Smith, Mayor of the City of Lima, Ohio, during Daniels' promotion ceremony June 4, 2022, at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The Mayor proclaimed this day as "Chief Master Sergeant Carmen Daniels Day" and recognized Daniels for her 24 years of military service. Daniels, the 192nd Force Support Flight senior enlisted leader, became the 176th chief in the Virginia Air National Guard.
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STAFF SGT. Joe C. Kyle, an Air Force Recruiter and 29-year-old native of Brooklyn poses on a city street. He finds recruiting to be both a challenge and sometimes even dangerous in the New York City area. He recommends the "Aim High" philosophy to the youth from his booth in Times Square.Published in AIRMAN Magazine September 1996 Exact Date Shot Unknown. Base: New York State: New York (NY) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. delivers a keynote address on the state of the Air Force during the 2022 Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md., Sept. 19, 2022.
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221202-N-NT795-270 NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (Dec. 2, 2022) Retired Senior Chief Yeoman Joseph King speaks during the retirement ceremony for Chief Yeoman Nichol J. Zirpoli, a native of Totowa, N.J., and administration officer of Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 11, at American Legion Post 291 in Newport Beach, Calif., Dec. 2. Zirpoli, retired after 20 years of naval service. MESF is a core Navy capability that provides port and harbor security, high value asset security, and maritime security in the coastal and inland waterways.
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U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, commander of the Maryland Army National Guard, speaks with morning news anchor Shelley Orman at the FOX 45 television studio in Baltimore, Md., Sept. 11, 2022. The interview focused on Birckheads thoughts from September 11, 2001, and how the terrorist attacks 21 years ago impacted the Maryland National Guard.
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JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON - (Sept. 6, 2022) Retail Specialist First Class Shannon J. Clifton, poses with his Navy and Marine Corps Achievement award after being pinned and recognized by NTAG San Antonio Commanding Officer, CDR. Stephanie Simoni and command members.
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Senior Master Sgt. Carmen Daniels, 192nd Force Support Squadron senior enlisted leader, promotes to the rank of chief master sergeant June 4, 2022, at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. Lt. Col. Fallon Martin, 192nd Support Squadron commander, presided over the ceremony attended by Daniels' family, friends and fellow members of the Virginia Air National Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard by Staff Sgt. Kellyann Elish)
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U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Mardia A. Timoney, the musician technical assistant at 6th Marine Corps District, is congratulated by her family after her promotion ceremony held at 6MCD Headquarters, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, Aug. 1, 2022. This ceremony serves to publicly recognize those who have proven themselves worthy of the next enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps.
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Sgt. 1st Class Paul Sowu, Supply & Services non-commissioned officer in charge, Support Operations, 403rd Army Field Support Brigade, chats with DJ Sweet Tea (Sgt. Teanna Santana), host of the Morning Honey radio show on American Forces Network - Daegu, May 20. Sowu was on hand to discuss his unique background, the 403rd AFSBs many diverse missions, and the upcoming blood drive being organized by Sowu the 403rd AFSB Support Operations Team.
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Steven McCray, member of the United States Army Memorial Detachment, receives the Public Service Medal in San Antonio, Texas, Oct. 22, 2022. This award is given to the awardees for their selfless service in volunteering their own time to give back to military families by assisting in funeral honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
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Lt. Col. Alvin Bradford, 507th Medical Squadron commander, promotes to the rank of colonel during a promotion ceremony September 30, 2022, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
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Andy Rent interviews Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Phillip Jean-Gilles, from Miami, USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) executive assistant to the ships command master chief, during The River radio show in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as part of a namesake visit, September 1, 2022. Twelve Ford Sailors traveled to Michigan for the ships annual namesake visit to learn about the legacy of President Gerald R. Ford and connect with local community members in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor and Albion, Michigan.
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Sgt. 1st Class Celeste Holley stands with a sign, declaring her stand against sexual harassment and sexual assault at the North Post Commissary, Fort Bragg, North Carolina April 14. Holley is the incoming brigade sharp victim advocate at Womack Army Medical Center.
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U.S. Navy Chief Aviation Boatswains Mate (Handling) Cephas Banini, from Tema, Ghana, poses for a photo with family and friends during a chief petty officer promotion ceremony at the Coastal Virginia Church, in Norfolk, Virginia, Oct. 21, 2022. John C. Stennis is in Newport News Shipyard working alongside NNS, NAVSEA and contractors conducting Refueling and Complex Overhaul as part of the mission to deliver the warship back in the fight, on time and on budget, to resume its duty of defending the United States.
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Col. Lucas Teel, center, 4th Fighter Wing Commander, poses for a photo with members of 4th FW during Domestic Violence Awareness Month at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Oct. 20, 2022. DVAM was first recognized in 1987 to raise awareness for domestic violence.
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Senior Airman Shaquel Johnson leads Airman Leadership School class 22-F in to their graduation ceremony Aug. 18, 2022 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. ALS is required for senior airmen selected for staff sergeant to teach them about leadership and Air Force culture and is open to eligible civilians.
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Liberty Limelight: Staff Sgt. Saleeha Artis
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Country music singer, Darius Rucker, delivers remarks during opening ceremonies at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, Aug. 19, 2022. Hosted by the U.S. Army, service members and veterans from across the DoD compete in adaptive sports alongside armed forces competitors from Canada and Ukraine.
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JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON - (Oct. 14, 2022) A rise in rank is an honor and means a lot to service members who tirelessly perform their duties daily to protect and defend. In recognition of his Naval dedication, Aviation Boatswain's Mate Petty Officer Second Class Ignacio M. Tobar received authorization to assume the title of and wear the uniform of First Class Petty Officer.
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Lt. Col. Sidney McGraw receives a football from Chicago Slaughter wide receiver Dontre Jackson before the Chicago Slaughter-Wisconsin Wolfpack Continental Indoor Football league game Saturday at Hoffman Estates, Ill. McGraw is the executive officer for Marine Air Control Group 48, the Great Lakes, Ill.-based reserve unit which served as the command element of the inaugural Marine Week Chicago. Marine Week Chicago, which concludes today, provides an opportunity for Chicago citizens to meet the men and women of the Marine Corps and learn about its history, traditions and value to the nation.
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U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James M. Smith, 21st Theater Sustainment Command commander, hands Gen. Darryl A. Williams, U.S. Army Europe and Africa commander, a 21st TSC football jersey at Rhine Ordnance Barracks in Kaiserslautern, Germany on August 10, 2022. Williams, who assumed command in June, was in Kaiserslautern to meet with Soldiers and leaders under his command to gain an understanding of their contributions in assuring our NATO Allies and partners. There are more than 41,000 U.S. Army Soldiers throughout Europe and Africa and more than 8,000 Soldiers deployed in support of deterring aggression and reinforcing NATOs Eastern flank in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine. (U.S. Army photos by Pfc. Samuel Signor)
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Bettina Cicirello-Frederick, Dyess/Goodfellow Exchange Army and Air Force Exchange Service general manager, presents U.S. Air Force Col. Eugene Moore, 17th Mission Support Group commander, a check at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, July 25, 2022. The 2021 dividends from the Goodfellow Exchange were used to fund base-wide events that would be otherwise unfunded.
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Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) representatives from the 194th Division Sustainment Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade officially opened their Intervention Skills Situational Training Facility, February 3 at Camp Humphreys. The facility, brought to fruition by Staff Sgt. Sharmane Williamson and Staff Sgt. Catheryn Mayfield, provides scenario-based training that they hope will bring realism to the Soldiers that they train. The duo believes training facilities like theirs are worth replicating, allowing Soldiers to better visualize situations and topics that reinforce SHARP principles that lead to cultural change.
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220613-N-JX484-1001GRAND PRAIRE, Tex. (June 13, 2022) Navy Counselor First Class Ashley Miller, a leading petty officer with Navy Talent Acquisition Group Red River poses for a photo at Navy Recruiting Station Grand Prairie June 13. NTAG Red River encompasses 150,000 square miles that includes North Texas and Oklahoma, and consists of 40 Enlisted Recruiting Stations, three Officer Recruiting Stations, and three Military Entrance Processing Stations.
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NEWPORT, R.I. (Sept. 20, 2022) Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. George Easley, first director of the Senior Enlisted Academy (SEA), right, poses for a photo with Master Chief Information Systems Technician Tiffany Laitola, faculty advisor, SEA, after his interview with Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) historians, Sept. 20, 2022. NHHC strives to preserve and present an accurate history by locating, collecting, and preserving documents, artifacts, photos, oral histories, and art that best represent the history of the U.S. Navy.
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Rear Adm. Lex Walker, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, left, poses for a photo with Dr. Russ Wigginton, president of the National Civil Rights Museum, right, during Memphis Navy Week. Navy Weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy and increase awareness in metropolitan areas that do not have a significant Navy presence.
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Ohio Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Zavaughn Moss, noncommissioned officer in charge of the Ohio Homeland Response Force mass casualty decontamination line, stands for a photo prior to a four-day training exercise in July 2022 at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Butlerville, Ind. This years exercise included civilian actors playing victims during the training scenarios, which introduced a real-world emotional factor and made it more realistic for the HRFs Soldiers and Airmen.
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Sgt. 1st Class Carol Newland, sexual assault response coordinator, 1st Theater Sustainment Command, participates in Denim Day on Fort Knox, Kentucky, April 27, 2022. Denim Day is a campaign to raise awareness during Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.