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Military Training Operations

Images of soldiers engaged in various training exercises, including securing landing zones, marksmanship competitions, and planning bridge setups, showcasing teamwork and military readiness.

U.S. Army squads from across III Armored Corps compete for the title of the corps Best Squad during head-to-head competition at the III Armored Corps Best Squad Competition at Fort Hood, Texas, Jun. 22, 2022. The squad representing the 89th Military Police Brigade, including Staff Sgt. Nathan Villarreal, Sgt. Noe Garcia, Spc. Kole Vigilancia, Spc. Austin Moore, and Spc. Daniel McCamish worked together to install an OE-254 antenna. 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.

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Kelsey Loy, 140th Wing, Munitions Systems Squadron, discusses emergency response effectiveness at Buckley Space Force Base, Colo., Sept. 24, 2022 during readiness exercise, Operation Thundercat. This four-day exercise provides a simulated combat environment that allows Airmen to practice real-world warfighting capabilities.

U.S. Army Col. Benjamin J. Corell, Task Force Red Bulls commander, takes cover as a UH-60 Black Hawk lands upon a mountaintop in Laghman province, Afghanistan, March 28, during Operation Bull Whip. Joint Terminal Attack Controllers were among the 2,200 coalition troops involved in the operation to clear the Galush Valley of insurgents.

U.S. Marines set a 360 degree security for a simulated aircraft wreck site during Exercise Hamel at Cultana Training Area, South Australia, Australia, July 1, 2016. Exercise Hamel is a trilateral training exercise with Australian, New Zealand, and U.S. forces to enhance cooperation, trust, and friendship. The Marines are with Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force - Darwin.

Sergeant Major Allen L. Tanner, sergeant major for 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, speaks with Marines while attending a live-fire exercise during Realistic Urban Training (RUT) at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., June 8, 2010. During the 18-day training evolution, the MEU conducted several urban training exercises in a realistic environment as part of its pre-deployment training. The urban environment is among the most challenging tactical environments MEU Marines may face. 26th MEU is scheduled to deploy later this fall.

Georgian Defense Forces scan their sectors of fire for a defensive position training scenario held during Noble Partner located in the Vaziani Training Area, Georgia. Noble Partner is designed to enhance regional partnerships and increase U.S. force readiness and interoperability in a realistic, multinational training environment. The exercise allows participants to conduct situational training exercises, and combined mechanized maneuvers.

U.S. Army Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 25th Infantry Division Artillery perform direct fire with a M119 howitzer as part of DIVARTYs Best By Test Competition, on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Jan. 28, 2023. DIVARTY performs the annual Best By Test to showcase its most combat-ready teams performing battle tasks and drills. The competition emphasizes physical and mental toughness and allows competitors to demonstrate physical readiness.

U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade engage targets on an objective during a combined arms live fire exercise on a maneuver range at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Sept. 22, 2022. 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.

Soldiers with 1-26 infantry regiments, wait for a UH-60 Blackhawk before a live fire exercise with the Romanian task force 151 Oct. 12, 2022 Smardon, Romania.As one of the U.S. militarys contingency response forces, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) has units ready to deploy worldwide on short notice to conduct a range of military operations from humanitarian assistance to combat capabilities.

240206-M-IU565-1269 FAILAKA ISLAND, Kuwait (Feb. 6, 2024) A Marine assigned to Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Central Command prepares to return fire on opposing forces while participating in the final evolution of exercise Eager Defender 24 on Failaka Island, Kuwait, Feb. 6. Eager Defender 24 is the capstone in a series of bilateral exercises between Kuwait and U.S. naval forces, focused on enhancing mutual capabilities and interoperability in maritime security operations. Marine Corps photo)

U.S. Air Force Special Warfare Airmen with the New Jersey Air National Guards 227th Air Support Operations Squadron move tactically during a live-fire training mission with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773 on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Oct. 24, 2019.

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, conduct a patrol during a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 4, 2022. The purpose of a MCCRE is to formally evaluate the units combat readiness in preparation for deployment.

U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV), finish preparations of their M224 60 mm mortar system during the Super Squad Competition at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 13, 2022. The week-long Super Squad Competition incorporates a variety of combat-related tasks designed to evaluate each squads proficiency.

U.S. Army soldiers, assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, observe M109 Paladin rounds impact during training and table 6 certifications. A Fire Support Team is responsible for forward observations on the battlefield and activities such as target processing for artillery units and brigade maneuvers.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Tyler Kellogg, a bulk fuel specialist with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, retracts a fuel hose from a CH-53E Super Stallion after receiving fuel at a forward arming and refueling point, on Ie Shima, Okinawa, Japan, Feb. 14, 2024. A FARP is a point of operations to refuel and rearm U.S. aircrafts outside of a forward operating base. 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. Kellogg is a native of Winchester, Virginia. Marine Corps

A Soldier from the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment out of the Montana National Guard gains fire superiority during a battalion level combined arms live fire exercise (CALFEX) this weekend on Camp Buehring, Kuwait May 26, 2022.

U.S. Army Soldiers, assigned to Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 134th Field Artillery Regiment, 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Ohio Army National Guard, supporting Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, prepare an M777 Howitzer during an operational rehearsal exercise at Mission Support Site Conoco, Syria, Dec. 4, 2022. Coalition forces conducted an operational exercise using M777 Howitzer in Syria to validate weapons systems and maintain crew proficiency & readiness. These exercises ensure the Coalitions continued capability to support our partner forces and protect our Coalition forces.

Kentucky Army National Guard Sgt. Justin Boone 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.

060330-A-9930K-024. Subject Operation/Series: RSOI/FOAL EAGLE Base: Malipo Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

Pair of United States airborne infantry men in action in the desert.

U.S. FIFTH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (August 16, 2022) - U.S. Marines assigned to Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Central Command (FASTCENT) participate in a live-fire drill at a training facility in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, Aug. 16. FASTCENT provides expeditionary antiterrorism and security forces to embassies, consulates, and other vital national assets throughout the region.

Navy SEAL instructors fast rope from a UH60 Blackhawk for FRIES training during CENTAM Guardian 23 in San Jose, Guatemala on March 21, 2023. CG23 is an annual Army-led combined, joint, interagency, multi-national partnership-building exercise designed to build capacity, capabilities and interoperability with Central American partner nations.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. William Skiles, right, an intelligence specialist, and Cpl. Keanujaynu Delossantos, left, a transmissions system operator both with Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, conduct a radio check during a helicopter raid exercise on Ie Shima, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 31, 2023. The Marines of BLT 1/4 were tasked with capturing and securing objective points from simulated enemy forces during the exercise. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of USS 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.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Daevon Robinson, a landing support specialist with Helicopter Support Team, 1st Landing Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, works to recover a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle during the Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration of the 2022 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Air Show at MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California, Sept. 24, 2022. The MAGTF Demo displays the coordinated use of close-air support, armor, artillery and infantry forces and provides a visual representation of how the Marine Corps operates. The theme for the 2022 MCAS Miramar Air Show, Marines Fight, Evolve and Win, reflects the Marine Corps ongoing modernization efforts to prepare for future conflicts.

Airmen from the 423d Security Forces Squadron hold a formation 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.

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. Soldiers assigned to 2nd Theater Signal Brigade clear a room during day two of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) Best Squad Competition at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Aug. 9, 2022. Teams across USAREUR-AF test their tactical proficiency, communication, and overall cohesion as they compete for the title of Best Squad. Winners of this competition will advance to represent USAREUR-AF at the U.S. Army Best Squad Competition at Fort Bragg, North Carolina later this year.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Avalon McGuigan, foreground, from Washington, D.C., assigned to 2nd Landing Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, carries gear onto the flight line prior to a static line airborne operation, 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 standardization advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness and assist in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

U.S. Soldiers assigned to U.S. Army Network Enterprise Center Belgium, 39th Strategic Signal Battalion, perform the Battle Drills lane of Army Warrior Training, on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, May 25, 2022. This training tested the proficiency of Soldiers based on the unit Mission Essential Tasks List.

Pfc. Bailey Vachon, a joint fire control specialist with the 197th Field Artillery Brigade, looks through binoculars at a target during a call for fire exercise in Jordan, on Sept. 5. The exercise, Eager Lion is one of the largest military exercises in the region. There are 28 countries involved in the exercise this year, spanning two-weeks. #EagerLion22 (Photo by Sgt. Mark Hayward, 197th FAB Public Affairs Officer)

Double TimeCAMP PENANJONG, Brunei (Nov. 13, 2014) - U.S. Marines, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Echo Company, and Royal Brunei Land Forces conduct Military Operations in Urban Terrain training during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Brunei 2014. In its 20th year, CARAT is an annual, bilateral exercise series with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the armed forces of nine partner nations including, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battlion 2, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, rehearse convoy operations before conducting a live fire range during the Adversary Force Exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 27, 2024. The purpose of AFX is to create a credible, realistic threat for the exercise forces participating in Service Level Training Exercise 2-24. Marine Corps

A flight paramedic and two Soldiers competing in the Jack L. Clark Jr., Army Best Medic Competition at Fort Hood, Texas prepare a simulated casualty to be hoisted into a HH-60 Blackhawk 27 Jan.

Navy SEALs standing together on stern of speed boat.

120131-N-PC102-225 CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Jan. 31, 2012) Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Steven Cabrera, assigned aboard Riverine Command Boat (RCB) 802, attached to Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 2, mans a twin .50-caliber machine gun while conducting a route reconnaissance mission during exercise Bold Alligator 2012. Bold Alligator is the largest amphibious exercise in the past 10 years and represents the Navy and Marine Corps' revitalization of the full range of amphibious operations. The exercise focuses on today's fight with today's forces, while showcasing the advantages of seabasing. The exercise will take place Jan. 30 through Feb. 12, 2012 afloat and ashore in and around Virginia and North Carolina.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Brian Wu, center, a joint terminal attack controller with 4th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Marine Forces Reserve, in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force UNITAS LXIII, makes hand gestures to Brazilian marines during close air support drills as part of exercise UNITAS LXIII, Santa Cruz Air Force Base, Rio de Janeiro, Sept. 8, 2022. Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 773 and 4th ANGLICO cross trained with the Brazilian Marine Corps by conducting close air support drills, which consists of locating targets from the ground and relaying coordinates to assets in the sky to destroy. UNITAS trains forces to conduct joint maritime operations through the execution of anti-surface, anti-submarine, anti-air, amphibious and electronic warfare operations that enhance warfighting proficiency and increase interoperability among participating naval and marine forces. Wu is a native of Miami, FL.

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, practice exiting a United Arab Emirates Presidential Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during exercise Intrepid Maven 22.4 in the United Arab Emirates, Sept. 26, 2022. Intrepid Maven 22.4 is a U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command engagement series designed for bilateral and multilateral training engagements with partner nations and Marine Corps forces.

Hawaii Air National Guard Senior Airman Jane Choe, a New York City native and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense Airman with 647th Civil Engineering Squadron, participates in a joint explosive ordnance disposal exercise at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, Sept. 21, 2022 EOD technicians around the joint force conducted a week long joint-service level exercise where service members cohesively integrated, trained, and competed with one another while utilizing experimental technology. The training demonstrated progress in the U.S. Marine Corps Force Design 2030 efforts.

990306-M-5696S-002. Base: Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: E Co 2/6

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Thomas Kalakoski (right) and his squad leader Sgt. Jose Torres (left) , both with 3d Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, conduct a radio check during the Super Squad Competition at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 13, 2022. The week-long Super Squad Competition incorporates a variety of combat-related tasks designed to evaluate each squads proficiency. ( U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Benjamin Aulick)

Operators from the 20th Special Forces Group move back to a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to exfiltrate after neutralizing their targets during a live fire training exercise near Chester Township, Michigan, August 6, 2022. The mission was part of Northern Strike, an annual multinational joint training event headquartered at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center in Michigan.

U.S. Marines with Charlie Company, 3d Battalion, 12th Marines, 3d Marine Division fire an M777 howitzer during Artillery Relocation Training Program 22.2 at the Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan, Aug. 29, 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.

U.S. Army Soldiers stand by for training with a New Jersey Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter during a combat lifesaver course run by the Medical Simulation Training Center on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, April 14, 2022. The Medical Simulation Training Center provides realistic medical training to both medical and non-medical Soldiers in the Active, Reserve and National Guard, and provide hands-on instruction on the latest battlefield trauma and critical care techniques.

U.S. Soldiers assigned to Alpha Company, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conduct a safety check during a tactical pause at an M2 machinegun day qualification at Skwierzyna, Poland, Aug. 18, 2022. The 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division is among other units assigned to V Corps, Americas forward-deployed corps in Europe that works alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces. (U.S. Army photos by 2nd Lt. Kimberly Blair)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Daevon Robinson, a landing support specialist with Helicopter Support Team, 1st Landing Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, works to recover a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle during the Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration of the 2022 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Air Show at MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California, Sept. 22, 2022. The MAGTF Demo displays the coordinated use of close-air support, artillery and infantry forces, and provides a visual representation of how the Marine Corps operates. The theme for the 2022 MCAS Miramar Air Show, Marines Fight, Evolve and Win, reflects the Marine Corps ongoing modernization efforts to prepare for future conflicts.

1st Air Cavalry Brigade conducts battalion-sized air assault training operation with the Italian Paratrooper Brigade "FOLGORE" during Swift Response 2022, Skopje, North Macedonia, May 17, 2022. Exercise Swift Response 2022 is an annual multinational training exercise, which takes place in Eastern Europe, the Arctic High North, Baltics, and Balkans from May 2-20, 2022. It aims to present combat credible Army forces in Europe and Africa and enhance readiness by building airborne interoperability with Allies and Partners and the integration of joint service partnerships.

U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Elias Aparicio, a Savannah, Tennessee, native and a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, sprints carrying 60mm mortar rounds 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.

Arizona National Guard Soldiers train for Operation Copper Cactus at an undisclosed location in Arizona on Aug. 25, 2010. Operation Copper Condor is the Arizona National Guard's contribution to the up to 1,200 National Guard troops being deployed to support the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the four Southwest border states.

060727-F-3177P-075. Base: Fort Huachuca State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Providers assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division conduct set up and security operations on Fort Bragg, NC, March 28, 2022. The Field Training Exercise ensures Paratroopers stand ready to fight, win, and meet the 18 hour deployment standard.

A formation of Soldier from the Officer Candidate School march together during the six-mile ruck march on the track at Talladega Superspeedway, Jan. 23, 2024. This is just one of the many mental and physical challenges that test our future leaders.

Providers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division conduct a UH-60 jump on Fort Bragg, NC, March 30, 2022. The jump serves to bring awareness to the Army's SHARP program.

Artillery Soldiers from Bravo Battery, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division conduct sling-load operations and elevator drills with 3rd Attack Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division on Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, Jan. 4, 2024, to increase readiness and proficiency in air assault operations.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Benjamin Wiley, a joint terminal attack controller with Battalion Landing Team 2/6, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, works with a Norwegian counterpart during a live-fire exercise in Setermoen, Norway, April 25, 2022. The 22nd MEU, embarked aboard the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, is participating in a bilateral training event with the Kingdom of Norways Armed Forces to strengthen U.S. and Norway interoperability, ensuring collective capabilities and steadfast partnerships among NATO allies and partners.

Arizona Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team start loading into a light medium tactical vehicle to simulate an air assault mission during Exportable Combat Training Capability program at Camp Roberts, California, July 18, 2022. To start the mission Soldiers simulated air transportation support using light medium tactical vehicles and conducted security operations at the offload point.

Joint Terminal Attack Controller and infantry Marines assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division trained during exercise Garnet Rattler at Idaho's premier Orchard Combat Training Center and Saylor Creek ranges April 11-29, 2022. The exercise is a joint mission between the U.S. Marines, Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers, 124th Fighter Wing Guardsmen and 366th Fighter Wing Airmen from Mountain Home Air Force Base to train and qualify Marine JTACs to be more efficient and lethal in a realistic training environment. Idaho's ranges support this realistic environment. OCTC's 143,000-acre training area, located 18 miles south of Boise, is the Idaho National Guards largest training complex and includes nearly two dozen ranges to prepare units for combat operations.

Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), board a CH-47 Chinook assigned to the 2-501st General Support Aviation Battalion, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division on Oct. 12, 2022, at Petrochori Training Area, Greece. The United States commitment to defending NATO territory is ironclad and the United States will continue to bolster our posture to better defend our NATO Allies. (U.S. Army photos by Staff Sgt. Malcolm Cohens-Ashley, 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs.)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Jameson Copeland, left, and Cpl. Jedah Grapes prepare to depart for a raid during Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) aboard USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Jan. 27, 2022. The 22nd MEU and Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) Six are underway for COMPTUEX in preparation for an upcoming deployment. COMPTUEX is the last at-sea period in the MEUs Predeployment Training Program; it aims to test the capabilities of the ARG/MEU and achieve deployment certification. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Armando Elizalde)

U.S. Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), practice on the Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System (L-MADIS) during Realistic Urban Training (RUT) on Fort Barfoot, Virginia on January 10, 2024. RUT provides the 24th MEU the opportunity to operate in unfamiliar environments, integrate the units of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, and train towards being designated as special operations capable.

United States Army rangers in the mountains. United States Army rangers

U.S. Army Cpl. Cynthia Mendoza, assigned to 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, watches a demonstration during preliminary marksmanship instruction for the M4A1 carbine at Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, July 13, 2022. The 3/4 ABCT is among other units assigned to V Corps, Americas forward deployed corps in Europe that works alongside NATO allies and regional security partners.

U.S. Marines with 3rd Landing Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, stack up on the doorway during 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.

U.S. Army Pvt. Juan Davila, a rifleman assigned to Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment, Michigan National Guard, conducts dry-fire squad training at the Ben Ghilouf Training Area in Tunisia, June 22, 2022. African Lion 2022 is U.S. Africa Command's largest, premier, joint, annual exercise hosted by Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia, June 6 - 30. More than 7,500 participants from 28 nations and NATO train together with a focus on enhancing readiness for U.S. and partner nation forces. AL22 is a joint all-domain, multi-component, and multinational exercise, employing a full array of mission capabilities with the goal to strengthen interoperability among participants and set the theater for strategic access.

Special Forces Soldiers from the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) fire M320 grenade launchers at Orchard Combat Training Center during Western Strike 22, June 12, 2022. Western Strike 22 is an eXportable Combat Training Capabilities exercise led by the 65th Field Artillery Brigade, Utah National Guard, that provides National Guard Soldiers immersed training similar to a combat training center and aims to increase participating unit's readiness and lethality.

Soldiers assigned to Apex Company, 63rd Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 35th Signal Corps Brigade partnered with Soldiers From the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade to air insert two Terrestrial Transmission Line Of Sight radios (TRILOS) on June 7, 2022. During their training, Apex Company Soldiers conducted platoon validations on Command Post Nodes (CPN), Joint Network Nodes (JNN), and TRILOS to test their expeditionary signal communications and further support XVIII Airborne Corps and all its mission command systems. (U.S. Army photos by Sgt. Maxine Baen)

A U.S. Soldier assigned to the 41st Field Artillery Brigade ground guides an M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System as part of the Brigade Best by Test competition in the 7th Army Training Commands Grafenwoehr Training Area, May 19, 2022.

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/5 and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, rehearse movements during fast rope training aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18) in the Sea of Japan, Sept. 5, 2022. Fast roping allows for fast inserts in a contested area. 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.

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, fire an M240B machine gun during a squad attack exercise at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, July 12, 2022. Squad attack exercises reinforce infantry tactics and combined arms lethality. 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.

An A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 190th Fighter Squadron, Idaho Air National Guard executes a show of force during a training exercise with the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron, IDANG and the Brazilian Air Force tactical air control party specialist at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California, June 12, 2019. The Brazilian Air Force was training with the 124 ASOS TACPs and the 12th Combat Training Squadron TACPS during NTC.

Coast Guard law enforcement personnel from Maritime Security Response Team East perform live fire demonstrations at the units training center in North Carolina, Jan. 12, 2023. MSRT-East is an advanced-ready force trained in counterterrorism, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats, high-risk law enforcement boarding procedures and maritime security.

"U.S. Army Soldiers participate in rappel training during the Ranger Course on Camp Merrill in Dahlonega, Ga., July 12, 2015. Soldiers attend the Ranger Course to learn additional leadership and small unit technical and tactical skills in a physically and mentally demanding, combat simulated environment,

U.S Army Soldies arrive for the Land Navigation course during the Eighth Army 2022 Best Warrior/Squad Competition at Camp Casey, South Korea, May 8, 2022. The Eighth Army Best Warrior/Squad Competition is a week-long competition consisting of several events to test the participants general Army knowledge and skills.

U.S. Air Force security forces trainees inspect their issued weapons prior to beginning the field operations block of training during the U.S. Air Force security forces apprentice course at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis, Texas, Sept. 22, 2022. The field operations course is part of a six-week course designed to teach the basic skills necessary to new security forces Airmen.

U.S. Marines with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, prepare to load onto an MV-22 Osprey during an Air Assault Course at Camp Pendleton, California, on July 13, 2022. The Air Assault Course creates a challenging, realistic training environment that produces combat-ready forces capable of successfully operating as part of a Marine Expeditionary Unit.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Chris Perrault, a rifleman with Golf Company, Battalion Landing Team 2/6, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), leads his team up a hill during an island seizure exercise on Russaro Island, Finland, Aug. 12, 2022. The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and embarked 22nd MEU, under the command and control of Task Force 61/2, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests.

Security personnel from Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul depart for the Zabul Provincial Hospital after an improvised explosive device detonated, injuring two civilian children, June 9. Both children were medically evacuated by helicopter for further medical care.

U.S. Army Soldiers of the 3rd Regiment, 126th Infantry Battalion, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, walk through their gun-team lanes in preparation for African Lion 22 at the Ben Ghilouf Training Area, Tunisia, June 21, 2022. African Lion is U.S. Africa Command's largest, premier, joint, annual exercise hosted by Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia, June 6 - 30. More than 7,500 participants from 28 nations and NATO train together with a focus on enhancing readiness for U.S. and partner nation forces. AL22 is a joint all-domain, multi-component, and multinational exercise, employing a full array of mission capabilities with the goal to strengthen interoperability among participants and set the theater for strategic access.

U.S. Marines Lance Cpl. Fernando Lopez, left, and Lance Cpl. Michael Penge, both rifleman with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division observe 81mm mortar round impacts during exercise Bougainville I at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Aug. 23, 2022. Forward observers located at an observer position down range communicated with the fire direction center to ensure high-explosive rounds fired from an M252 81mm mortar system land on their intended targets. Bougainville I allows fire teams and squads with 3d LCT to rehearse small unit cohesion, lethality, and survivability to set conditions for company offensive, defensive, and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations during future exercises.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. AntoineBarnes, an 821st Contingency Response Squadron fire team leader, gives the thumbs up to a U.S. Army cargo team that he is escorting during Turbo Distribution 22-2 at Sabre Army Airfield, Tennessee, July 15, 2022. Turbo Distribution is a joint task force-port opening exercise designed to train U.S. Air Force and Army personnel on how to rapidly respond to humanitarian aid and disaster response missions. (U.S. Air Force by Staff Sgt. Scott Warner)

U.S. Army Troopers Spc. Dallas Kitchen, an intelligence analyst, (left) assigned to Ghostrider troop, Regimental Engineer Squadron, and Spc. Nikolas Garcia, an infantryman assigned to Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3d Cavalry Regiment, scan the terrain and provide security during a tactical operation center change of location or jump, May 18, 2022 at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California. 3d Cavalry Regiment conducted a training rotation throughout the month to validate their warfighting capabilities.

Approximately 80 Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers with the 1st Battalion of the 148th Field Artillery Regiment, along with counterparts from several states to include California, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin are training with the Royal Moroccan Army in the northern Sahara Desert as part of African Lion 22. Idahos battalion, from the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team and headquartered in Pocatello, left the United States June 18 for the two-week exercise overseas with the international partner. Idaho Soldiers spent the first week preparing for the combined arms live-fire multinational mission that is the primary focus of the second week and conducted annual crew certification on the M109A6 Howitzer. During the exercise, the battalion provided ground support with preparatory and destructive fires, as well as obscuration using white smoke fires. At the end of the two-week exercise, the Idaho National Guard and the four counterpart states will conduct the combined arms live-fire mu

U.S. Marines with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division fire a M224 60 mm mortar system during a digital kill chain exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, May 12, 2022. During the exercise, the Marines tested new digital target acquisition equipment for the M224 60 mm mortar system and the Mark 19 40 mm grenade machine gun.

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division, prepare to employ a Bangalore torpedo during a live-fire range on Okinawa, Japan, April 13, 2022. Marines rehearsed combined arms tactics to maintain readiness for expeditionary operations in contested environments. 1/3 is forward-deployed in the Indo-Pacific under 4th Marines as a part of the Unit Deployment Program.

An Airman with the 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron maneuvers to the objective during training at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria in Vilseck, Germany, Feb. 9, 2016. The training consisted of 2nd ASOS Airmen calling in close air support, neutralizing opposing forces and practicing medical evacuation by helicopter. The Airmen swapped roles as opposing forces and U.S. forces throughout the training to challenge their capabilities in controlling airpower in an urban environment.

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 2d Marines disembark a U.S. Navy MH-60S Seahawk helicopter during Fuji Viper 23.1 at Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan, Nov. 28, 2022. Exercise Fuji Viper exemplifies a commitment to realistic training that produces lethal, ready, and adaptable forces capable of decentralized operations across a wide range of missions. 1/2 is forward deployed in the Indo-Pacific under 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program.

U.S. Army Soldiers stand by for training with a New Jersey Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter during a combat lifesaver course run by the Medical Simulation Training Center on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, April 14, 2022. The Medical Simulation Training Center provides realistic medical training to both medical and non-medical Soldiers in the Active, Reserve and National Guard, and provide hands-on instruction on the latest battlefield trauma and critical care techniques.

A Combat Controller assigned to the 352d Special Operations Wing controls the landing of aircraft as an MC-130J Commando II prepares for a Forward Area Refueling Point during special operations air-land integration training near Daugavpils, Latvia, June 28, 2023. Operational readiness is paramount to partnerships, crisis response, deterrence and support to Allies and partners. (Capt. Kaitlyn Danner)

Soldiers sitting on rooftop observation post of an old ruined building.

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, load a 60mm mortar 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.

Soldiers of the Bundeswehr, taken during the Bundeswehr exercise 'Fast Eagle' in Barth, 05.05.2022. The exercise 'Fast Eagle' simulates an evacuation of German citizens from a fictitious crisis country within a short period of time., Barth, Germany, Europe

Army National Guard officer candidates disembark a CH-47 Chinook during Phase III of Officer Candidate School on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., July 18, 2022. During Phase III, candidates from 22 states will receive their final leadership evaluations from the qualified instructors of 2nd Battalion, 205th Regimental Training Institute, Washington Army National Guard, before receiving their commissions.

U.S. Army paratroopers with 173rd Airborne Brigade communicate via radio during a combined arms live fire exercise on a maneuver range at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Sept. 22, 2022. 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. Marine smoking a cigarette, half-turned to the camera.

Military Police with the 72nd Brigade Military Police Detachment, 91st Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division clear a town during a partnered training exercise at Hohenfels Training area during Combined Resolve II.

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Troy Lopez, a squad leader assigned to Light Armored Reconnaissance Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, confirms simulated enemy threats are eliminated during jungle tactics training at Exercise Cobra Gold in Chanthaburi province, Thailand, Feb. 29, 2024. Cobra Gold, now in its 43rd year, is a Thai-U.S. co-sponsored training event that builds on the long-standing friendship between the two allied nations and brings together a robust multinational force to promote regional peace and security in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Marine Corps

U.S. Army Capt. Eric Cruz, company commander, and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Dey, acting first sergeant, both of Viper Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), meet with various leaders of the Finnish army's Jaeger Brigade at the start of a combined situational training exercise at Sodankyla, Finland, July 20, 2022. The 2nd BCT is assigned to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), under command and control of V Corps, America's forward deployed corps in Europe, working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces.

U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operators with the 24th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida, free a simulated patient trapped under rubble left from an explosion during Emerald Warrior 22.1 at Guardian Center, Georgia, May 10, 2022. The ST team responded to a mass casualty event using their rescue and medical expertise to extract and treat wounded civilians.

Artillery soldiers from Charlie Battery, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division conduct sling-load operations and elevator drills with 3rd Attack Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division on Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, Jan. 5, 2024, to increase readiness and proficiency in air assault operations.

Staff Sgt. Heather Stinnett, Soldier with 338th Military Intelligence Battalion, navigates the terrain to find her points during the day land navigation event during the Military Intelligence Readiness Commands Best Warrior Competition, Camp Bullis, Texas, April 5, 2022. Winners in both the enlisted and noncommissioned officer categories will represent the MIRC in the U.S. Army Reserve Command Best Warrior Competition this summer.

Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers with Task Force Red Dragon, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, and members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) exchange knowledge on close-quarters combat at the French 5th Overseas Interarms Regiment base, Djibouti, June 23, 2022. Members of the CJTF-HOA regularly train and work alongside allies, partners, and government organizations to achieve a unified effort to improve safety, security and prosperity in East Africa.

Soldiers with the German Armys 6th Battery, 345th Artillery Battalion, prepare to board a U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk with 3rd Aviation Combat Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, during close-air support training at Townsend Bombing Range, Georgia, Feb. 21, 2024. German joint tactical air control and joint fire observers practiced coordinating aircraft, infiltrating and exfiltrating an area of operations with American military assets. Joint branch training with NATO allies ensures personnel utilize similar procedures and can operate together. Marine Corps

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