Combat Operations Training

Images of soldiers in action during training, focusing on weapon handling and tactical maneuvers in smoke-filled environments. Highlights military readiness and combat scenarios.

Special forces operator pointing weapon in the dark.

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Taylor Coughlin from Anacortes, Washington, a UH-1Y Venom crew chief attached to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), grasps a AN-M8 HC smoke grenade during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-23 near Yuma, Arizona, Oct. 24, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

Fort Hunter Liggett California USA

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ryan Lauritsen, a scout sniper with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division fires an M110 Semi Auto Sniper System during Resolute Dragon 22 at Kamifurano Maneuver Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 3, 2022. Resolute Dragon 22 is a bilateral exercise 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. Lauritsen is a native of Dwight, IL.

Black silhouettes of pair of soldiers in the smoke moving in battle operation. Back light, cropped, toned and colorized. Black silhouettes of soldiers

Black silhouette of soldier in the smoke moving in battle operation. Back light, cropped, toned and colorized. Black silhouette of soldier

030424-F-6655M-004. Base: Irbil State: Arbil Country: Iraq (IRQ)

Spec ops police officer SWAT in the smoke and fire. Spec ops police officer SWAT

Special forces operator pointing weapon in the dark.

U.S. Army Pvt. Dustin Kysar, assigned to the Network Enterprise Center Belgium, 39th Signal Battalion, practices shooting in the Training Support Center Benelux Engagement Skills Trainer 2, on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, May 17, 2022. The EST allows Soldiers to perform Preliminary Marksmanship Instructions and other scenarios without the use of live ammunition.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Cory Ward, a water support technician with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 172, participates in a gas mask drill during a basic recovery after attack (BRAAT) training exercise, at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, September 25, 2022. MWSS-172 conducted a BRAAT in order to maintain readiness by demonstrating the ability to rapidly restore an airfield to operational capability following a simulated attack.

BOWEN, Australia (July 24, 2021) U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Christopher Isola, a rifleman with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force - Darwin, provides security during a training scenario at Exercise Talisman Sabre 21 in Bowen, Queensland, Australia, July 24, 2021. TS21 supports the U.S. National Defense Strategy by enhancing the ability to protect the homeland and provide combat-credible forces to address the full range of potential security concerns in the Indo-Pacific. Isola is a native of Long Island, New York.

Special operations forces soldier transits the water armed with an assault rifle.

U.S. Army Sgt. Zach Cooper fires on an enemy contact as his Soldiers from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment extract teammates to safety for simulated medical care during exercise Talisman Sabre 2007 in Shoalwater Bay, Australia, June 28, 2007. The biennial exercise is designed to train Australian and U.S. forces in planning and conducting combined task force operations, which will help improve combat readiness and interoperability.

041202-M-3988H-039. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Al Asad State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Army Ranger with machine gun and night vision goggles, moving along the wall.

Special Tactics Airmen assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing, Detachment 1, also known as Deployment Cell or D-Cell, are airlifted on an Alaska Army National Guard UH-60L Black Hawk from the 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion to Camp Mad Bull for a training exercise at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Jan. 10, 2023. Based out of MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, D-Cell consists of 54 members across 15 job codes forming four agile teams, whose primary role is to bare base - to rapidly turn undeveloped locations into fully functional bases. The unit visited Alaska to train and test their capabilities in an arctic environment.

Silhouette of special forces with rifle in action during river raid in the jungle waist deep in the water. Crossing river in jungle

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Romel Volveras, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Infantry Division Artillery, performs a radio check at the motor pool before to moving his assigned vehicle at Forward Operating Site Adazi, Latvia, July 13, 2022. The 1st Infantry Division Artillery 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. Marine Corps Cpl. Janae Jarnagin from Eaton, Colorado, a UH-1Y Venom crew chief, assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), loads a GAU-21 .50 caliber machine gun during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 2-22, near Yuma, Arizona, April 1, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1, providing standardized 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.

A U.S. service member assigned to the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A) demonstrates room clearing techniques to Afghan Commandos of the 6th Special Operations Kandak in Camp Commando, Kabul province, Afghanistan, Nov. 27, 2013. Members of CJSOTF-A continue to train and mentor Commandos to take security leads.

A member of Team Misawa participates in a Norwegian Foot March at Misawa Air Base, Japan, June 25, 2022. The Norwegian Foot March is an 18.6-mile march where participants carry a minimum of a 25-pound rucksack and strive to earn the Norwegian Foot March badge.

Green Berets U.S. Army Special Forces Group soldier in the rain.

010913-M-2917M-154. Base: Marine Corps Base, Camp Fuji State: Honshu Country: Japan (JPN) Scene Major Command Shown: 3rd Battalion 12th Regiment

US Air Force STAFF Sergeant Dominic J. Alexander and US Air Force SSGT Ben L. Dolan, armed with an M60 Machine Gun, compete during PEACEKEEPER CHALLENGE '96. Fourteen security police teams representing 12 Air Force major commands, the Royal Air Force and the Canadian Forces Air Command, fought it out during a week of grueling competition called PEACEKEEPER CHALLENGE. This image was used in the January 1996 issue of AIRMAN Magazine. Subject Operation/Series: PEACEKEEPER CHALLENGE '96 Base: Kirtland Air Force Base State: New Mexico (NM) Country: United States Of America (USA)

041012-M-0173F-008. Base: Ar Ramadi State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)

Sergeant (SGT) Taotafa Kirifi, Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 82nd Airborne, hooks a sling load cable to a CH-47 Chinook helicopter at Bagram Airfield, during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Bagram Airfield State: Parwan Country: Afghanistan (AFG)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Anthony Brady, a machine gunner with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, reloads an M240B machine gun while conducting force-on-force training during Fuji Viper 22.5 at Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan, Sept. 22, 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. 3/3 is forward deployed in the Indo-Pacific under 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program. Brady is a native of Cleveland, Ohio.

A U.S. Army Soldier from the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment provides security from his Stryker combat vehicle gunner position during a joint knock and search operation in the Dora District of Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 3, 2008.

A U.S. Army Soldier enters a room during a night air assault in Al Wahida, Iraq, July 2, 2007. Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division are conducting the air assault to capture suspected insurgents and locate possible weapons caches.

Tech. Sgt. Spencer Villanueva, an 821st Contingency Response Squadron flight sergeant, tests out his radio equipment during Turbo Distribution 22-2 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, July 13, 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)

Combat photographers document Operation Provide Comfort, an Allied effort to aid Kurdish refugees who fled the forces of Saddam Hussein in northern Iraq. Subject Operation/Series: PROVIDE COMFORT Country: Iraq(IRQ)

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii (July 19, 2022) Royal Australian Army Gunner Frederick George and Gunner Damian Patch, both forward observers with 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, call for air missions at Pōhakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, July 19, 2022. Marines with 1st Battalion, 12th Marines, 3d Marine Division conducted joint and international joint terminal attack control air and fire missions 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 world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

030409-M-5753Q-020. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: 7th Marines

U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Anthony Moore, a radio operator with 2nd Radio Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, from Corpus Christi, Texas, sets up communications for close air support mission during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-23, at Yodaville, near Yuma, Arizona, Sept. 28, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Anakin Smith)

Silhouette of a special forces soldier with rifle during a river raid in the jungle.

engraving a CNC machine on a piece of metal. Engraving dedication text. High quality photo. engraving a cnc machine on a piece of metal. Engraving dedication text

Operator of Russian special operations forces shooting a weapon in the Syrian desert.

970628-M-4605W-003. Subject Operation/Series: KERNEL BLITZ Base: Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: OpFor

U.S. Marines with Tactical Training and Exercise Control Group, and a French Foreign Legionnaire coordinate unmanned aerial counter-reconnaissance efforts during Adversary Force Exercise 3-22 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, April 26, 2022. During each Service-Level Training Exercise, the adversary force is provided with advanced equipment from the Office of Naval Research to test emerging technology for effectiveness in the multi-domain, force-on-force environment.

Staff Sgt. Tyler Brewer closely monitors the load carried underneath a CH-47 Chinook helicopter as it flies along the Arctic tundra along Alaskas North Slope. Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, along with two Chinooks and about 25 support personnel staged from the Deadhorse Airport Aug. 17-26 while flying missions to increase the reach of 1-52nd General Support Aviation Battalion beyond Interior Alaska and to focus on long-range organic logistics to support flight companies. (Army photo/John Pennell)

110106-N-7981E-261 PACIFIC OCEAN (Jan. 6, 2011) Strike operations officer Cmdr. Kyle Weaver fires a .50-caliber machine gun during a familiarization fire exercise on the fantail of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 are on a deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

010905-F-6911G-003. Base: Incirlik Air Base, Adana Country: Turkey (TUR)

Army, man and war with field fire, gun and danger, risk or violence in military service and battle, mission or apocalypse. Soldier or hero walking in flames, smoke or warzone and helicopter for crime

Marines with 1st Battalion 23rd Marine Regiment fire a shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapon during annual training at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., June 23, 2013. The annual training refreshes the reserve unit on essential skills such as weapons, tactics, and communication.

U.S. East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs), U.S. Army Green Berets from 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and Norwegian Naval Special Operations Commandos conduct close quarters combat training aboard U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Cypress (WLB 210), to strengthen interoperability with and develop skills in an extreme Arctic environment in Kodiak, Alaska, Feb. 24, 2024, during Arctic Edge 24. AE24 is an annual defense exercise for U.S. Northern Command emphasizing Joint Force operations in an extreme cold weather and high latitude environment and is designed to demonstrate the Commands ability to conduct Globally Integrated Layered Defenses in the Arctic. Navy

US Army (USA) Soldiers assigned to the 21ST Signal Company, and US Air Force (USAF) Airmen assigned to the 206TH Combat Communication Squadron, set up camouflaged netting for the communication center at Orote Point, Guam during Exercise TANDEM THRUST 99. Subject Operation/Series: TANDEM THRUST 99 Base: Orote Point State: Guam (GU) Country: Northern Mariana Islands (MNP)

Special forces operator pointing weapon in the dark.

A U.S. Marine with Maritime Special Purpose Force, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), conducts a Helicopter Rope Suspension Techniques (HRST) Masters' course at Stone Bay, on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 29, 2022. HRST prepares Marines for helicopter-borne insertion and extraction operations as well as certifies Marines as HRST Masters allowing them to oversee HRST operations with their respective units. The HRST Masters Course is one of several Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG) taught courses that the Marines and Sailors of the MEU receive as they prepare to deploy next year.

Army National Guard officer candidates, enrolled in the Washington Army National Guards 205th Regimental Training Institute Officer Candidate School Phase III, execute movement to contact missions on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., July 22, 2022. The candidates were faced with unexpected variables during the training, such as responding to simulated casualties and handling enemy prisoners of war. By conducting missions first as a squad, then as a platoon, candidates develop the confidence and leadership skills they need to make critical decisions under stressful circumstances.

Police SWAT unit protecting themselves with a ballistic shield while sneaking in the darkness.

United States Army ranger during a military operation.

A soldier of the 1/12th, 4th Infantry Division (ID) uses a high pressure hose to wash down a Bradley Fighting Vehicle at the Post Wash Facility. Base: Fort Carson State: Colorado (CO) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marines fire pistols during the precision pistol portion of the Marine Corps Marksmanship Championship, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, April 6, 2022. Competitors perform a single handed slow fire with the M18. The Marine Corps Marksmanship Championship, held April 6-11, allows competitors to participate in a variety of matches while receiving advanced marksmanship training within the action shooting rifle and pistol disciplines.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Andrey Garbuzov, an air traffic controller with Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, fires an M2 machine gun during Exercise Shinka 22.1 at Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan, June 22, 2022. Shinka exemplifies a shared commitment to realistic training that produces lethal, ready, and adaptable forces capable of decentralized operations across a wide range of missions. Garbuzov is a native of Sacramento, California.

Sgt. Garrett Baresel, an Amphibious Assault Vehicle crewman, with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, prepares his vehicle and crew before a mock ship to shore operation aboard the USS Makin Island September 6. With the commandants push for the Marine Corps to return to its' amphibious roots, the Marines in the AAV field have increased their ship to shore operations and training.

Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers from Charlie Company, 2-116th Combined Arms Battalion prepare to leave a room and move into the hallway toward another room.Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers from Charlie Company, 2-116th Combined Arms Battalion spent a portion of their annual training working inside the Orchard Combat Training Center Shoot House.The Shoot House is not another range but a tactical training environment where soldiers sharpen their skills in entering and clearing a room and various passageways in tight, close quarters areas. The exercise requires squad leaders to clearly communicate directions to identify potential threats and respond strategically and effectively to those threats.Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers are currently preparing to deploy in support of Operation Spartan Shield.

DF-ST-88-05180. Base: Fort Bragg State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Polish army soldiers observe U.S. Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, discuss gunnery table V engagement results in an after action review as part of the Abrams Apprenticeship Program, Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, June 7, 2022. The 3/4th ABCT 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.

M-60

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines provides security during Stand-in Force Exercise on Okinawa, Japan, Dec 9, 2022. SiF-EX is a Division-level exercise involving all elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force focused on strengthening multi-domain awareness, maneuver, and fires across a distributed maritime environment. This exercise serves as a rehearsal for rapidly projecting combat power in defense of allies and partners in the region.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class James Dunlap, 112th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, waits in line to disarm his M-16 rifle at the armory Jan. 26, 2011, during an Operational Readiness Inspection at Combat Readiness Training Center Savannah, Ga. The ORI will inspect the wing's Airmen on their ability to survive and operate in a chemical, biological, and war time environment. The 6th Air Mobility Wing, 927th Air Refueling Wing and the 73rd Aerial Port Squadron are working together to make the 112th Air Expeditionary Wing. (Air Force

U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Jacob Hutchison, an engineer equipment mechanic with Combat Logistics Battalion 6 (CLB-6), Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, poses for a photo during Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear night operations in preparation for exercise Freezing Winds 22 in Syndalen, Finland, Oct. 13, 2022. Task Force Red Cloud, headquartered by elements of CLB-6, is deployed to Finland in support of Exercises SYD 2022 and Freezing Winds 2022 to enhance U.S. and Finnish select interdependence in the maritime domain; solidify bilateral maritime maneuver within the Finnish littoral environment; and foster strong relationships between U.S. Marine Corps and Finnish Defense Force sustainment units.

A Marine moves out with his unit during Operation Desert Shield. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Cody Cunningham, a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) operator with Fox Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve sits inside a M142 HIMARS in during exercise Arctic Edge 2024 (AE24) on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Feb. 26, 2024. Fox Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, became the first unit to use HIMARS in combat in 2007. AE24 is a U.S. Northern Command-led homeland defense exercise demonstrating the U.S. militarys capabilities in extreme cold weather, joint force readiness, and U.S. military commitment to mutual strategic security interests in the arctic region. Marine Corps

Detail of Vintage US Military Pack with American Flag in Background

U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen line up before taking part in a military freefall over eastern Africa, Dec 1, 2022. Pararescuemen, or PJs, serve a critical role in personnel recovery by circumventing geographic limitations in order to save lives and secure important assets for joint and friendly forces.

Special forces operator in black uniform in the smoke.

A member of Sea-Air-Land (SEAL) Team 8 checks his 7.62mm M-14 rifle aboard the fleet oiler USNS J0SHUA HUMPHREYS (T-AO-188). SEAL Team 8 is providing boarding teams to assist the Maritime Interception Force in their enforcement of U.N. sanctions against Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Country: Red Sea

US Air Force SENIOR Technical Sergeant (TSGT) Williams, a videographer assigned to the 1ST Combat Camera Squadron (CTCS) Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, continues to improve upon his fighting position. The Joint/Combined Combat Camera team is currently deployed to the Combat Support Operations Course school at Fort Dix, New Jersey. While there the team will learn to survive and operate in a field environment. Base: Fort Dix State: New Jersey (NJ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

PFC. James A. Williams of the Combat Support Company, 1ST Bn., 35th Inf., 25th Inf. Div., places a 107mm round of ammunition into the tube of a 4.2 mortar gun during annual artillery training exercise. Base: Pohakuloa Training Area State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Participant in the Texas Military Departments Best Warrior Competition finishes four days of grueling physical and mental tests Mar. 4 with the “mystery event” that included low crawling while wearing a gas mask. The competition drew competitors from around Texas and from State Partnership nations, the Czech Republic and Chile.

A U.S. Army Ranger from 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, provides security over a concrete wall during a operation exercise conducted at Fort Knox, KY., April 22, 2014. Rangers are constantly training to maintain the highest level of tactical proficiency. The training was to ensure all Soldiers are proficient in warrior skills and tasks in preparation for their upcoming deployment.

While commonly known as snipers, the official term used by U.S.Army is designated marksman. The U.S. Army Sniper Course is a seven-week training course at Fort Benning. With most formal training courses, skill training is an ongoing process throughout the year. The snipers of the 2-116th CAB trained for a full week separate from the main body of units in the field during annual training 2022. Their training encompassed individual qualifications, timed shooting exercises and movement to a covered location without being detected, identifying adversaries, engagement and withdrawal without being sighted. U.S.Army, Idaho Army National Guard, Sniper, Infantry, Orchard Combat Training Center, Operation Spartan Shield

Backlit silhouette of Army sniper with large caliber rifle standing in the fire and smoke.

120812-F-PD696-193KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Aug. 12, 2012) Members of Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team treat simulated casualties during a base defense drill. The team is made up of U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy service members and civilians deployed to the Kandahar province of Afghanistan to assist in the effort to rebuild and stabilize the local government and infrastructure.

With the assistance of the Explosive Ordnance Detachment, US Army First Lieutenant Rob McCarthy, 9th Engineering Battalion, pauses to address the camera after he successfully managed to put the turret of a T55 Main-Battle Tank (MBT) out of commission in the field artillery area on Camp Dobol, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Operation JOINT GUARD, 15 March 1997. Subject Operation/Series: JOINT GUARD Base: Camp Dobal Country: Bosnia And/I Herzegovina (BIH)

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 2d Marines and Philippine Marines with Marine Battalion Landing Team 10 conduct close quarters combat training during KAMANDAG 6, in San Vicente, Philippines, Oct. 8, 2022. KAMANDAG is an annual bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military, designed to strengthen interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. 1/2 is forward deployed under 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program.

Spc. Jacob Byrd, a musician assigned to U.S. Army Japan stationed at Camp Zama, Japan, conducts a radio check during a series of warrior tasks and battle drills June 6 at Lightning Academy, Schofield Barracks East Range, Hawaii, at the 2022 USARPACs Best Warrior Competition. The USARPAC BWC 2022 is an annual week-long competition consisting of competitors from multiple USARPAC units across the Indo-Pacific. The noncommissioned officers and junior enlisted Soldiers are evaluated in several categories such as general military knowledge, basic Soldier skills, and physical fitness.

Idaho Army National Guard Sgt. Nathan Rohrback (far right) gives instruction to soldiers working the exercise in the shoot house.Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers from Charlie Company, 2-116th Combined Arms Battalion spent a portion of their annual training working inside the Orchard Combat Training Center Shoot House.The Shoot House is not another range but a tactical training environment where soldiers sharpen their skills in entering and clearing a room and various passageways in tight, close quarters areas. The exercise requires squad leaders to clearly communicate directions to identify potential threats and respond strategically and effectively to those threats.Idaho Army National Guard Soldiers are currently preparing to deploy in support of Operation Spartan Shield.

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Harry J. D. Walker (left), a Brookline, Mass. native and a platoon commander assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, communicates with his platoon while taking simulated fire during Korean Marine Exchange Program (KMEP) 17-14 aboard the North West Islands, Republic of Korea, August 11, 2017. KMEP 17-14 enables the Republic of Korea and U.S. Marines to focus on exchanging tactics, procedures, and increasing interoperability. The Hawaii-based battalion is forward deployed to Japan as part of the Unit Deployment Program.

United States Army rangers during a military operation in the smoke and fire.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Angel Diazmontesdeoca, a combat videographer with 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, poses for a photograph before a nighttime course of fire during a Combat Marksmanship Program range as part of 2nd Brigade Platoons field exercise on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Feb. 14, 2024. CMP allows Marines to maintain weapon proficiency by engaging targets in a competitive environment with primary and secondary weapon systems. 5th ANGLICO Marines refined their shooting fundamentals through advanced marksmanship training, enhancing their lethality. Diazmontesdeoca is a native of San Diego. Marine Corps

A suicidal military mad with a knife, a pill bottle, and a bottle and a shotglass sits on the floor with his head in his hands. Suicide prevention and the recognition of the problem because a serious issue for the American military in the early 21st century as multiple wars took a toll on the country's all-volunteer force. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Lee A. Osberry Jr., USAF)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Edwin Hernandezmartinez, ground electronic transmissions systems maintainer with Headquarters and Support (H&S) Company, 2nd Radio Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Information Group participates in a company level attack during a field exercise (FEX) on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Nov. 29, 2022. H&S FEX, hosted by 2nd Radio Battalion, provides opportunities for II MEF Marines to further develop military skills with a significant focus on building community and esprit de corps.

Boxes of Soviet weapons and ammunition seized during the evacuation of American students by US military personnel. Base: Point Salines Country: Grenada (GRD)

DN-ST-85-07117. Subject Operation/Series: SOLID SHIELD '83 Base: Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

soldier celebrating victory raise arms winner concept

U.S. and Côte d'Ivoirian special operations forces conduct Joint combined Exchange Training (JCET) in Adiake, Cote dIvoire August 23, 2022. JCETs enhance U.S. relationships with partner nations by developing and maintaining critical military-to-military connections and improving joint and allied readiness and interoperability.

U.S. Marine Corps LCpl. Trevor Halder, a scout sniper with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division fires an M107 Special Application Scoped Rifle during Resolute Dragon 22 at Kamifurano Maneuver Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 3, 2022. Resolute Dragon 22 is a bilateral exercise 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. Trevor is a native of Battle Creek, MI.

Congratulations to Tech. Sgt. Nathaniel Green on being Airlifter of the Week!As the 374th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms NCO in charge, Green is the subject matter expert on weapons training, tactics, and operability for over 12K Yokota personnel. Green also supported 90 Camp Zama personnel on weapons qualifications and managed Camp Fuji heavy-weapons qualifications for 25 defenders, enabling readiness capability for the wing. Were proud to have him as our Airlifter of the Week, Congratulations!

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