Mental Grit Propels Champions at 2026 Air Force Marathon

Sept. 21, 2026 | By Megan Purves, 88th Air Base Wing |

Every mile of a race is a physical negotiation — a stark reminder that while the human body has limits, the mind can be trained to push past them. 

More than 9,000 people across 50 states registered for the 2026 Air Force Marathon, testing their mental and physical endurance across several race categories Sept. 18-19. Races took place at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and outside of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. 

Leading the charge were full marathon champions Space Force 1st Lt. Nicholas McKenzie, assigned to Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, with a time of 2:34:31, and Kayla Rice, a Wright-Patterson Air Force Base employee, with a time of 2:56:39. 

"I'm ecstatic — it's a great day with super energy out on the course and beautiful weather," McKenzie said. "This is my second time running the Air Force Marathon, and I'm super grateful for all the volunteers, the support and all the other runners out here getting it done today."

However, for McKenzie, the mental turning point came during the race's most solemn stretch. 

"Around mile 21, it definitely starts to get hard. But running and seeing the tributes to our fallen service members was emotional and heartwarming. It really helped me stay motivated to get to the end," he said. "Seeing that helps you realize the ultimate sacrifice they gave, and it motivated me to dig a little deeper."

For Rice, crossing the finish line as the women's champion marked the culmination of years of dedicated training right on her home base at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. 

"I feel incredible. This has been a goal I've been working toward for the past few years, and it's great to finally achieve it," Rice said. "This is my fourth time running it, so every year it's been my goal to just get a little bit faster and eventually get where I am today. It was a big personal record for me, and getting to see all my friends, family, coworkers and teammates out on the course was amazing."

Sharing the spotlight were half-marathon champions Simon Heys, a civilian runner at 1:05:45, and Air Force 2nd Lt. Allyson Peterson, assigned to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, with a time of 1:19:10. 

For Heys, pushing through the half-marathon course was a personal way to show gratitude for military service members. 

"It was special," Heys said. "I really wanted to come here and just run as hard as I could. I wanted to put the grind out there, like the men and women who fight for this country do every day."

Peterson, competing in her first half marathon, relied on strategic pacing and late-race momentum to win. 

"I've been looking forward to this race," she said. "I had a great group of guys to chase coming down for the last like 6 miles. So, I was just focusing on closing that gap."

Beyond individual determination on the course, Air Force leaders underscored how physical discipline and community support directly reinforce the strength and readiness of the joint force. 

"If I have one message for you today, thank you for showing up to do hard things," said Matthew L. Lohmeier, Air Force undersecretary. "Thank you for working together as a community, both to support the 30th Air Force Marathon and to make the Department of the Air Force and the entire joint force a better place to work, a more lethal, ready force. And thank you for taking care of yourselves to be a part of our ready force."

As the cheers from the finish line festival filled the air and the champions took their places at the awards ceremony, the legacy of the 2026 race extended beyond the trophy stands. For the thousands who crossed the finish line, the race was more than an athletic showcase. It was a masterclass in mental readiness, proving that when the mission demands endurance, disciplined preparation always carries you through. 

Here's a look at the top three men's and women's finishers in the full marathon and half marathon: 

Unofficial times according to RacePenguin, the Air Force Marathon's race tracker: 

• Men's Full Marathon — first: Nick McKenzie 2:34:31; second: Hunter Boyer 2:40:01; third: Jack Walker 2:41:24 
• Women's Full Marathon — first: Kayla Rice 2:56:39; second: Lindsay Babish 3:09:12; third: Kristen Petrosky 3:14:06 
• Men's Half Marathon — first: Simon Heys 1:05:45; second: Peter Allegre 1:11:01; third: Patrick Konecny 1:11:13 
• Women's Half Marathon — first: Allyson Peterson 1:19:10; second: Kelsi Harris 1:24:52; third: Corinne Yorkman 1:26:26 

Military Spouse Commission Holds First Meeting, Identifies Top Issues

Sept. 21, 2026 | By Matthew Olay, Pentagon News |

The Military Spouse Commission held its first meeting today at the White House. 

The commission, which President Donald J. Trump established via executive order Aug. 3, is tasked with advising and assisting the president on policies that affect military spouses and families.

 

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who attended the meeting as a guest, spoke briefly to the roughly 20 attendees. 

“A lot of things that need to happen in our department happen with the stroke of a pen from either your husbands, at [their] level, and if not, up at the office of secretary of war level; and we are prepared to wield that pen,” Hegseth told the commission, which comprises the spouses of the War Department’s most senior military leaders.   

His wife, Jennifer Hegseth, chairs the commission and spoke about its establishment. 

“We're here to help President Trump improve the lives of America's nearly 1 million military spouses, which you all are a part of. And as you know firsthand, military spouses make a sacrifice for our nation together with the sacrifice of your warrior,” she said. 

She went on to explain that the commission will work to tackle big issues like employment, housing, education and healthcare, as well as micro issues that also need addressing. 

“Many of those solutions will be new, but some already exist and have gotten stuck in the bureaucracy — and we'll find those too,” she said. 

Jennifer Hegseth noted that some of those issues will need to be revived from past efforts to fix them, and that some solutions will require Congressional legislation.  

“We will work to find solutions to all of them, so thank you all again for being willing to serve,” she said. 

Each commission member then introduced themself and spoke about the issues that they prioritize the most. As the meeting continued, it became clear that the three most referenced issues were: healthcare, employment and housing. 

Donna Caudle, the wife of the chief of naval operations, said that as a licensed healthcare professional, she has seen firsthand and heard from countless Navy families about the challenges they face when accessing healthcare. 

“I look forward to working with the commission to help President Trump improve continuity of care and capacity, reduce appointment wait times, and close the gaps in specialty care and mental health services for our military families,” she added. 

Debbie Schiess, the wife of the chief of space operations for the Space Force, said she would love to see legislation that allows spouses who are licensed in any state to practice on federal installations.  

“This would tackle two issues at once: aiding in spouse employment and increasing our mental health providers,” she said. 

Regarding employment, Angie Perryman — who’s married to Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Perryman — explained that spousal employment is near and dear to her. 

“I've been a full-time federal employee with the Department of War for almost 20 years as a licensed clinical social worker, and I know firsthand that military spouse employment is not simply about finding a job; it's about preserving a career,” Angie Perryman said. 

She noted the importance of allowing spouses to maintain their jobs despite frequent changes of location. 

“My goal is to help make military-directed moves as close to career-neutral as possible through portable work, remote work, meaningful license, portability, and employment policies that allow spouses to build careers that move with their families,” she further explained. 

Katrina Isom, the wife of the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained that experiencing numerous moves over her husband’s nearly 40-year career has led her to focus on the quality of military housing. 

“During our time in the military, I've seen and experienced firsthand the struggles of increasing costs of housing, and the challenges of ensuring [the basic allowance for housing] meets the needs of our service members. As a member of this commission, I look forward to helping ensure that we are doing everything possible to ensure the housing needs of our military members is adequately met,” Isom said.

Following all the introductions, the secretary of war had high praise for the quality of talent among the commission members, as well as the 544 years combined of active-duty spouse experience the members share. 

“What an incredible background of human beings — Americans who gave the entirety of your lives to the whims of where the government sent your family,” he said. “And the least we can do is try to look back on that [time] and give.” 

The commission is scheduled to meet monthly at the White House.

Medal of Honor Monday: Army Cpl. Luther H. Story

Sept. 21, 2026 | By David Vergun, Pentagon News |

Army Cpl. Luther H. Story, an infantryman, posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Korean War.

Story was born July 20, 1932, in Buena Vista, Georgia. His parents were Mark and Florence, both sharecroppers in Plains, Georgia, on land owned by James Earl Carter Sr., the father of future President Jimmy Carter. 

The family later moved to Americus, Georgia, where Story attended Americus High School. He left school during his sophomore year in 1948 when he was only 16 to enlist in the Army. His mother falsified his birthdate so he could join.  

Story completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and his first duty station was Fort Lewis, Washington, where he was assigned to Company A, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.

His unit departed Seattle, July 17, 1950, aboard the troop transport ship USNS General John Pope and arrived in Busan (formerly Pusan), South Korea, July 23, 1950. The Korean War had started June 25, 1950, just a month earlier.  

Pfc. Luther Story was a squad leader. On Sept. 1, 1950, the date of his Medal of Honor valorous action, his company was near Agok, a village on the Nakdong River, during the Battle of Yongsan. 

His citation notes that the 9th Infantry Regiment was attacked by three divisions of the North Korean People's Army. 

Company A fought off several banzai attacks but was bypassed and in danger of being cut off and surrounded.  

Story was heavily engaged in stopping the early attacks and had just moved his squad to a position overlooking the Nakdong River, when he observed a large number of enemy soldiers crossing the river to attack his company.  

Seizing a machine gun from his wounded gunner, he used it to kill or wound an estimated 100 enemy soldiers, according to his citation. Facing certain encirclement, the company commander ordered a withdrawal.  

During the withdrawal, Story noticed an enemy truck approaching, loaded with troops and towing an ammunition trailer. Alerting his comrades to take cover, he fearlessly stood in the middle of the road, throwing grenades into the truck.

When he ran out of grenades, he crawled to his squad, gathered additional grenades and attacked the vehicle again. The company was attacked by superior numbers and forced to deploy into a rice field. Story was wounded in this action, but, disregarding his wounds, rallied his men, who repelled the attack.  

Realizing that his wounds would hamper his comrades' movements, he refused to retire to the next position, remaining to cover the company's retreat, which was successful. When last seen, he was firing every weapon available and fighting off another hostile assault. It was assumed he died at his position. 

On June 21, 1951, General of the Army Omar Bradley presented the Medal of Honor to Story's father at the Pentagon. Story was posthumously promoted to corporal. 

For decades, Story's remains were unaccounted for. The Army issued a presumptive finding of death Sept. 1, 1953, and his remains were determined to be nonrecoverable. 

In October 1950, 11 sets of remains were recovered near Sangdepo, South Korea, and eight sets were identified. One set of remains was thought to be Story, but investigators at the Central Identification Unit in Kokura, Japan, did not have enough identifying data to identify him positively. Those unknown remains were later buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. 

On April 6, 2023, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that Story's remains had been identified. 

To make the identification, DPAA scientists used dental and anthropological analysis. Additionally, Armed Forces Medical Examiner System scientists used mitochondrial DNA analysis obtained from relatives.

Story was buried at Andersonville National Cemetery in Andersonville, Georgia, May 29, 2023. Army Maj. Gen. Thomas Carden, adjutant general of the Georgia National Guard, spoke at the funeral.  

"Cpl. Story left us a legacy that we must honor and uphold if we hope to remain the most free and prosperous nation on Earth," Carden said. "Today is a physical demonstration that America never forgets its heroes."  

Story's Medal of Honor is displayed at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, Georgia, just outside the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia. 

President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a ceremony April 25, 2023, at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, and met with Story's relatives. 

Joint Press Statement for the 29th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue

 Sept. 18, 2026 |

The U.S. Department of War (DoW) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) Ministry of National Defense (MND) held the 29th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) on September 16-18, 2026 in Busan.

Mr. George LeMeur, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War (DASW) for East Asia, led the U.S. delegation. Deputy Minister (DEPMIN) for National Defense Policy, Dr. Kim Hong-Cheol, led the ROK delegation. Key senior U.S. and ROK defense and foreign affairs officials also participated in the dialogue.

During the meeting, both sides assessed the progress and work in implementing follow-up measures in the areas of defense cooperation within the Joint Fact Sheet between the U.S. and ROK Presidents and the 57th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) Joint Communique last year.

Both sides evaluated the work to modernize the Alliance in the face of an evolving security environment. They also assessed progress on the Conditions-based Wartime Operational Control (OPCON) Transition Plan (COTP), and pledged to strengthen cooperation to accelerate the transition of wartime OPCON.

They visited major defense industry sites together to further bolster cooperation in areas of shipbuilding and aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities, enhancing mutual understanding on key defense issues.

The two sides pledged to maintain close and continuous consultations on matters pertinent to the security of the ROK-U.S. Alliance going forward.

Hegseth Addresses Team Who Built Sea Drone Used to Rescue Downed Apache Crew

Sept. 18, 2026 | By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News |

In early June, an Army AH-64 Apache helicopter patrolling regional waters went down off the coast of Oman, leaving two crew members in need of rescue. An autonomous surface vessel — a U.S. Navy Corsair operated by the 5th Fleet's Task Force 59 — rescued the soldiers.

The autonomous seafaring vessel — manufactured by Texas-based Saronic — picked up the crew members and transported them to another location on the water where they were then hoisted into a helicopter for further transport.

Saronic builds a variety of autonomous vehicles for the U.S. military and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visited the company and workforce today to see how they make hardware that enables the joint force. He thanked them for the work they are doing now and will do in the future as part of the Arsenal of Freedom tour.

"Having had a chance to tour this facility firsthand just a few moments ago, the scale, investment and precision of your projects [are] truly impressive," Hegseth told Saronic employees gathered at the company headquarters in Austin, Texas. "You are on the front lines of American industry, and that's the entire purpose of the Arsenal of Freedom tour. I had a chance to shake some hands along the assembly line ... the point ... of this tour is to look patriots in the eye and thank you for the work that you've done and for the work that you're doing."

Saronic makes three autonomous ocean-going vessels: the Corsair, the Mirage and the Marauder. Hegseth said vessels like these are destined to be at the heart of the U.S. military.

"What Saronic demonstrates is the future of American naval power, delivering over 300 combat-proven Corsairs; rapidly fueling the 52-foot Mirage and scaling blue water reach with the 180-foot Marauder, all built in under a year," he said. "In our building, we're used to timelines of seven, eight years. One year is not a thing ... I came to see and it's real. That's the kind of scale and speed that our department needs. The kind of competition our building needs, [and] the bureaucracy needs to realize that it can be done."

Warfare has always involved troops on the ground, but now it demands autonomy as well, and the War Department is leaning heavily into it with its Drone Dominance initiative. But autonomy doesn't just mean drones in the air — surface-level vehicles are also critical, he said, including those like the Corsair that rescued the Apache crew.

"Those pilots are alive today because of the incredible innovation under this very roof," he said. "You should be ... incredibly proud of that feat."

The secretary also told Saronic employees that the Corsair had done additional operational work beyond rescuing pilots.

In July, U.S. Central Command "employed the Corsair to strike a submarine and ship maintenance facility at Bandar Abbas Naval Base," he said. "The operation degraded Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial shipping and marked the first operational employment of sea drones in U.S. military combat operations."

To maintain the most powerful military in the world, Hegseth said, the War Department is reaching out to companies like Saronic and unleashing their potential to build the best equipment possible, and to do it without constraints, roadblocks or bureaucracy.

"The Department of War ... has been kicking the door wide open for commercial disruptors, nontraditional innovators and venture-backed builders; we are actively creating the next generation of defense primes, firms like Saronic," he said. "Our Arsenal of Freedom tour showcases how modern deterrence requires commercial speed."

The secretary said that under Emil Michael, undersecretary of war for research and engineering and chief technology officer for the War Department, the department has unified its innovation ecosystem under one roof to make decisions faster than past bureaucracies allowed. And with the leadership of Mike Duffey, undersecretary of war for acquisition and sustainment, the department is reforming acquisition to empower program executives and deploying multiyear procurement contracts.

Hegseth also lauded Saronic employees and executives for playing a big role in revitalizing the American shipbuilding industry. In Texas and Louisiana, he said, Saronic is building ships, creating jobs and strengthening the defense industrial base all at the same time.

"At the Port of Brownsville [in Texas], Port Alpha ... delivers a $3 billion investment, up to 10,000 high-paying jobs, over $160 billion in regional impact for Cameron County, [Texas,] and 150,000 ... gross tons of new shipbuilding capacity," he said. "This industrial muscle here will double domestic shipbuilding and ensure absolute dominance."

Saronic is also investing some $300 million in Louisiana, including at the Gulf Craft shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana, to build autonomous surface vessels.

"This effort creates over 1,500 high-paying maritime careers," Hegseth said. "Together, Franklin and New Orleans prove that combining historic craft with robotics creates an unbeatable industrial edge."

The secretary said Saronic and companies like it are the future of American shipbuilding, and at the heart of the rebirth of the American defense industrial base.

"All the strategies from the Pentagon are meaningless without the people on this floor: the technicians, the machinists, the fabricators and the engineers," he said. "Every platform you weld, wire and assemble gives our warfighters the decisive edge to win and return home. Never forget that direct line from your hands to the success of our warfighters."

The secretary implored Saronic workers to keep doing what they've been doing, and to do even more.

"Today I say to you: build faster, scale larger and deliver more," he said. "We need you like never before, because when America is unleashed, we win."

 

'We've Got Their Back,' Hegseth Tells Parents of Enlistees in Texas

Sept. 18, 2026 | By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News |

The War Department doesn't serve politicians; it serves warfighters and the nation, said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth today in Austin, Texas, where he swore in new military recruits.

 

At the Austin Armed Forces Reserve Center, the secretary administered the oath of enlistment to more than a dozen young men and women joining the Texas National Guard, and then immediately after he administered the oath to more than 30 who were enlisting as federal troops across all branches of the military. 

Before administering those oaths, the secretary discussed the meaning of service and commitment. But he didn't address the recruits directly; he addressed the crowd gathered to watch, which was mostly the parents of the recruits. 

"One of the great pleasures ... for me in ceremonies like this is ... you look out at the families; you look out at mom and dad and sisters and brothers who love these Americans more than anyone else on the planet," he said. "I can see in [your faces] the fact that you're realizing that you are gifting your greatest gift to the United States military, to the War Department, and I get chills just saying that." 

Accepting that gift — America's young people — from the parents who raised them is a huge responsibility, Hegseth said. He vowed that the War Department and military services will not squander that gift.

"My commitment to you is that with our every breath that we have, [we will] ensure that they are prepared, that they are backed up, that they are trained, that they are ready, that the missions we give them are clear, the equipment we give them is the best, and the training the most difficult and rigorous," he said. 

The secretary told parents there exists a "Golden Rule" of the War Department, and that he asks commanders everywhere to apply it all the time, especially when it comes to honesty in the rigor applied to preparing troops to be the best they can be. 

"[That] is do unto your formation that which you would have done unto your son or daughter's formation," he said. "Meaning, if you're compromising a standard, or you're meeting a quota, or you're changing training to soften it or make it easier for some subset of people, would you do that if your son or daughter were in that formation, or not?" 

Families, Hegseth said, are the backbone of what creates America's warfighters — young men and women who choose to serve. And he said his role as one of those at the Pentagon is to serve those young men and women and all who choose to defend the nation.

 

"We are here at the highest echelons of the Pentagon to serve the warfighter, full stop," he said. "Not to serve politicians; [to] serve those [who] do the difficult things in dark and dangerous places." 

As a young officer in the military himself, Hegseth told parents and families what he wanted to know was that when he had difficult things to do as a warrior, that he had the support of his leaders and nation. He told those families that their sons and daughters will be asked to do difficult things and that they will have support. 

"Things will go wrong, things will break, mistakes will be made, but we need warriors, Americans, willing to step out and take the risks and do those difficult things," Hegseth said. "President [Donald J.] Trump has your back, I have your back, and I'm absolutely honored that we raise such men, that we raise such women, who are willing to do something bigger than themselves and serve."

 

Florida, Ohio Guard Units Strengthen Communications Partnership

Sept. 18, 2026 | By Air Force Airman 1st Class Ian Carton, 125th Fighter Wing |

The Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing recently joined forces with the Ohio Air National Guard's 220th Engineering Installation Squadron to improve communication infrastructure, strengthen mission readiness and provide hands-on training for airmen.

Earlier this summer, airmen assigned to the 220th Engineering Installation Squadron, who specialize in capabilities such as network infrastructure, communication systems installation and maintenance, and spectrum analysis, traveled to the Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, Florida, to assess and document its existing communication infrastructure; the mission served as an opportunity to integrate and provide expert support.

"We are documenting the layout of the communication infrastructure currently in place," said Air Force 1st Lt. Grant Warren, a cyberspace operations engineer assigned to the 220th. "We are making sure it's properly labeled and accurately updated within the digital repository used by communications squadrons and engineering installation units across the service."

The team traced communication pathways between facilities, confirmed cable routes, reviewed labels and updated infrastructure records.

Accurate documentation is critical when communication systems are damaged or disrupted. If a cable is cut or a building experiences an outage, technicians must quickly determine where the problem occurred and how it affects the broader network.

Warren noted that keen, accurate insight into the communication infrastructure keeps the base out of the dark.

"We may know that it starts in one building and ends in another, but we need to know what happens in between," he said. "Having a better understanding of that infrastructure increases our strategic capabilities when it comes to the mission."

The assessment also supported long-term planning. By understanding which pathways and resources are available, the 125th can make informed decisions about future communication requirements, infrastructure upgrades and support for new mission systems.

Reliable communications enable command and control, aircraft operations, maintenance, logistics and coordination with military and civilian partners. According to Warren, that makes communication infrastructure critical to mission success.

"Without communications, many operational missions would not be possible," he said. "We provide that capability, and it's a critical linchpin to have individuals who are capable of meeting the standards, ensuring that missions can go uninterrupted."

This project also gives junior airmen new experiences outside of their normal day-to-day practice, giving them a greater sense of the capabilities and expectations of the communications squadron's mission.

"It's important to do the job right the first time, because that means less work for the airmen who come after us," said Air Force Airman 1st Class Jacob Brommeland, a radar, airfield and weather system specialist assigned to the 220th.

Brommeland said serving as a multicapable airman broadens his experience and gives him opportunities to work with his hands while learning different parts of the mission.

The partnership demonstrates one of the National Guard's key strengths: sharing expertise and resources across states. The 125th gained a clearer understanding of its communication network, while the 220th received realistic training in a different operational landscape.

By working together, both units improved their capabilities and contributed to a force that is always ready and always there.

NORAD F-16s Deploy to High North Under Operation Arctic Vanguard

Sept. 17, 2026 | By Alaskan Command Public Affairs, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region |

The Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region deployed F-16 Fighting Falcons from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, to Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, in support of Operation Arctic Vanguard 26-4.2. During this NORAD operation, Alaskan NORAD Region is operating directly alongside the Canadian NORAD Region to execute critical defense missions across the Arctic, Sept. 13-26.

Under Arctic Vanguard, NORAD personnel and aircraft will forward deploy into Greenland to execute operations in austere conditions alongside partners from Denmark and other NATO countries. This operation supports the NORAD and U.S. Northern Command Nordic Bridge concept, which aligns the commands' Arctic operations, exercises and training, activities and investments with other U.S. combatant commands, NATO, individual nations and regional partners.

"Operation Arctic Vanguard demonstrates that austere conditions and vast distances present no barrier to NORAD's collective defense," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert D. Davis, commander, Alaskan NORAD Region. "Deploying combat airpower from Alaska across Canada and forward into Greenland validates our agile combat capabilities and demonstrates our seamless integration with the Canadian NORAD region, the Kingdom of Denmark and our NATO allies. Together, we maintain continuous vigilance and credible deterrence across North America's northern approaches."

Operation Arctic Vanguard is part of a recurring series of NORAD and Northcom operations conducted across the North American Arctic region to enhance presence, operate from forward Arctic locations and defend North America's northern approaches.

Under the Nordic Bridge concept and efforts to bring orchestration to operations, activities and investments in the Arctic, Operation Arctic Vanguard enables more consistent presence of multinational forces in the region, operating in multiple domains and in varying locations.

Joint Task Force Southern Border Soldiers Innovate to Reinforce Barriers

Sept. 16, 2026 |

Soldiers with the 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border in support of Operation Ardent Vanguard, recently reinforced a challenging section of the southern border barrier. 

The soldiers emplaced two strands of concertina wire and one strand of razor wire atop 7-foot Hesco barriers in National Defense Area 2 near Fort Hancock, Texas. The reinforced barriers disrupt climbing attempts and enhance persistent detection, monitoring and rapid response along high-risk border corridors.

"Barrier reinforcement operations represent more than physical infrastructure; they showcase the technical ingenuity and skill of our service members," said Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commander of Joint Task Force Southern Border and the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, Texas. "For the last 14 weeks, our great soldiers have been out here day and night developing innovative solutions to stop human trafficking in our own territory."

In May, the Navy and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began installing 10 miles of barriers under orders from the War Department and U.S. Northern Command. Within about 30 days, they constructed 10 miles of barriers, including site preparation, mobilization, environmental clearance, receiving barrier sections from overseas, and transporting more than 90,000 cubic yards of fill material.

On average, constructing 10 miles of Hesco barriers takes approximately 28 days when crews work 12-hour shifts. However, this timeline does not include mobilization, land clearing or compaction.

During the recent reinforcement operation, soldiers assigned to the 591st Combat Engineer Company-Infantry, 62nd Engineer Battalion, maintained a demanding pace as they reinforced barriers from Santa Teresa, New Mexico, to Fort Hancock, Texas.

"When we work on border reinforcement operations, we typically start in the morning, and then we work until around midafternoon," said Army 2nd Lt. Jonah Posada, a Sapper platoon leader with the 591st. "And then, we'll return to Fort Bliss and prepare for the next day; we try to continue at that pace for the whole week."

To address site conditions and avoid the Texas summer heat, the company adopted an offset work schedule: one platoon began work in the early evening; another relieved it and worked until late morning.

The elevated work surface and limited workspace made installing razor wire on the Hesco barriers difficult. Additionally, the soldiers could not use metal stakes, which are generally used for support, because they would place compressive stress on the barriers. Instead, they used boom lifts as work platforms to emplace razor wire atop the concertina wire.

The final 300-meter section presented another significant challenge: soft, uneven terrain prevented the boom lifts from reaching the area and attempts to move the equipment left them stuck. Rather than leave the section unfinished, the 591st soldiers developed a solution using equipment already available.

"We devised a plan using tent poles and rope that we had in our high-angle mountaineering kit," Posada said. "Using those ropes, we stretched [the section of wire] out and kept tension on the razor wire."

Soldiers on the ground used camouflage-net poles to lift the razor wire while teams atop the barrier secured it in place. A carabiner attached to a rope helped lift the wire from the ground, enabling the soldiers to complete the final section without relying on boom lifts.

The solution was the latest in a series of adaptations soldiers developed as they transitioned between traditional barrier work and reinforcing Hesco barriers.

The Hesco barriers introduced additional challenges because the razor wire configuration was not standard for the engineers.

"The actual obstacle that we emplaced on top of the Hesco [barriers] is not normal," Posada said. "We had to figure out how to best overcome that. The terrain by the Hesco was a big hindrance on the mission as well."

The company also developed techniques to prevent injuries. In one method, the soldiers attached a wooden post to a boom lift and used it to position the wire across the barrier.

The completed work reinforces the barrier with additional obstacles intended to deter unauthorized crossings and support the broader border-security mission. Posada said the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents appreciated the efforts and noted that the additional barriers helped limit crossings.

The operation underscores the role of combat engineers in providing practical solutions when terrain, equipment and mission requirements intersect.

For the soldiers conducting the work, the operation demonstrated the importance of adapting established engineering practices to conditions on the ground. Posada said he shared the techniques that his platoon developed with other platoon leaders in the company so they could apply the lessons learned to similar missions.
 

Interagency Effort Enables Airlift Support to Kauai Following Hurricane

Sept. 17, 2026 | By Air Force Capt. Casey Sturdivan, 15th Wing |

In the aftermath of Hurricane Lowell, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green requested military assistance to transport specialized utility vehicles from the Big Island, Hawaii, to Kauai, Hawaii, to help address continued widespread power outages, Sept. 12-13. 

The 15th Wing executed the airlift, an interagency effort that included the U.S. Pacific Command, the Air Force, the Hawaii National Guard and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Power outages began as Hurricane Lowell approached Kauai, Sept. 7. By 6:40 a.m. the next day, approximately 36,000 residents across the island were without electricity.

"I simply decided that we had to do everything possible to shorten the time to recovery, and partnering with the military and utilizing our National Guard on the ground has been a major addition to our state and county efforts," Green said.

Utility trucks originally relocated from California to Hawaii after Tropical Cyclone Lala were loaded onto two C-17 Globemaster IIIs assigned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oahu, Hawaii, and flown to Kauai to restore essential services.

On the ground, War Department emergency preparedness liaison officers and Hawaii National Guard members received the equipment. The airlift augmented support from the 74 guard members currently providing ground support in the wake of the storm.

Army Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, state adjutant general, said he feels extremely fortunate to be so close to U.S. Pacific Command and the Pacific Air Forces, which enable a rapid response and unity of effort in times of crisis.

"We are committed to continuing support for our community members without power in whatever way we can," said Air Force Col. Kyle Clinton, 15th Wing commander. "Supporting those that support us in times of emergency is why many of us chose to serve."

These consolidated partnerships across the War Department and state agencies enable nearly real-time synergistic response capabilities to natural disasters across the Hawaiian Islands.

Fort Hunter Liggett, Partners Unify to Battle Plaskett Fire

Sept. 16, 2026 | By Amy Phillips, Fort Hunter Liggett Public Affairs Office |

The swift response of Fort Hunter Liggett, California, to the encroaching Plaskett Fire in the adjacent Los Padres National Forest reflects its emergency preparedness and strong mutual aid partnerships in Monterey County, California. The fire ignited Aug. 26, burned 29,976 acres and is 89% contained as of yesterday.

There is no threat to the cantonment area, and the installation continues daily operations to support military training. While the threat never necessitated activating the installation's emergency operations center, garrison directorates effectively synchronized operations to deliver rapid fire-support operations. Fort Hunter Liggett remains mission ready with minimal disruption to daily operations.

"I'm incredibly proud of the tremendous teamwork and dedication the installation and our tenants displayed," said Army Col. Jason McKenzie, the garrison commander. "The fact that our military training and daily operations continued through these last two weeks illustrates that Fort Hunter Liggett is always mission ready."

The installation's fire department routinely monitors regional fire activity and conducts prescribed fires, when possible, to reduce the abundant fuel in and around the installation. They immediately started defensive planning and acting when they learned of the Plaskett Fire.

Aaron Smith, Fort Hunter Liggett fire chief, is serving as the installation's unified incident commander and is working alongside California Interagency Incident Management Team 7 to ensure a coordinated, safe and effective response to the Plaskett Fire. Fort Hunter Liggett is providing dozers, dozer bosses and dozer operators in support of suppression operations. The installation is also providing an advanced life support ambulance to support the incident medical plan.

"At the same time, we continue to maintain a dedicated initial attack capability for structural and wildland emergencies for the installation," Smith said. "This allows us to support the larger firefighting effort while continuing to protect our community, infrastructure, and training mission."

The Directorate of Public Works Roads and Ground crew works in lockstep with firefighters year-round to create firebreaks. DPW provided four dozers and eight equipment operators to the incident management control team, creating new firebreaks and enhancing existing ones to help contain the fire.

"I've heard nothing but great things from the incident team…they're doing a great job. I'm very proud of my team for their contributions," said Army Lt. Col. Loren Baldwin, DPW director.

The Fort Hunter Liggett police department plays a critical role in patrolling infrastructure and establishing a checkpoint at the installation's Nacimiento-Ferguson Road entry to prevent non-emergency responders' traffic from impeding fire operations. Those living within the Los Padres Forest and installation boundaries have unimpeded access to their homes.

Through it all, Fort Hunter Liggett remains fully operational, with the installation's Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security team coordinating and synchronizing support efforts. With more than a dozen aircraft supporting the fire and thousands of firefighters in and around the installation, Range Operations are operating at full throttle. They are constantly engaged — monitoring the situation, collecting data and supporting the U.S. Forest Service Fire Service base camp at Schoonover Airfield.

"While our EOC-Light and weekend operations were highly successful, our true victory lies in the lessons learned. We are already leveraging this experience to refine our systems, processes, and communication tools," said Paul Lewis, DPTMS director. "I could not be prouder of the DPTMS team and the garrison's unified response."

The AirNow website reported that air quality at the installation ranged from moderate to hazardous. However, Fort Hunter Liggett discovered that the quality measurements used by online platforms such as AirNow are based on sensors 40-50 miles from the installation. To rectify this, DPTMS worked with the PurpleAir site and installed four air quality sensors inside the cantonment area. These measures allow the installation to get accurate readings and apply appropriate safety measures to protect those who work and live at Fort Hunter Liggett.

Effective communication during any crisis is critical, and the installation uses all available channels to keep the Fort Hunter Liggett community and neighbors informed. The installation uses face-to-face briefings, internal emails, the My Army Post app, mass notification systems, and many online platforms to communicate with the community. Fort Hunter Liggett also has a webpage dedicated to fire-related information. 

Good communication and the fact that this is not the first or last wildfire the installation has faced, helps the community stay prepared. The Dolan Fire in 2020 was the last major wildfire to significantly impact the installation. Then and now, seeing the night sky aglow is traumatic for Fort Hunter Liggett residents.

"I went through the Dolan Fire filled with fear and uncertainty. Facing the Plaskett Fire, I understood exactly what could happen," said Talia Wesley, a FHL resident and Army civilian. "That experience didn't erase the fear, but it gave me the resilience, strength and clarity to prepare. I can't control the flames, smoke, or wind in either event, but I can control my readiness."

Wesley and many installation residents are prepared with air purifiers, to-go bags for evacuation orders, and dusted-off family emergency plans. 

"The Dolan Fire taught me the reality of wildfire danger; the Plaskett Fire showed me how preparation turns fear into action," she said.

McKenzie said that serving and protecting the community requires a united front and Fort Hunter Liggett is showing its true colors to support each other. 

"We're also incredibly grateful for the Army Reserve providing emergency funds, Cadence Communities for sharing command information to keep our residents informed, the Association of the U.S. Army for providing N95 face masks to combat the hazardous air quality, and many others that helped during our time of need," he said.

During the Sept. 8 virtual community town hall, Tom Clemo, incident commander, emphasized the importance of community engagement, listening to concerns and building partnerships. 

"The partnerships that have been created…Chief [Aaron] Smith at Fort Hunter Liggett has done an amazing job taking care of firefighters at the base," Clemo said. "If there's anything we've learned during incident management, [it] is that we cannot do this alone."

The Plaskett Fire has reduced some of the available wildland fuels within the affected area, but that does not eliminate the installation's future wildfire risk, Smith said. 

"We will continue evaluating burned and unburned areas, maintaining established fuel breaks, conducting mitigation activities when conditions permit and incorporating lessons from this incident into Fort Hunter Liggett's long-term wildland fire management planning," he said.

Preparedness, prevention and strong interagency coordination will remain central to protecting the installation and sustaining its training mission.

Fire also risks federally protected resources and future erosion. The Fort Hunter Liggett DPW environmental team coordinates with CIIMT-7 by providing environmental data for operations and recovery planning. The environmental team will follow up in 2027 with surveys of key areas to monitor the status of threatened and endangered species and cultural resource sites.

Steep, remote terrain and weather play a critical role in fire containment. Various fire operations continue, including applying mobile fire retardant, building backfires, deploying direct handline crews, and building firebreaks continue. Plaskett Fire information is available here.

Southern Vanguard 2026 Turns Peruvian Jungle Into a Classroom

Sept. 14, 2026 | By Army Staff Sgt. Mickey Miller, U.S. Southern Command |

Movement slows. Equipment gets heavier. Water becomes an obstacle instead of a landmark. The environment quietly strips away assumptions about how quickly a formation should move or how easily a soldier can accomplish a familiar task.

For U.S. soldiers training alongside Peruvian and Chilean forces during Exercise Southern Vanguard 26, that friction is exactly the point.

In the hills surrounding Sauce, Peru, soldiers are learning to move, survive and operate in terrain where their Peruvian counterparts have spent years developing expertise. During the opening days of jungle warfare training, multinational formations started at various lanes, including amphibious movement, survival skills and small-unit tactics designed for an environment that can punish even routine movement.

"Multiply fatigue by 10," Army Capt. Jared Fonzi, an operations planner assigned to the 551st Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command, said while describing the physical effects of jungle operations. "The climate, the terrain, the physical exhaustion that everyone here goes through — pictures do not justify the stress and the physical fatigue."

Southern Vanguard 26 is a multinational exercise hosted by the Peruvian Army and designed to strengthen interoperability among participating forces while building proficiency in jungle mobility, survivability and tactical operations. For American soldiers, participation offers something difficult to replicate at home: The opportunity to become students of a partner force operating in a terrain it understands intimately.

Fonzi, a graduate of the Jungle Operations Training Course-Panama, Ranger School and an infantry officer proficient with conventional U.S. tactics, said jungle warfare changes the scale at which soldiers must think and maneuver.

"The size of the maneuvering element is far smaller," he said. "You don't really maneuver as a platoon, which is usually the bread and butter of U.S. operations. Here, with smaller elements — team size, squad size — you need to rely more on individual survival techniques and minimal equipment."

That emphasis places greater importance on survival, fieldcraft and understanding the environment itself. Humidity, elevation, water obstacles, rainfall and dense vegetation are not simply background conditions.

"These climate differences and natural elements are what affect the fight," Fonzi said. 

That reality is also driving U.S. soldiers to look outward for expertise.

Fonzi said U.S. forces are relying heavily on jungle warfare specialists from countries such as Peru, Colombia and Panama to understand how forces accustomed to the environment operate and which techniques might improve U.S. tactics, techniques and procedures.

The dynamic is visible throughout Southern Vanguard 26.

Peruvian instructors are leading much of the jungle training, while U.S. instructors work alongside them and help translate techniques for American formations. Fonzi described the Peruvian approach as aggressive and immediate, often moving soldiers quickly from instruction into practical application.

"There's really no crawl phase here," he said. "They'll give a brief instruction, and then they just throw them in the water or whatever training environment they go into."

The approach may differ from how many American soldiers are accustomed to training, but adapting to unfamiliar methods is part of the exercise itself.

Interoperability is often discussed in terms of radios, procedures and whether two formations can communicate on a battlefield. But before any of that works, soldiers have to understand how their partners think, move and solve problems.

Sometimes that begins with something as unremarkable as getting everyone across a body of water. That process requires a certain humility.

The U.S. military brings considerable capability nearly anywhere it goes. The jungle offers a useful reminder that capability and expertise are not the same thing. Sometimes readiness means arriving prepared to teach. Other times, it means recognizing when someone else has something to teach you. Southern Vanguard creates room for both.
For soldiers operating beneath the jungle canopy, the lessons are as physical as they are tactical. 

"Being wet 24/7, fighting through brush, crossing water — these little things have a huge impact on how you fight," Fonzi said.

Over the course of the exercise, those small hardships become part of a larger test: whether multinational formations can adapt together in an environment that does not care how experienced, capable or well-equipped they were before entering it.

That may ultimately be the most valuable lesson hidden beneath the canopy. Partnerships become meaningful when soldiers learn to depend on one another before circumstances require them to.

USS St. Louis Assumes U.S. Northern Command Mission at Southern Border

Sept. 15, 2026 | By Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet |

The littoral combat ship USS St. Louis departed Naval Station Mayport, Florida, in support of U.S. Northern Command's mission to secure the southern border of the United States, Sept. 13. 

The St. Louis assumes duties previously executed by the USS Cooperstown in support of Northcom's border security objectives. The command is working together with the Department of Homeland Security to augment U.S. Customs and Border Protection along the southern border to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland. 

"Our crew has trained relentlessly for this deployment, and they stand ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. I could not be more proud to lead these sailors," said Navy Cmdr. Lester Shewmake, commanding officer of the USS St. Louis. "To our families and the Mayport community — thank you for your unwavering support as we head to sea." 

Navy assets are deployed under Northcom's maritime homeland defense authorities to enable maritime interdiction missions to prevent the flow of illegal drugs or other illegal activity.

The St. Louis is assigned to the Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 2 and homeported in Mayport. The littoral combat ship is a fast, agile, mission-focused warship designed to operate in near-shore environments to counter 21st century threats. It is a class of small surface combatants armed with capabilities to defeat challenges in the world's littorals. These ships can operate independently or in high-threat scenarios as part of a networked battle force that includes larger, multimission surface combatants such as cruisers and destroyers.

It is the 22nd littoral combat ship delivered to the Navy, the 10th Freedom-variant to join the fleet and the seventh ship to bear the name. The first St. Louis, a sloop of war, was launched in 1828. It spent most of its service patrolling the coasts of the Americas to protect interests and trade.

Hegseth, German Counterpart Agree to Advance Defense Industrial Cooperation

Sept. 15, 2026 | By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News |

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Boris Pistorius, Germany's defense minister, met today at the Pentagon to discuss NATO 3.0, increased European defense spending and the defense industrial bases of both nations. 

"We're here to take another strong step in advancing our defense industrial cooperation between the United States and Germany," Hegseth said. 

Last year at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Hegseth said allied nations must spend more on defense; President Donald J. Trump set the bar at 5% of gross domestic product. He added that increases in troop readiness, weapons production and force contributions were also needed. 

Hegseth, who calls the proposed changes NATO 3.0, said Germany has been "front and center" in making them happen. 

"Today, we see major progress that no one would have thought possible," he said. "Germany today is moving closer to fulfilling the 5% — leading the way on the spending commitment it made at the Hague Summit last year — but as we talked about, defense spending is just the first step." 

The secretary noted that increasing defense production on both sides of the Atlantic is essential. 

"NATO 3.0 will also require putting Germany's very large and historic industrial base to work for the common defense," Hegseth said. "It's the same thing that we're doing right here, as I and members of our team travel across the country; as we rebuild our arsenal of freedom." 

The arsenal of freedom plan, Hegseth said, aims to reindustrialize the U.S., rebuild American manufacturing, manufacture American-made products and create American jobs. 

The two civilian military leaders signed an agreement that, Hegseth said, aligns the War Department's acquisition transformation strategy with Germany's Procurement Acceleration Act. 

"When we align the two, you expand opportunities for joint development, production, licensed manufacturing, and expanded maintenance and sustainment capacities — exactly what allied countries should be doing," he said. "The objective is straightforward: Deliver capable systems to American, German and allied forces, at scale and at speed for maximum lethality." 

Pistorius highlighted Germany's immense increase in defense spending and said it's on board with the NATO 3.0 vision and with balancing out the burden of defending the NATO alliance. 

"Germany is strengthening its defense capabilities and acts as a driving force in Europe," he said. "We Europeans want to take some of the burden off the U.S. and assume primary responsibility for conventional deterrence in Europe." 

The German defense minister noted that since last year, Germany has increased defense spending by 25%, equivalent to about $147 billion. 

"We are investing in new state-of-the-art weapon systems here in the U.S.; we are assuming a leading role within NATO and, when it comes to providing support to Ukraine, we are strengthening NATO's eastern flank, particularly through our armored brigade in Lithuania," he said. 

He also highlighted German investments in technology, including space and deep-precision strike capabilities. Later this week, Germany will also roll out its first F-35A aircraft. 

The U.S.-Germany agreement, he said, will help Germany become an even stronger NATO partner than it has been for more than 70 years. 

"It creates a strong basis for closer armament cooperation between our two nations with one clear aim: increasing our production capacity," Pistorius said. 

He added that the NATO alliance must feature stronger European leadership to survive, and Germany will play a big part in that. 

"NATO needs to become more European in order to stay transatlantic," he said. "Burden shifting is progressing. Together with our allies, we are working towards a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO. And together with our American friends, we are working on strengthening our common defense and resilience."