U.S., U.K. Air Forces Conduct Fighter Weapons Certification During Exercise Combat Archer

July 30, 2026 | By Air Force Capt. Joshua Cassem, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa |

After two weeks of high-end, tactical air and missile training, Exercise Combat Archer U.K. 26 concluded July 24, with the combat certification of the U.S. Air Force's 492nd and 493rd Fighter Squadrons stationed at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

Led by U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, alongside Royal Air Force F-35B Lightning fighter jets, the exercise paired an evaluation unit with active U.S. fighter squadrons to certify pilots and ground crews for combat operations.

The squadrons were supported by the 351st Aerial Refueling Squadron from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, which conducted the evaluation.

Exercise Combat Archer U.K. focused on air-to-air, weapons system evaluation training scenarios, ensuring high-end combat readiness for global operations. 

In accordance with chief of staff of the Air Force directives, operational units are required to certify in all aspects of air-to-air weapons system employment before executing real-world taskings. Exercises like Combat Archer further confirm Air Force units are postured and ready as a credible force to assure, deter and defend in an increasingly complex security environment.

"Across the command we know we have pockets of lessons learned and exercising them together in a challenging environment, before the time of need, gives us a strategic advantage," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander. "Exercises like Combat Archer U.K. 26 ensure tactical proficiency, readiness of our maintainers and operators and confidence in the weapon system."

During the exercise, ground crews and pilots gained valuable experience employing air-to-air missiles and aerial gun weapons. While maintenance personnel focused on building, loading and arming munitions onto aircraft, aircrew ground training focused on determining appropriate payloads for their assigned realistic combat scenarios. All training culminated in live fires where pilots executed weapons employment on airborne targets.

"It's a chance, in a controlled environment, for pilots to actually experience what live weapons employment looks like," said Air Force Capt. Thomas Holmes, 48th Fighter Wing project officer and 493rd Fighter Squadron pilot. "Exercises like Combat Archer U.K. really hone those air-to-air skills. There is no substitute for that kind of training."

The Royal Air Force F-35 fighter jets executed critical beyond-visual-range weapons scenarios, directly synchronizing allied tactics, techniques and procedures to forge deeper trust and operational confidence.

Specialized certification training like this ensures forces are ready, lethal and postured to safeguard against any threat to U.S. interests in Europe and around the globe. The exercise provided crucial data to system engineers, enabling them to improve aircraft and munition guidance systems for the Air Force.

The 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron evaluated both the ground and air components of weapons employment while simultaneously using traceable air-to-air missiles, enabling for detailed real-time telemetry data analysis. The integration of U.S. 4th- and 5th-generation fighter jets alongside Royal Air Force aircraft allowed forces to test their ability to provide and sustain combat operations in a realistic training environment alongside allies and partners. 

Walter Reed's Skull Base Team Performs Innovative Brain Surgery

July 30, 2026 | By Ann Brandstadter, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center |

For 15 years, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Andy Archer lived with a relentless, everyday companion — a pounding headache. 

"I'd wake up with a headache and go to bed with a headache," Archer recalled.  

He chalked it up to severe allergies or sinus issues, relying on over-the-counter decongestants to get through his demanding days. 

For Archer, a former drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, and a current flight line mechanic at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, pushing through the pain became part of his daily routine. But recently, Archer's vision began to blur. 

"I became nearsighted; it was bad," Archer said. "I thought I was getting old."  

He finally mentioned the chronic pain to his doctor, a provider with Marine Centered Medical Home New River. 

The doctor ordered an MRI that revealed a mass the size of a golf ball, measuring roughly 4.4 centimeters, sitting directly in front of his pituitary gland and pressing against his optic nerve.

Archer needed neurological care, and he needed it fast. It was suggested that he go to the premier medical hub for complex cases: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. 

At Walter Reed, Archer consulted with Army Lt. Col. Charles Miller, neurosurgeon, and Army Maj. J. Patel, anterior surgeon, both assigned to the hospital's skull base team. The specialized surgical team mapped out an innovative, minimally invasive procedure. 

The surgeons planned to extract the massive brain tumor entirely through Archer's nose.  

"Historically, most of these surgeries were done open, which is a much more challenging procedure for the patient," Patel said. "Today, if a tumor is the appropriate size and location, open surgery just isn't necessary. Through the nose, we get the best access and the best chance of complete removal." 

The procedure required a highly synchronized collaboration between two experts. Patel developed a plan to navigate the complex nasal anatomy and create a clear surgical pathway. Archer had a severely deviated septum, and Patel likened the fix to "removing the sheetrock but leaving the studs" so that the nose wouldn't collapse. 

Once the pathway was clear, Patel used an endoscopic camera to provide high-definition, close-up visualization on a surgical monitor. This allowed Miller the crucial two-handed freedom to dissect and extract the tumor safely. 

"If he needs to get to critical structures, I can drive the camera closer, so he has perfect visualization," Patel noted. "Dr. Miller takes on these complex cases when many surgeons wouldn't want to risk the complications or step out of their comfort zone. My skills in navigating the nasal approach are only useful because he is skilled enough to completely remove the tumor once we get there. Dr. Miller is very well equipped to do these surgeries. It is a true team effort." 

In July, the team successfully removed more than 99% of the benign mass. Still, a microscopic fraction of the tumor remained wrapped tightly behind Archer's optic nerve, that if removed, carried major risks. 

"You must ask, 'Is it worth giving the patient a stroke or permanently changing their perfect vision just to get that last millimeter?'" Patel said.  

Prioritizing the patient's health, the team decided to leave that final fraction, confident the tumor is highly unlikely to return. 

"The biggest thing was to get the tumor out safely," Patel said. "A minimally invasive approach through the nasal passages is more challenging and we are mindful that [the tumor] has to be in a certain spot to go through the nose." 

To complete the surgery, the team performed a reconstruction of the skull base, using a small graft taken from Archer's leg to seal the area.

Just two days after surgery, sitting in the surgical intensive care unit at Walter Reed, there were no visible signs that Archer had just undergone major brain surgery. 

Archer's vision had already started to clear, and while he was dealing with expected post-operative headaches and leg soreness from the graft, his spirits were high. He and his wife, Rebecca, have been blown away by the hospitality and professionalism of the hospital staff. 

"The care has been awesome," Archer said, giving special praise to the nurses, as well as the physical and occupational therapy teams. 

Rebecca echoed his sentiments, noting that the on-campus Navy Lodge provided a comfortable, supportive environment for their recovery process. 

For surgeons Miller and Patel, and the Walter Reed skull base team, Archer's remarkable outcome highlights a broader mission: ensuring military beneficiaries know that they do not need to look to the civilian sector for cutting-edge medical care. 

"I don't think anyone else in the Defense Health Agency has this kind of team performing these complex skull base surgeries," Patel said. "Our goal is to make sure providers know this capability exists, so patients have the best options. Most patients are happy to stay in military healthcare." 

Thanks to an observant Navy doctor, a collaborative surgical team and the innovative capabilities of Walter Reed, Archer's toughest battle appears to be behind him.

Freedom Haulers Initiative to Help Veterans Get Commercial Driver's Licenses, Better Jobs

 July 30, 2026 | By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News |

At the White House today, President Donald J. Trump announced the kickoff of the Freedom Haulers campaign, a new effort to help military veterans find good-paying jobs as commercial drivers following their military service by establishing a military-to-commercial driver's license pipeline.

"Under our brand-new ... Freedom Haulers initiative, any American who has driven a heavy truck for our military will automatically be eligible for a commercial driver's license — and it's good-paying jobs too," Trump said. "Any veteran with heavy vehicle experience from the military will now be eligible to skip redundant road tests to obtain a commercial driver's license."

The president said the initiative also helps military personnel with no truck driving experience get trained and licensed to drive commercial vehicles.

One element of Freedom Haulers is that drivers with two years of experience safely operating heavy military vehicles can obtain a commercial driver's license without taking the driving test. Previously, that option was available for only 12 months after leaving a qualifying military job. But now the window to take advantage of the waiver has been extended to 24 months. All states participate in this program, and more than 40,000 veterans have used this waiver.

Also, part of the Freedom Haulers campaign is the "Even Exchange" program, which exempts qualified military drivers from the knowledge test required to obtain a commercial driver's license. This program applies to Army motor transport operators, fuelers and Patriot launching station operators; Marine Corps motor vehicle operators; Navy equipment operators; and Air Force vehicle operators, fuelers, and pavement and construction equipment operators. Right now, 34 states participate in the initiative, but Trump said he thinks more states will soon follow.

"This is a big deal; we believe that all 50 states and Washington, D.C., should join us in supporting these great veterans. ... I think they're all going to be signing up," Trump said.

The White House, along with the departments of War, Labor, Transportation and Veterans Affairs, are involved in the effort.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy explained how, under Freedom Haulers, military veterans will be exposed to great opportunities to find good-paying jobs following their military service.

"These are great-paying jobs; they're anywhere from $80 to $100,000-plus a year," Duffy said.

Without a program like Freedom Haulers, Duffy said, military veterans with the skills to do the work would have to retrain for a job they already performed for years in service to the nation.

"If Secretary [of War] Pete Hegseth thinks that you can drive a vehicle like this," Duffy said, pointing to a military combat vehicle on display at the White House, "[President] Donald Trump and Sean Duffy think that you can drive a vehicle like that," he said, pointing at a commercial big rig.

The aim of Freedom Haulers is to get veterans into good jobs and increase the number of veteran commercial drivers, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said.

"I can't think of anything else that says freedom more in our country than an open road truck and a veteran," Collins said. "Veterans [have] said one thing: when they raised their right hand, they pledged what others would not do. They said, 'I will go and do what others will not do.'"

Now, Collins said, the VA is putting veterans first by helping them get into the driver's seat with great after-service jobs.

"Let's put veterans in the seats, making jobs safer and better for all Americans as we go along," he said. "Veterans ... you proved once you can do it. I know for a fact you can do it every single day."

Collins said the GI Bill will cover up to 100% of commercial driver's license tuition at state- and agency-approved schools. And for veterans with service-connected disabilities, the Veterans Readiness and Employment program also fully funds training and assists with job placement.

"One in 10 of our truck drivers across the country are veterans already — one in 10," Collins said. "Why don't we make it two in 10? Why don't we get three in 10?"

Army Chaplain Corps Celebrates 251 Years

July 30, 2026 | By Stella Naulo, Army |

As the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, the Army Chaplain Corps marks 251 years of service to the soldiers who have defended the nation since its founding.

The United States' strength has always depended on those willing to stand in its defense. A strong nation requires a strong Army, and a strong Army depends on soldiers who are prepared for the demands of service. Every soldier who raises a right hand and swears an oath to support and defend the Constitution accepts the responsibility of defending the ideals that have defined the country for two and a half centuries.

They leave behind their families, represent the nation around the world, and stand ready to answer when their country calls.

The U.S. is respected across the globe because of the men and women who wear the uniform. Through unmatched training, leadership, readiness, commitment and strength, the Army remains the most capable and formidable fighting force in the world. Yet ensuring readiness among soldiers has always required more than weapons and training.

Alongside physical strength and professional competence, resiliency is another facet of readiness that has been essential to the Army since its earliest days. Resilience grows through pastoral care, which helps soldiers navigate adversity with hope, courage and inner strength.

At its core, pastoral care is the recognition that every soldier is more than a rank, a position, or a mission. Each soldier has a story that extends far beyond the uniform. Each soldier is a person who experiences the demands of duty, separation, uncertainty, hardship and loss.

For 251 years, the Army Chaplain Corps has provided faith-based, intentional support aimed at serving each soldier wholly, helping them find strength during difficult circumstances, build resilience for the challenges of battle and prepare to thrive in life beyond military service.

Army Chaplain Kit

That ministry is represented by a familiar piece of Army equipment: the chaplain kit.

Today's chaplain kits are designed to support soldiers wherever they serve, providing chaplains with the resources needed to conduct worship and perform religious services for a range of faith traditions.  

Yet these kits didn't begin as standard-issue military equipment. Their development reflects the Army's growing recognition that caring for soldiers' religious needs is an essential part of sustaining the force.

When the Army Chaplain Corps was established July 29, 1775, chaplains carried religious materials tucked into their personal equipment, making sacred space for soldiers wherever they marched.

As the nation and Army grew, so did the Chaplain Corps. Matching the needs of a dynamic force, the supplies that chaplains carried gradually became organized field kits called chaplain kits.

The contents evolved with each generation, adapting to new conflicts and emerging technologies across the force. Yet the purpose remained remarkably consistent: to ensure that chaplains were prepared to meet the needs of soldiers in any environment, no matter how demanding or far from home.

For all their evolution, the most important elements of a chaplain's ministry have never been packed inside the kit. Kits provide the tools. Chaplains provide the care, each embodying an unwavering spirit to serve God and country.

Chaplains are there before a soldier leaves for a deployment, offering perspective during the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Chaplains remain connected to families as they navigate another separation. Chaplains sit beside hospital beds, listen during difficult late-night conversations, conduct funerals for the fallen and stand with units as they grieve the loss of one of their own. At each turning point, chaplains help soldiers and leaders face the challenges of service and find a way forward.

For 251 years, the Army Chaplain Corps has followed soldiers wherever the nation has called on them to serve. Today, it continues its mission with the same resolve that inspired its predecessors, the ever-evolving chaplain kit serving as a visible reminder of the promise to serve those who serve.

Fort Rucker's Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course Ramps Up Tactical Drone Training

July 29, 2026 | By Leslie Herlick, Aviation Center of Excellence |

The Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, is pushing forward with a series of updates aimed at strengthening tactical proficiency and meeting student expectations, said Army Staff Sgt. Mario Rostran, the course's noncommissioned officer in charge, and Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Gatta, the course manager.

Rostran said the leadership team is focused on refining instruction in response to student feedback to ensure the course delivers the advanced-level rigor it promises.

"We're continuing to improve the course," he said. "We're taking comments as we go and making sure [that] we're meeting the standards students expect. The goal is to make this the advanced course it claims to be."

Working alongside the team, Gatta is helping expand hands-on training and strengthen tactical application throughout the program.

"The most significant update is increasing the amount of physical, kinetic engagements from five to 12," he said. "We have been working to refine the overall course to run smoother and provide the most up-to-date data."

To meet the demand for advanced instruction, the course is shifting to a more tactical framework. Gatta noted the class will complete a culminating exercise this week at the drone training facility in Daleville, Alabama, marking a new experience for the students.

"This exercise will demonstrate a more real-world tactical environment and incorporate a close-quarters battle level of training, whereas previous emphasis has been heavily placed on outdoor live flights," he said. "Our current goal is to make the training more tactical in nature. I believe we have several solid plans to build on moving forward."

During this iteration of the course, students conducted live-engagement training using a purpose-built attributable system, the Shank 1.0, and C-4, a versatile plastic explosive. The event allowed students to apply lessons learned by flying the system, coordinating altitude and executing tactical employment against a designated target.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Riley Watts, assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 14th Aviation Regiment, spent months trying to enroll in the course. He said attending has given him a clearer view of how unmanned aircraft systems fit into the future of Army aviation.

"This is a great course to keep you relevant in today's force," Watts said. "Seeing how UAS is being implemented and utilized in today's Army is eye-opening, and it shows you how important it is to understand these systems."

Matthew Baldwin, a civil engineering major at the U.S. Military Academy, is attending to take tactical drone employment strategies back to the academy's future applied systems and tactics team. His leaders pushed to send two cadets to the course to expand their understanding of drone employment and to share that knowledge when they return.

Baldwin, who hopes to commission into the air defense artillery branch, said the course offers a perspective that will be important to future Army operations.

"One of the big questions is how to counter drones effectively," he said. "You're talking about sending a very expensive rocket to take out a cheap drone. Understanding drones from the operator's side, how they fly, what they look for, helps you understand how to counter them."

Although he arrived with limited tactical flying experience, he said the hands-on instruction has significantly boosted his confidence.

"I didn't know how to tactically fly. It's a completely different flying style," Baldwin said. "I feel better flying them, and now we're trying to develop a training program to help build other pilots on our team."

Beyond flying, Baldwin highlighted the value of the course's mission-planning segments.

"I've really appreciated the planning side, [the military decision-making process], troop-leading procedures, what goes into reconnaissance," he said. "I hadn't learned a lot of that yet. Going into my [fundamentals of small-unit operations] class and eventually into the Army, my knowledge base is definitely better now."

The Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course runs six times per fiscal year, providing recurring opportunities for soldiers seeking advanced UAS training. Upcoming course dates are Sept. 14-Oct. 2, and Nov. 2-20.

Navy to Decommission Littoral Combat Ship Fort Worth

July 29, 2026 |

The U.S. Navy will decommission Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) during a ceremony held July 29 at 10 a.m. PDT at Naval Base San Diego.

As an operational unit and test platform, Fort Worth and its crew played an important role in the defense of our nation and maritime freedom. Fort Worth and its Sailors were key to determining the operational configuration and deployment capabilities of today's LCS platform.

The honorable Gordon England, former Secretary of the Navy, will deliver the decommissioning ceremony's principal address. Remarks will also be provided by U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Matthew Kawas, the ship's sponsor's proxy, Ms. Jill J.R. Labbe, and U.S. Navy Capt. (ret.) Warren Cupps.

The ceremony will honor the service and legacy of Fort Worth, as well as the professionalism and dedication of its Sailors and their families.

LCS' are fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. LCS integrates with joint, combined, manned, and unmanned teams to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.

The LCS class consists of two variants, Freedom and Independence, designed and built by two industry teams. USS Fort Worth is a Freedom-class LCS, built in Marinette, Wisconsin. Austal USA leads the Independence-variant team in Mobile, Alabama, for LCS 6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls.

By retiring early-hull test platforms like Fort Worth, the Navy redirects investments toward upgrading the remaining LCS inventory with enhanced capabilities. This strategy sustains the LCS program and underscores the Navy's commitment to building America's Fleet of the Future, ensuring the active ships remain relevant, combat-credible, and reliable throughout their service lives.

For 250 years, American naval power has projected strength globally, operating forward 24/7, 365 days a year. This operational tempo demands continuous capability, and the Fleet of the Future is our answer.

Join the ceremony live stream. https://youtube.com/live/-a-bWFo-Re8?feature=share

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342.

DIA Headquarters Auditorium Renamed for Intelligence Pioneer

July 29, 2026 | By Pentagon News and Defense Intelligence Agency Public Affairs |

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met recently with intelligence community professionals at Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, to thank them for their work and to honor one of the earliest members of the intelligence community, Army Lt. Col. Thomas Knowlton.

Within the headquarters, the agency renamed Clapper Leadership Hall to Thomas Knowlton Leadership Hall. 

"Thomas Knowlton was a warrior in the Continental Army and the father of American intelligence," Hegseth said. "It was Gen. George Washington, our first commander in chief and the nation's first true spymaster, who commissioned Knowlton in 1776 to form our military's first dedicated intelligence gathering unit. Washington understood that victory is won not just by steel and shot, but by secrecy, by deception and by foresight. He knew that accuracy and timely intelligence are the bedrock of strategic dominance." 

It was after a spree of debilitating defeats as a result of intelligence failures in early battles of the Revolutionary War that Washington recognized the Continental Army's need for an elite group whose sole objective was intelligence and reconnaissance.

With that realization, Washington selected Knowlton as commander of the Continental Army's first intelligence unit, which would come to be known as Knowlton's Rangers.

Washington chose Knowlton as the unit's commander because of his experience as a scout in the French and Indian Wars and his leadership at the battles of Breed's Hill and Long Island. 

Consisting of 130 men and 20 officers, the unit was charged with conducting reconnaissance, carrying out raids against British facilities and other dangerous covert missions. 

Knowlton was killed in September 1776, while leading his men at the Battle of Harlem Heights. His contributions, and the creation of Knowlton's Rangers, are regarded as the birth of military intelligence.

Hegseth told the leaders that in the same way that Knowlton provided Washington with the intelligence needed to defeat the British during the American Revolution, today's intelligence community ensures that America's military has the intelligence it needs to make decisions every day. 

"I cannot do my job without the immense, tireless and often unheralded efforts that you put in every single day," he said. "The work done in these halls and behind these walls, across the globe by the defense intelligence community is the cornerstone ... of our national defense." 

During his visit, the secretary also provided coins to several military personnel and discussed with leaders how departmentwide transformation efforts, including restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding the military and reestablishing deterrence, affect the defense intelligence community.

Airmen Participate in the World's Largest Multiday March

July 28, 2026 | By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Shelby Pruitt-Johnson, 39th Air Base Wing |

Orange and green flags hung from storefronts, balconies and streetlights as lawn chairs lined neighborhood streets in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Restaurants, hotels and camps filled with visitors from around the world, and nearly every conversation with a local began with them asking if they were there for the march.
 
For a team of airmen assigned to the 39th Air Base Wing, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, the answer was "yes."

 
From July 21-24, they marched alongside thousands of military and civilian participants in the 108th International Four Days Marches, known locally as the Vierdaagse, or "Walk of the World." The event — one of the Netherlands' longest-standing military traditions — brought together 47,000 registered participants, including 6,455 military members representing 38 nations, for nearly 100 miles of marching. 
 
The Incirlik Air Base team was led by Air Force Capt. Nicholas Niazian, 39th Air Base Wing executive officer, and it joined more than 500 U.S. military participants from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard. For the airmen, the march represented more than an endurance event; it served as an opportunity to demonstrate the physical readiness, mental resilience and teamwork required to execute the wing's mission anywhere in the world. 
 
Niazian first learned about the Four Days Marches while stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, five years ago. The thought of it stayed with him, and after arriving at Incirlik Air Base, he immediately started assembling a team. 
 
"I'm a huge supporter of what we do every day by serving alongside our allies," Niazian said. "When I learned there was an event where military members from NATO nations come together to march, built around determination, grit and camaraderie, I knew I had to do it." 

 
Throughout the week, the team of 12 lived alongside military participants from across the globe at Kamp Heumensoord. This temporary Dutch military camp serves as home to thousands of military marchers each year. Between long days on the route, the camp became a place to recover, exchange stories and build friendships with the other service members. 
 
After arriving at the camp July 19, the airmen in-processed, made their beds and transformed their assigned sleeping areas into makeshift homes for the week. American flags, squadron stickers and unit memorabilia decorated the tents while rucksacks were packed, boots were checked one last time and feet were taped in preparation for the challenge ahead. 
 
Opening ceremonies, receptions and long-standing customs brought together service members from around the world before the first mile was ever walked. Participants traded unit patches, shared meals and built friendships between the rows of tents, creating connections that extended beyond uniforms, languages and nationalities. 
 
Those traditions reflect the military heritage that has defined the event for more than a century.

Founded in 1909 as a military readiness march for Dutch service members, the march has grown into the world's largest multiday walking event, while remaining deeply connected to its military roots. Today, military members from around the world continue that tradition by marching shoulder to shoulder, reinforcing the relationships that contribute to regional stability across Europe. 
 
Before sunrise July 21, reveille echoed through the air as thousands of military participants prepared to step off. Boots were laced, rucksacks were shouldered and participants departed for their designated starting locations, beginning the first of four consecutive days marching through Nijmegen and the surrounding area. 

 
Each day, the 39th Air Base Wing team marched approximately 25 miles through small villages, farmland and city streets before returning to camp to prepare for the next day's route. 
 
Along the way, an estimated 2.5 million spectators transformed the march into a citywide celebration. Streets were lined with cheering families, music echoed through neighborhoods and residents handed out water, snacks and words of encouragement from front yards and sidewalks. Live music and performances energized participants throughout the route, especially during the final day's march into Nijmegen. 
 
Just before the final stretch to the finish line, the team received one last boost when they were invited onto a large stage to celebrate with performers, DJs and fellow participants. 
 
"I looked back at the team and said, 'We're getting on that stage,'" said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Blair Pembleton, 39th Security Forces Squadron military working dog trainer. "Without hesitation, the entire team climbed onstage, waving our flag and dancing alongside the other teams. It gave us the push we needed to finish those last few miles." 
 
While the crowds helped lift spirits, completing nearly 100 miles over four days with a 20-pound rucksack remained a demanding test of physical endurance, mental resilience and teamwork. 
 
By the end of each day, sore feet, aching shoulders and tired legs had become routine. Blisters were treated, uniforms were hand-washed and rucksacks were repacked before participants climbed into their bunks, only to wake before sunrise to do it all again. 
 
"We chose to take on something difficult together as a team," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Fabrizzio Ulate, 39th Security Forces Squadron training instructor. "Every one of us had moments when we needed help and every one of us had moments when we were able to help someone else. Whether it was sharing food, water or supplies, or simply encouraging someone through a tough stretch, we got to the finish line together." 
 
Beyond testing endurance, the march demonstrated that interoperability begins with people. By marching side by side with Dutch and other allied forces, living together at Kamp Heumensoord, and sharing the challenges of the event, the 39th Air Base Wing team strengthened bonds that enable multinational forces to operate as a single, cohesive team when called upon. 
 
"It didn't matter which country's team you were walking with," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Melissa Gunderson, 39th Security Forces Squadron standards and evaluations noncommissioned officer in charge. "As soon as 'Country Roads' or '500 Miles' came on, the whole road turned into one big singalong. It made the miles go by a little faster and made an already unforgettable experience even more fun."

On the fourth and final day, after more than 215,000 steps, the team entered Nijmegen for the traditional finish along the Via Gladiola. Streets were packed with cheering spectators as participants were showered with gladiolus flowers, a long-standing symbol of strength, perseverance and victory. 
 
Military participants who successfully completed all four days earned the bright yellow Vierdaagse Cross, recognizing the successful completion of nearly 100 miles on foot. 
 
For the 39th Air Base Wing team, the Four Days Marches was more than a fitness event. They demonstrated the resilience required to project power, deter aggression and ensure regional stability across the European theater. More than 80 years after the liberation of the Nijmegen region, U.S. service members honored that legacy, reinforcing that the NATO alliance's greatest strength is built not only through combined operations, but through the friendships forged between those who serve.

Medal of Honor Monday: Army Tech. Sgt. Ted Takayuki Tanouye

July 27, 2026 | By David Vergun, Pentagon News |

Army Tech. Sgt. Ted Takayuki Tanouye posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in western Italy during World War II.

Tanouye was born to Nikuma and Momoye Tanouye Nov. 14, 1919, in Torrance, California. He was the eldest of six children.

He graduated from Torrance High School in 1938, where he played on the football team and excelled in academics. After high school, he worked for a time in the grocery industry in Torrance.

Tanouye enlisted in the Army Feb. 20, 1942. His parents and siblings were interned in the Jerome War Relocation Center and later the Rohwer War Relocation Center, both in Arkansas, because of growing suspicion of Japanese Americans following the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. They were held until the end of the war.

After serving as a cook in several stateside locations, including at Camp Robinson in Arkansas — ironically, the state where his family was interned — he was deployed to Italy in May 1944.

On July 7, 1944, the day of his Medal of Honor action, Tanouye was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, in the hilly countryside near Molino a Ventoabbto, Italy, during the in the Rome-Arno Campaign. 

Tanouye led his platoon in an assault to seize the summit of a strategically important hill that had minimal natural cover. When he observed an enemy machine gun crew setting up, he quietly maneuvered into position and opened fire on the position, killing or wounding three and causing two others to flee. 

Then, shots came from an enemy position. Tanouye returned fire and killed or wounded three more enemy soldiers. A grenade burst came in quick succession, wounding his left arm. 

Sighting an enemy-held trench, Tanouye raked the position with a submachine gun and wounded several of the enemy.

His men were pinned down by enemy fire, so Tanouye crawled forward a few yards and threw a hand grenade into the position, silencing it. He then located another machine gun firing down the hillside and silenced that position as well.

Drawing fire from a machine pistol nest located above him, Tanouye opened fire on it and wounded three of its occupants. After securing his objective, he organized a defensive position on the reverse slope of the hill before accepting first aid treatment and evacuation.

Tanouye recovered from his wound and returned to the front lines. He was wounded again Sept. 1, 1944, after kneeling to inspect a landmine along the Arno River. Another soldier accidentally tripped the wire and Tanouye took most of the blast fragments, saving the life of the soldier beside him. He died Sept. 6, 1944, from wounds suffered from the explosion.

In a letter of condolence to his family from Tanouye's commanding officer, he was described as being an "excellent soldier, a loyal American who was respected and admired by everyone in the company."  

In the years after the war, only one Japanese American soldier received the Medal of Honor: Army Pfc. Sadao Munemori, who died in battle. Tanouye posthumously received the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second-highest military award for valor. 

During the war, the approximately 14,000 Japanese American soldiers who served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team received 18,143 awards, including seven Presidential Unit Citations. 

In 1996, legislation sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii and others led to an official review of the many Distinguished Service Cross awards received by Black and Japanese American troops for their heroics during World War II. The review resulted in the military upgrading 19 of the 52 Distinguished Service Crosses to Medals of Honor, which included Tanouye. 

The Medal of Honor was presented to several Japanese American soldiers assigned to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during the June 21, 2000, White House ceremony. President Bill Clinton presented the Medal of Honor to Tanouye's younger brother, Isao Tanouye.

Tanouye is buried in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, alongside a battle buddy, Army Staff Sgt. Akira Shimatsu, who was killed July 16, 1944, in Italy. Also buried nearby are Tanouye's parents and younger brother, Army Pvt. Yukiwo Tanouye, who was killed during the Korean War.

Tanouye's Medal of Honor is on display in the Torrance Historical Society Museum, along with his story.

The National Guard Armory in Torrance was renamed the Ted Tanouye National Guard Armory May 19, 2002. A memorial to him was dedicated in July 2004 at Triangle Park, California, near Torrance High School.

The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2011 through Public Law 111-254 that was signed by President Barack Obama Oct. 5, 2010.

Air Force Wing Enhances Readiness, Resilience During Exercise Beverly Sentinel

July 27, 2026 | By Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan Maher, 8th Fighter Wing |

Running from July 21-23 at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, Exercise Beverly Sentinel 26-4 demonstrated the 8th Fighter Wing's commitment to readiness and force preparedness.

Through intense exercise scenarios, airmen sharpened their specialized skills and practiced critical decision-making under pressure, maintaining an operational tempo required to sustain combat operations in a contested environment.

During the exercise, airmen focused on ability to survive and operate training scenarios, an essential component toward exercising the wing's ability to defend the base and sustain mission-critical operations.

"Ensuring operational continuity in a contested environment is not optional," said Air Force Col. John DeLion, 8th Fighter Wing commander. "By implementing these realistic training scenarios, we enhance the resilience and readiness required of our members to project combat airpower and execute the [wing's] mission under any conditions."

Each unit bolstered mission-essential skills while refining lifesaving techniques and strategies, including tactical combat casualty care, opposition force response, post-attack reconnaissance and emergency response procedures.

Air Force Senior Airman Dylan Hayes, 8th Security Forces Squadron base defense operations center operator, was one of many airmen during the exercise who understood the value of this training for the team.

"Continuous, high-tempo training builds strong muscle memory that you can fall back on when stress and pressure begin to set in," he said. "This exercise prepares individual airmen at Kunsan for real-world combat by forcing them to survive, operate and defend the installation under simulated, high-intensity enemy attacks."

Hayes was one of four 8th SFS members assigned to patrol the installation inside a Humvee, providing surveillance and force response measures from simulated attacks at ground level with opposing forces and from above with unmanned aircraft systems.

Additionally, the exercise demonstrated joint force operations by showcasing services working side by side to defend the base, integrating their capabilities into a unified, layered defense against potential threats.

"My unit and the [8th Civil Engineer Squadron emergency management flight] work on airfields, and both can be attacked by the enemy simultaneously," said Marine Corps Sgt. Jesus Duran, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense specialist assigned to the Marine Wing Support Squadron 171. "Practicing how to respond to said attacks together definitely teaches us how each other operates and responds to these emergencies."

Duran participated as the Marine Corps CBRN cell counterpart for the base's emergency operations center, reporting potential hazards in response to simulated threats, providing recommended courses of action to base leaders and relaying that information to ground CBRN teams to execute.

"How the airmen have dedicated CBRN teams and equipment bags at the ready — it taught me how to be more efficient, and I want to bring this system back to my Marines," he said. "Bringing more branches together to train can only strengthen our capability as a military whole."

Integrating with other services during exercises like this validates the training as not an individual task but a joint imperative required to sustain combat operations under pressure.

As the exercise concluded, the readiness built under pressure remained for the team, weaving its way through the everyday lives of the base's service members while bolstering the wing's posture.

"We execute these exercises routinely to stress-test our airmen and systems, identifying the friction points and adapting our tactics with the lessons we learned," DeLion said. "We stress-test our processes in peacetime, to be ready when called upon."

Mission Marge Brings Legacy of America's 'Ace of Aces' to Guam Airmen

July 24, 2026 | By Air Force Airman 1st Class Charline Ebreo, 36th Wing |

A recovered wingtip from "Marge," the legacy Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft flown by Army Air Forces Maj. Richard Bong, America's World War II "Ace of Aces" and Medal of Honor recipient, touched down on U.S. soil for the first time in over 80 years at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, July 13.  

The Wisconsin Air National Guard transported the historic artifact as part of Mission Marge, an effort to preserve a piece of World War II aviation history.

"The leading World War II ace, Richard Bong, was born and raised in Poplar, Wisconsin," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Adria Zuccaro, the Wisconsin Air National Guard chief of staff-air. "The Wisconsin Air National Guard, who's a state partner, joined in on this really exciting historical moment."  

Zuccaro and the aircrew participated in the wingtip's recovery, transporting it aboard an existing mission returning from Papua New Guinea through the War Department National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.  

The arrival marks a major milestone in Mission Marge, a collaborative preservation endeavor between the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center and Pacific Wrecks.

The plane, named after Bong's girlfriend and future wife — Marjorie Ann "Marge" Vattendahl — crashed in the jungles of Papua New Guinea in 1944 and remained undisturbed for decades. The return of this surviving segment bridges the legacy of America's "Ace of Aces" with the modern Air Force.  

The recovery effort brought together Bong's family, the Wisconsin Air National Guard, Pacific Wrecks, the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, the Papua New Guinea National Museum and Art Gallery and local communities, whose respective representatives made up the Mission Marge delegation that stopped by Andersen.  

Airmen gathered at the base's Sunrise Conference Center for a briefing led by Justin Taylan, founder of Pacific Wrecks, chronicling Bong's military legacy and the expedition that uncovered his aircraft.

Taylan explained how historical records, archival research and an expedition to Papua New Guinea led investigators to the crash site in May 2024. The team documented thousands of images of the wreckage before identifying distinctive P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft components, which ultimately confirmed its identity.  

"Where the red paint had faded away, below it, was a black stenciled '993,'" he said. "Finding the serial number on that wreckage was the sign that we had waited for, that this is Richard Bong's plane."  

Mitchell Erickson, Bong's nephew, answered questions from attendees at the end of the brief, detailing the significance of the recovery to his family and Air Force history.

"Seeing a piece of your history come through, especially the aircraft of the 'Ace of Aces,' is significant for airmen today," Erickson said. 

Andersen Air Force Base served as the first stop for the historic wingtip after departing from Papua New Guinea, and it continued its journey to Hawaii before arriving at its final destination in Wisconsin.  

The wingtip was unveiled during the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, before becoming part of the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center's collection in Superior, Wisconsin, where it will preserve Bong's legacy and educate future generations about one of the nation's most celebrated pilots.  

"For us [who] are currently serving, I hope what you take from this is that people do remember that our service is important, and it's not only important for those who serve, but it's important to your families," Zuccaro said. "You can take this as a demonstration that 82 years later, there is still family that this is incredibly important to."

Historic Multinational Medical Team Integrates Aboard the USS Essex

July 24, 2026 | By Navy Chief Petty Officer Kathryn Macdonald, Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet |

In a historic medical first, a multiservice, multinational team of American and Canadian military medical professionals successfully delivered seamless, life-saving trauma care afloat. 

Operating aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex during Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2026, this newly forged coalition of doctors, nurses, medics and combined operating room technicians proved they could run a fully functioning shipboard trauma center under the most intense combat and disaster conditions.

Traditionally, while multiservice and multinational hospitals have successfully operated on land during past conflicts, afloat environments have remained strictly isolated. The administrative intricacies of differing licensing, credentialing and clinical privileges across nations and branches have historically posed an insurmountable barrier. For this iteration of Exercise Rimpac, planners spent more than six months pushing paperwork up the chain of command to grant active clinical practice authority to Canadian and U.S. Army personnel aboard a Navy vessel, allowing them to physically treat patients for the first time.

"The medicine is pretty straightforward, and we all practice good, evidence-based medicine," said Navy Capt. David Foster, the USS Essex senior medical officer. "We didn't have to teach each other how to do medicine. What we did have to learn how to do was integrate and communicate as a team."

This unique integration allowed the Essex to fully flex its hospital capabilities, running all four of its onboard operating rooms simultaneously to manage a massive, simulated influx of critically injured casualties.

The combined force fused the organic crew of the Essex and the Navy's Fleet Surgical Team 5 with the Army's 147th Field Hospital and 105th Surgical Augmentation Detachment, alongside Canada's 1 Canadian Field Hospital and the Canadian Medical Emergency Response Team.

The joint team's capabilities were put to the ultimate test during a massive, two-phase casualty drill simulating the aftermath of a natural disaster. During the exercise, the integrated medical department managed a total of 17 simulated patients presenting with severe, life-threatening trauma — a fourfold increase from a smaller, four-patient trial run conducted days prior.

Casualties were transported from the point of injury by a diverse fleet of partner-nation aircraft and Army helicopters.

Significantly, the Canadian Medical Emergency Response Team acted as the en route care asset, picking up casualties from the point of injury and treating them in the air aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook. The Canadian team inside the cabin included emergency physician Capt. Richard Lee, flight nurse Maj. Nadine Verwey and paramedic Sgt. Nickolas Petuhoff performed aggressive, mid-flight resuscitations.

"The one that I was most involved in the care of was a patient who sustained facial trauma where they had a compromised airway," Petuhoff said. "They required some aggressive airway management ... so they had a surgical airway."

The team also had to contend with aircraft variations that disrupted their standard operating procedures. Verwey noted that the U.S. Army Chinook had a large internal fuel tank, which reduced cabin space compared to Canadian aircraft.

"We weren't able to just do what we normally do," she said. "We had to adjust our plan, which helps to build flexibility and resilience in the team."

Once the casualties crossed the threshold into the ship's medical bay, they were met by a unified trauma team that spent the preceding days actively ironing out communication and process bottlenecks.

"Somebody might call a piece of equipment a widget and somebody else might call it a thingamabob," Foster said. "As soon as we got underway together, we got the team leaders together, and we paired up and grouped up the folks of the same skill types together to clarify and level-set all of those communications."

The team also implemented a radical, bottom-up process improvement suggested by a junior crew member to reverse the physical flow of patients through the triage spaces. By replacing standard hand-carried stretchers with rolling gurneys and establishing a strict, one-way directional flow, the team drastically reduced transit time between the flight deck, triage area and operating rooms.

"As small a difference as that might seem on the outside, it is actually a really significant change that really improves patient flow," said Lt. Cmdr. Sebastian Vuong, a Canadian anesthesiologist and transfusion medicine specialist.

Inside the operating suites, the realism of the training was elevated by hyper-realistic cut suits.

"The surgeon can actually cut through with a real scalpel. There [are] actual organs inside that actually bleed," said Navy Cmdr. Jesse Bandle, FST 5 officer in charge and commander of the Amphibious Task Force-Surgeon, Amphibious Squadron 5. "It really increases the level of fidelity of this surgical simulation."

Vuong, alongside an Army general surgeon, performed an emergency thoracotomy on a cut suit to open a patient's chest, control massive lung bleeding and administer blood transfusions. To manage resources efficiently, Vuong also provided intensive care unit sedation for a bilateral leg fasciotomy on an electrical burn patient to save the limb, freeing up the operating rooms for other critical cases.

"It's really not about the medical clinical care; it's about how to streamline the processes," she said. "Medicine really has no uniform."

The drill also forced the medical staff to navigate the grim realities of mass casualty triage and resource limitations. Facing a patient with an unsalvageable head injury and exposed brain matter, providers pivoted to expectant care, administering pain medications for comfort while bringing in the ship's chaplain to ensure a dignified death.

For veteran land-based providers like Army Col. Dennis Turner, a nurse anesthetist with 25 years of service, practicing medicine afloat introduced unique, eye-opening challenges. 

"I learned that I can do resuscitative immersion care pretty much in any environment now, even aboard ship," Turner said. 

He noted that, unlike a land-based Army field hospital, where supply replenishment is constant, shipboard medicine is far more isolated. 

"It seems like it's more resource-constrained here out in the middle of the ocean than we are on land," Turner said. "We don't have to worry about whether we're close enough to land to be able to receive more supplies and send away casualties."

While surgeons operated, the ship's dental crew activated a "walking blood bank," drawing fresh whole blood from the crew to sustain the trauma bay. Other teams managed complex abdominal laparotomies, packed open wounds and stabilized severe pelvic fractures.

"I learned how to be a bit more fluent, control the chaos, both outside and on the inside, a little bit better," said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Cole Krablin, search and rescue medical technician. "Stay ready, be ready."

Beyond the clinical success, the exercise highlighted the strategic advantages of using an amphibious assault ship like the USS Essex for humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions. While dedicated hospital ships like the USNS Mercy offer extensive clinical space, they are slower to transit and rely heavily on civilian hospital staffing. The Essex offers a highly mobile, tactically flexible alternative, combining robust Role 2 surgical suites with the organic heavy-lift capabilities of the Marine Corps.

"The Essex provides a unique ability to really incorporate the extra assets from the Marine Corps as far as airlift, transport and being able to put the Marines ashore to clear obstacles, restore operations at airfields, purify water and transport food," Bandle said.

By the end of the exercise, the multiservice, multinational team successfully rewritten the playbook for shipboard trauma care. At the patient's bedside, the boundaries between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army and Canadian Armed Forces dissolved entirely, leaving behind a highly capable, unified force ready to face the world's next crisis.

"Medicine is a language that all of us speak with the same goal of providing excellent patient care," Verwey said.

Thirty nations, 30 surface ships, 5 submarines, 15 national land forces, more than 190 aircraft and more than 30,000 personnel participated in Exercise Rimpac 2026 in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 24-31. The world's largest international maritime exercise 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. The exercise is the 30th in the series that began in 1971.

Boys Nation Delegates Visit Pentagon, Lay Wreath at 9/11 Memorial

July 24, 2026 | By Army Maj. Wes Shinego, Pentagon News |

Just months ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, about 100 high school students from the American Legion Boys Nation program visited the Pentagon July 21. 

The trip included laying a wreath at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial before touring the building and hearing remarks on service, character and the responsibilities of leaders. 

Joined by about 30 Legionnaires, counselors and staff, the delegates began at the memorial to see the 184 benches honoring those killed aboard American Airlines Flight 77 and inside the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. 

Jared Harrison, a Boys Nation counselor who was a White House intern on the day of the attacks, described the uncertainty in Washington that morning and the unity that followed. He told the delegates that the country needs their leadership now. 

"You have been told several times this week that you're the leaders of tomorrow," Harrison said. "I want to impress upon you: you're the leaders of now; we need you today." 

Brady Pace, Boys Nation's president pro tempore, connected the ceremony to the oath each delegate took as a senator. 

"When we as senators took our oaths of office, we swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States," Pace said. "These souls made the ultimate sacrifice in both support and defense of our Constitution." 

John Alley, the program's senate secretary, spoke about the resolve Americans displayed after the attack. 

"In the face of unspeakable tragedy, we did not fracture as our enemies intended," Alley said. "Rather, we came together in a way the world never imagined that we could." 

After two delegates placed the wreath, the group toured the Pentagon and gathered in the Hall of Heroes, where the names of Medal of Honor recipients line the walls. 

"It was a powerful experience," said Thomas Farrell, a delegate from Huntington, West Virginia. "The military has always seemed so abstract to me, and the Pentagon seemed like an unreachable place, but actually going and seeing where our freedoms are defended was incredibly informative." 

Before the formal briefing, delegates discussed their own ambitions — service academies, ROTC, aviation, intelligence, explosive ordnance disposal and other fields — and learned there is no single route into military service. They were encouraged to keep their options open and, once entrusted to lead, to listen to the noncommissioned officers and enlisted experts who have mastered their crafts. 

Navy Vice Adm. Paul Spedero Jr., director of the Joint Staff, told the delegates that the republic prospers because of leadership and service. Speaking during the 250th anniversary year of the Declaration of Independence, Spedero focused on four attributes he said effective leaders share: integrity, resilience, decisiveness and humility. 

"Your integrity is a currency," Spedero said. "Every time you tell the truth, even when it's inconvenient, every time you take responsibility for a failure instead of passing the blame, you make a deposit into that account. When you lie, cheat or deflect, you bankrupt it. Without integrity, you cannot build trust. And without trust, you cannot lead." 

The questions ranged from combat decisions and command to servant leadership, drone warfare and artificial intelligence. Asked how leaders develop, Spedero said experience matters most. 

"But the best contributor to your leadership development is experience," he said. "So, every opportunity that you have to be out there leading, don't miss it." 

The annual Pentagon visit is part of Boys Nation's weeklong program in Washington, during which delegates study representative government and public service. 

When asked about servant leadership, Spedero explained motive matters more than rank or status. 

"If you're here for rank, if you're here for stature, if you're here for money, you're in the wrong place," he said. "If you're here because you want to make a difference, and you want to make a difference with other people that want to make a difference, then servant leadership is easy."