FORT POLK, La. — Soldiers from the Florida Army National Guard’s 3rd Battalion, 265th Air Defense Artillery Regiment trained alongside the 82nd Airborne Division during a combat training center rotation 15-20 March, marking the first time a Guard unit has integrated into an active-duty rotation under the National Guard’s new Minuteman Rotation concept.

The Minuteman concept aligns National Guard annual training with combat training center rotations, allowing units to meet their 15-day requirement while operating alongside active-duty formations. Leaders said the approach increases readiness and interoperability across the total force.

Senior Army National Guard leaders visited the rotation March 19-20, including Director of the Army National Guard Lt. Gen. Jon M. Stubbs, Command Sgt. Maj. James (Brian) Kendrick, along with Florida Adjutant General Maj. Gen. John D. Haas and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert F. Sweat. The visit highlighted the integration of Guard forces into active-duty training and the expansion of opportunities for Guard units to train in high-intensity environments.

“This is about building a total force that can close with and destroy the enemy,” Stubbs said during the visit. “What we are seeing here is a National Guard battalion fully integrated with an active-duty brigade, delivering a capability that is critical on today’s battlefield.”

At JRTC, often referred to as “the box,” units contend with a near-peer opposing force, limited resources and extended operations. The environment tests a unit’s ability to operate under stress while maintaining command and control across dispersed terrain.

The Florida battalion provided short-range air defense capabilities during the rotation, focusing on countering unmanned aircraft systems and low-altitude threats. Soldiers employed Sentinel radar and Avenger air defense systems while repositioning with maneuver elements to protect command posts, logistics nodes and key terrain.

A live battery moved with the brigade throughout the exercise, while the battalion headquarters operated as a division-level air defense element in a simulated environment. Leaders said the integration allowed the unit to train as it would fight in a real-world conflict.

Army Lt. Col. Adam Bailey, commander of 3rd Battalion, 265th Air Defense Artillery, said the unit prepared for the rotation through multiple command post exercises with the 82nd Airborne Division before arriving at JRTC.

“Coming to JRTC, we rapidly integrated into division’s scheme of maneuver and protection plan. That enabled us to execute a true [Short Range Air Defense] mission in support of a division,” he added.

The Panther Brigade’s dispersed operations increased exposure to aerial threats, particularly small drones capable of disrupting command and control or target sustainment operations.

Army Col. Daniel Leard, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, said the Army Guard unit filed a critical capability gap.

“Air defense is a critical enabler — we could not have executed our mission without them,” Leard said. “The Soldiers of 3-265 ADA integrated with our team on the fly. They were experts on their systems and that made an immediate impact.”

The Army National Guard’s Minuteman Rotation aligns annual training with combat training center rotations, enabling units to build readiness in a high-intensity environment alongside active-duty forces.

Kendrick, who previously served as the command sergeant major of the Florida National Guard, said the training reflects how the force will operate in future conflicts.

“This is exactly where our Soldiers need to be,” Kendrick said. “Training at this level, with this kind of realism, ensures they are ready to deploy and fight as part of a larger team.”

The approach does not replace traditional Army National Guard rotations but expands access to high-end training while supporting Soldiers’ civilian careers, education and communities. Stubbs said the goal is to integrate a Guard element into every combat training center rotation.

For junior soldiers, the experience highlighted the pace and complexity of modern warfare.

Army Sgt. Jason Dumervile, Headquarter and Headquarters Battery, said the experience changed how he views his role.

“You see how everything connects,” he said. “We are not just protecting ourselves — we are protecting the whole brigade so they can accomplish their mission.”

Florida leaders said the battalion’s performance demonstrated the value of integrating Guard units into active-duty training environments as the Army adapts to evolving threats.

“I’m incredibly proud of our Florida Guardsmen,” said Haas. “They’re highly disciplined and have benefitted from great leadership to ensure they’re trained and ready.”

By Lt. Col. Carla Raisler

The District of Columbia National Guard activated the 260th Special Purpose Brigade at the D.C. Armory, March 7. It is the only brigade in the Army specifically designed to coordinate military support to civil authorities and protect critical infrastructure in the nation’s capital.

The brigade was created in response to Executive Order 14339 and a subsequent directive from the secretary of war. These called for the immediate establishment, training and equipping of a dedicated National Guard unit. The goal is to support public safety operations and strengthen coordination between military forces and civilian security partners in the district.

Army Brig. Gen. Craig Maceri, land component commander for the D.C. National Guard, presided over the activation ceremony. Soldiers stood in formation as the brigade’s colors were uncased — a military tradition that signals a unit’s formal activation and readiness for duty.

“The activation of the 260th Special Purpose Brigade represents the deliberate execution of national guidance,” Maceri said. “This unit provides the critical command and control structure that enables us to execute a broad spectrum of scalable operations while effectively integrating with our federal and district partners.”

The brigade will coordinate military support to civil authorities and enabling National Guard forces to rapidly integrate with federal and local agencies responsible for safeguarding the capital.

Washington presents a unique operational environment, including the constitutional institutions of the federal government, foreign embassies and national monuments, as well as millions of visitors each year. Protecting that environment requires close coordination between military forces and civilian agencies during major national events, security operations and emergencies.

Among the brigade’s key partners is the U.S. Marshals Service, which regularly works alongside the D.C. National Guard during security operations in the capital.

“Partnerships like this are essential in Washington,” U.S. Marshal Jurgen Soekhoe said. “The 260th Special Purpose Brigade brings a level of coordination and readiness that allows federal law enforcement and the National Guard to operate as a unified team when security demands it.”

Army Col. Lawrence Doane, commander of the 260th Special Purpose Brigade, said the brigade structure ensures continuous coordination with partner agencies. It also allows the brigade to expand rapidly when missions require additional forces.

“This brigade gives us an operational foundation for unity of effort,” Doane said. “It ensures continuity of planning and coordination so that when the situation changes, we can respond quickly and with clarity.”

The brigade also reflects the unique federal role of the D.C. National Guard, which reports directly to the president, not a state or territory governor. This structure places the organization at the center of national-level security planning for the capital.

The unit’s new patch connects the brigade’s modern mission with its historic lineage. The design features three red stars and two red bars drawn from the District of Columbia flag, itself derived from the coat of arms of George Washington’s family.

The brigade carries forward the heritage of the 260th Military Police Command, a D.C. National Guard headquarters brigade that, for decades, coordinated military police operations supporting civil authorities and emergency response across the district, until its inactivation in 2011. Its lineage reflects a long-standing mission of integrating National Guard forces with federal and local partners to protect critical institutions and maintain security in the nation’s capital.

At the patch’s center is an upright, unsheathed sword representing the brigade’s role in providing security for all who live, work and visit the nation’s capital.

“This new patch reflects something bigger,” Doane said. “It represents our commitment to protecting every person who sets foot in the nation’s capital.”

With the uncasing of its colors, the 260th Special Purpose Brigade begins its mission as a dedicated force. It will support public safety, infrastructure protection and coordination between civilian and military agencies in Washington.

By Army CPT Kristy Singletary,?Joint Task Force D.C.

FORT BENNING, Ga. – On January 27, 2026, the Army Security Cooperation Group – South (ASCG-S) conducted a small ceremony on Kelley Hill, Fort Benning, Georgia to commemorate its ongoing transformation. ASCG-S, formerly 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (1st SFAB), has become central to security cooperation in Panama, through its assumption of the Joint Security Cooperation Group-Panama (JSCG-P) and the combined Jungle Operations Training Center (JOTC) missions.

The ceremony was presided over by Col. Keith W. Benedict and Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Pedro Chavez, the command team for the ASCG-S. During the ceremony – coinciding with the furling of the colors and near-term departure of two organic battalions and one National Guard battalion from 54th SFAB. Col. Benedict reflected on 1st SFAB’s legacy and how it’s accomplishments and achievements will have long-lasting effects on the U.S. Army and our regional partners. Those bound for Panama then donned their jungle boonie headgear, and all donned the U.S. Army South’s 6th Army patch.

1st Security Force Assistance Brigade was activated in October 2017 to fill the growing requirement for Advisors for Afghan security forces, alleviating the existing practice of pulling leaders from their formations to help Afghan units. 1st SFAB conducted one deployment to southwest Asia, where Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Timothy Bolyard, the senior enlisted advisor of 3rd Squadron, 1st SFAB made the ultimate sacrifice. After the Afghanistan tour, 1st SFAB became regionally aligned to the Southern Command area of operations, where they conducted security force assistance with Colombia, Argentina, Panama, and Honduras, among other partners.

The Army Security Cooperation Group – South is a unique unit within the Army, that falls under the newly-established United States Western Hemisphere Command (USAWHC), leading efforts to deepen and widen interoperability with Panamanian partners on strategic terrain within the 2025 National Security Strategy’s priority region. “Our soldiers are excited to build upon their experience working in Panama to establish a digitized training environment and work with our partners,” states Col. Benedict, “to test and evaluate our warfighting capabilities in one of the most challenging jungle environs in the world.”

Under the new force restructure, ASCG-S has assumed responsibility for JSCG-P, which is working with the government of Panama to increase cooperation efforts between the U.S. Military and Panamanian security forces. JSCG-P is also crucial to the staging and reception of all U.S. military personnel coming to Panama to learn from partners and to test their mettle. “We are actively seeking jungle expertise and look forward to units across the joint force and the international community joining us this summer for Panamax 2026,” CSM Chavez states, “I assure you, this environment isn’t for the timid or entitled.”

JSCG-P is working with Panamanian partners to re-invigorate a combined JOTC at Aeronaval Base Cristobal Colon (formerly Fort Sherman). Panamanian security forces have run a unilateral course like the U.S. Army-run, combined course that existed for Panama for nearly 40 years until 1999. Now, once again JOTC students and cadre from both U.S. and Panamanian security forces convene in the “Green Hell.” The current course is 18 days and goes over primitive fire and shelter training followed by tracking and patrol exercises that test the students’ resilience and perseverance.

The activation of the ASCG-S is yet another visible step in the Army and U.S. military’s ongoing effort to revitalize security in the western hemisphere and with the regional partners therein. The Army Security Cooperation Group-South is excited to evolve into a premier jungle force capable of enabling training and readiness for and looking for units to train in this environment and individual soldiers seeking opportunities to enter the triple-canopy arena.

MAJ Val Bryant