FORT POLK, La. — The Virginia Army National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team is testing its combat readiness during a Joint Readiness Training Center, or JRTC, rotation May 31 – July 1.

The rotation marks a historic milestone for the brigade and the Army National Guard. The 116th is the first Army National Guard brigade to conduct a JRTC rotation as a mobile brigade combat team, or MBCT, after officially transforming from an infantry brigade combat team to an MBCT in October 2025.

The training gives Soldiers and leaders an opportunity to validate new formations, equipment and tactics in a demanding, large-scale combat environment while preparing for future overseas deployments and domestic response missions.

“Unlike typical annual training, this rotation involves a large-scale combat operations simulation aimed at validating the readiness of brigade-sized units for global missions,” said Col. Arthur S. Moore, commander of the 116th. “This exercise is a key event in a multi-year training cycle and represents a generational opportunity, as many National Guard Soldiers may have this experience only once in their careers.”

About 3,000 Soldiers assigned to the 116th MBCT are participating in the JRTC rotation, along with units from 18 states and territories, three U.S. Army Reserve units and international partners, including members of the Finnish Defense Forces. Virginia and Finland are formally paired through the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.

“This premier training event allows the Soldiers and leaders of the 116th to operationalize the new formations and equipment to prepare for upcoming [outside the continental United States] deployments and support domestic missions,” said Brig. Gen. Rusty McGuire, the assistant adjutant general – Army strategic initiatives of the Virginia National Guard and the senior trainer for the JRTC rotation.

The MBCT concept is part of the U.S. Army’s continuous transformation effort to build units that are more agile and lethal. The formation incorporates three infantry battalions, adds a multipurpose company to each battalion and includes a multifunctional reconnaissance company at the brigade level.

The 116th became the first Army National Guard brigade to test and evaluate an approved task organization for an MBCT during its 21-day eXportable Combat Training Capability, or XCTC, rotation in June 2025 at Fort Pickett, Virginia.

Since the XCTC rotation and formal transition to an MBCT, the brigade has prepared for JRTC by fielding and training on new Infantry Squad Vehicles and incorporating new unmanned aircraft systems and electronic warfare capabilities. The brigade has also worked with the Army Research Laboratory to integrate new technology designed to help Soldiers operate on the modern battlefield.

“Our partnership with the Army Research Laboratory is pivotal to the Virginia National Guard’s commitment to modernization and readiness,” McGuire said. “This collaboration ensures our Soldiers are at the forefront of innovation, equipped to counter emerging threats and prepared to excel in overseas deployments. It highlights the vital role our Guard members play in advancing the security of our nation.”

Moore said, “Our brigade is trained and ready to win the first battle alongside the active U.S. Army if our nation calls upon us.”

“JRTC provides the ultimate test of our systems against a world-class opposing force. This ensures that when our Soldiers go to war, they do so with the absolute best preparation,” Moore said.

By Mike Vrabel

The 11th Airborne Division hosted its inaugural “Angel Ascent” innovation event at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson this week, marking a major milestone in the division’s commitment to warfighting transformation and Soldier-driven solutions for the Arctic’s unique operational challenges.

The event, modeled as a “Shark Tank-style” pitch competition, brought together Soldiers from across the division to present their innovative solutions to a panel of senior leaders and subject matter experts from various industries and organizations, including the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the 673rd Air Base Wing, DEVCOM, and the U.S. Army Arctic Regions Test Center (ARTC). Angel Ascent will become a bi-annual fixture, alternating between JBER and Fort Wainwright, and is designed to harness the ingenuity of Soldiers at every rank, empowering them to drive continuous transformation in support of the Army’s warfighting mission and the profession of arms.

Maj. Gen. John P. Cogbill, commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division, emphasized the impact of Soldier-driven innovation on the division’s transformation. “The hardest part of today was picking a winner, because every Soldier who stepped into the arena to pitch their idea is a winner,” Cogbill said. “Each of these innovative solutions will be prioritized in our division’s innovation plan. My promise is that every one of these ideas will continue to move forward because we want to see them scale and make a difference on the ground.”

Over the course of the day, junior enlisted Soldiers, warrant officers, and officers presented a range of technology concepts and process improvements aimed at enhancing Arctic mobility, survivability, and mission effectiveness. Among the technologies and concepts pitched were cold-weather power solutions, advanced load carriage systems, and new approaches to Arctic sustainment.

The top award went to “Wardrive,” a passive reconnaissance small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) payload that detects adversary wireless emissions and automatically uploads and reports location data back to the operator. Wardrive was developed and pitched by WO1 Brian Raab of the 2/11 Multi-Functional Reconnaissance Company.

“We may not be a Transformation in Contact division, but you wouldn’t know it if you talked to our Soldiers or saw what’s happening here,” Cogbill said. “Our division is transforming because we have innovators at every level, figuring out how to fight, adapt, and win in the Arctic.”

Cogbill also highlighted the importance of partnerships and the division’s unique expertise. “Alaska presents challenges you won’t find anywhere else, and our Soldiers are the subject matter experts in solving them. We’re working with universities and industry partners to turn these ideas into real-world solutions that will save lives and make our Army more lethal and resilient.”

The event underscores the Army’s commitment to continuous transformation, strengthening the Army profession, and leveraging the full potential of its people. Angel Ascent aligns with the Army People Strategy and the Department of Defense’s focus on accelerating warfighting advantage through innovation.

“We’re going to keep pushing, keep growing, and keep learning from each other,” Cogbill said. “This is just the start of a culture of innovation that will define the 11th Airborne Division and set the standard for the Army.”

By MAJ Ian Roth