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US, JGSDF Strengthen Interoperability During Airborne 25

Monday, March 24th, 2025

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) —

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron supported the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force 1st Airborne Brigade by delivering 215 Japanese paratroopers over the East Fuji Maneuver Area in Gotemba City, Japan, March 4, as part of exercise Airborne 25.

Airborne is an annual large-scale exercise that integrates air and ground forces from the U.S. and Japan. This year’s iteration featured six U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules, with 36th AS aircrews working to insert JGSDF Soldiers into a simulated contested area. The scenario tested the ability of U.S.-Japan forces to secure territory in the event of a contingency and underscored the collaborative effort between both countries to strengthen combat readiness.

A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force paratrooper assigned to the 1st Airborne Brigade carries his equipment after landing at JGSDF East Fuji Maneuver Area, Japan, March 4, 2025, during Airborne 25. Airborne 25 is the largest annual static-line personnel jump exercise between the U.S. Air Force and JGSDF. The exercise integrated six C-130J Super Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron carrying 215 JGSDF soldiers for an airdrop training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)

U.S. Air Force Capt. Zachary Riley, 36th AS C-130J pilot and Airborne 25 mission commander, emphasized the importance of this event.

“Airborne is a great opportunity for us and the JGSDF to work together at the most fundamental, tactical level,” Riley said. “We have a lot of cooperation between higher level leadership, but exercises like Airborne allow us to actually test our capabilities as an Air Force supporting a ground unit. It’s important for us to stay sharp on all our procedures and to work more efficiently with the JGSDF every single time.”

Prior to the personnel drop, members of the 374th Airlift Wing and 1st Airborne Brigade met to discuss the details of Airborne 25. Leaders from both forces reviewed the training scenario developed by U.S.-Japan operations personnel and addressed how they would mitigate various threats and work together to accomplish mission objectives.

For Riley and members of the 36th AS, this provided valuable insight into joint operations.

“Working with the JGSDF helps us better understand each other’s language and priorities,” Riley said. “It’s about recognizing what matters to an army unit versus an Air Force unit and highlighting those differences. Overcoming those challenges and working together to find efficient solutions is invaluable.”

The execution of Airborne 25 reinforced the partnership between the 36th AS and 1 AB as they demonstrated their ability to operate in a joint environment. As both forces continue to refine interoperability, exercises like Airborne play a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Story b Senior Airman Natalie Doan, 374th Airlift Wing

Additional photos by Yasuo Osakabe

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Parachuting | 1 Comment »

Terrain 365 Introduces the Narwhal-AT Folding Knife

Sunday, March 23rd, 2025

A Rustproof, Streamlined Folder with a Low-Profile Flipper Action

New for March 2025, Terrain 365™ launches their newest folder model, the Narwhal-AT. A sleek and streamlined, rustproof folder for use on land or in the water. Featuring a fast, low-profile flipper tab, our Terravantium™ super alloy blade, all titanium hardware, Hyperglowpivot rings, and signature fullers in the handle and blade. A precision-made study in purpose-driven, spartan yet capable design. Like its namesake, “narwhal”, this folder is unique in its adaptation to the world around it. A highly successful hunter with a simple, sleek and streamlined yet blunt body. Available with a solid titanium framelock side and titanium presentation side with and without various handle scale material options.

The Narwhal-AT is available with Terravantium™ super alloy, all titanium hardware, titanium framelock and G10, micarta, carbon fiber or fat carbon scales.

Creative Director and Co-Founder Patrick Ma of Terrain 365 states,

“I wanted to design a full-sized folder that was inspired by the simplicity and ergonomic balance of a capsule shape. In keeping with the streamlined design direction, I used a low-profile flipper tab that could easily flip open the blade with your thumb or index finger. Something about the final appearance reminded me of the predatory marine mammal the narwhal so the name stuck. ”

The Narwhal-AT is available starting at $365.00 on their website.

Posted in Guest Post, Knives | Comments Off on Terrain 365 Introduces the Narwhal-AT Folding Knife

188th Infantry Brigade Innovation Lab Invests in Drone Training for Future Combat

Sunday, March 23rd, 2025

FORT STEWART, Ga. – The 188th Infantry Brigade is breaking new ground in Army training and readiness with the launch of its Innovation Lab, a future forward initiative dedicated to the development, construction, and integration of drones in modern warfare.

As part of First Army’s mission to prepare Reserve and National Guard units (Compo 2 and Compo 3) for mobilization, the 188th Infantry Brigade is embracing emerging technologies to enhance warfighter capabilities. The Innovation Lab provides Soldiers with hands-on experience in drone assembly, programming, and field training, preparing them for efficiency on the battlefields of the future.

Maj. Trevor Barrett, the Brigade Innovations Officer, emphasized the lab’s value in fostering a culture of adaptability.

“This is the future and the sooner we can expose Soldiers to this technology the better and more proficient we will be,” Barrett said. “This makes our Army stronger, more adaptive, and more lethal.”

The Innovation Lab is a collaborative space where Soldiers from various military occupational specialties (MOS) work together to construct and modify drones tailored to mission-specific needs. Using commercially available components and 3D printing, the lab enables Soldiers to design drones for reconnaissance.

In addition to drone construction, the Innovation Lab integrates small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) into field exercises and combat simulations. Soldiers undergo training on drone piloting and electronic warfare countermeasures to prepare them to operate effectively in both offensive and defensive scenarios.

“I think sUAS operation will be a required skill for many MOS and you will see multiple variants in the US inventory,” Barrett said.

The Innovation Lab serves as a multifaceted learning tool for drone technology, with Soldiers being trained on both the assembly and field use of the sUAS. The drones that have been built will be introduced at upcoming training events and competitions for the brigade.

“We plan on using these systems this summer at eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTCs) and the second annual Pershing Cup Best OC/T Competition,” Barrett said.

This initiative aligns with the Army’s broader modernization efforts, leveraging grassroots ingenuity to develop practical solutions for warfighters at all levels.

“Like most Soldiers, I am a student of warfare and have seen how drones have changed the modern battlefield,” Barrett said. “The overall objective is to become masters of these systems, learn to employ them effectively, and modify them to defeat our enemies.”

As the 188th Infantry Brigade continues to refine its drone training program, the Innovation Lab is a tangible testament to the Army’s commitment to adaptability and technological advancement. With each flight and every experiment, Ready Brigade Soldiers are not just learning to use drones—they are shaping the warfighting future.

Story by SSG Marlana Cureton, 188th Infantry Brigade

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Training, UAS | Comments Off on 188th Infantry Brigade Innovation Lab Invests in Drone Training for Future Combat

Disabled Veterans Overcome Obstacles Through Adaptive Sports

Saturday, March 22nd, 2025

Winter Sports Clinic offers “Miracles on a Mountainside”

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. – Veterans with disabilities often face significant challenges after military service, including traumatic brain injuries (TBI), spinal cord injuries, vision loss or amputations. For some, recovery can be incredibly difficult. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recognizes the value traditional and recreational therapy-based models play in the healing process. During the week of March 31 – April 5, 2025, VA and DAV (Disabled American Veterans) will co-host the 39th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic (NDVWSC), also referred to as Miracles on a Mountainside.

This premier rehabilitative and adaptive sports event allows disabled Veterans with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, orthopedic amputations and visual impairments explore recovery through participation in downhill and cross-country skiing, sled hockey and other adaptive sports.

This year, approximately 400 disabled Veterans will participate and work to overcome real and perceived limitations.

Below are a few of the countless story opportunities waiting for you to tell.

Ryan Garza, a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, did four tours in Afghanistan – and it was on that fourth tour that Lance Corporal Garza’s truck drove over an improvised explosive device (IED), severely injuring his right leg. Doctors tried for several years to save Ryan’s leg; however, he eventually decided to amputate in 2015. After the amputation, Ryan then went on to deal with thoughts of suicide, depression, and hopelessness.

In 2022, Ryan joined us for the first time at the Winter Sports Clinic. He shared, “I never thought I’d be able to snowboard. You feel the wind, you hear the ice and it gets me excited. It’s an awesome feeling!”

Mariela Meylan, a U.S. Army Veteran, was struck by a truck while serving in Kuwait. She suffered a TBI, collapsed lung, and severed liver; then had a stroke and slipped into a coma – for eight months. Meylan can offer her perspective about the ways the Winter Sports Clinic has helped her heal over the years by showing her she can still participate in adaptive sports.

Physical Therapist Kendra Betz has served for years as the Winter Sports Clinic Seating and Prosthetics Coordinator. “The Winter Sports Clinic is a premier and unparalleled adaptive sports event that provides outstanding support for Veterans to face and overcome challenges as part of a multi-faceted rehabilitation program,” she said. “Our goal is to optimize Veteran participation, well-being, and quality of life, as they breathe life to the catchphrase, ‘Miracles on a Mountainside,’ here in Snowmass every year.”

For the past decade, Betz’s daughter, Maddie, who works in a technology industry that supports people with disabilities, has volunteered with her mom in Snowmass, helping Veterans get out on the slopes, properly outfitted with their adaptive equipment. This dynamic duo provides insight into the role therapists, instructors, volunteers, and others play in helping Veterans reach their highest potential.

U.S. Air Force Reserve Citizen Airman Maj. Monica Riggs attended her first Winter Sports Clinic in 2024. The former Mrs. Kansas 2018 flew more than 100 combat missions during her 18 years of service, but in 2019, she received a diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis that changed her life.

Although life post-diagnosis comes with its challenges, Riggs remains determined not to let her chronic inflammatory disorder define her.

Riggs and many others can expand on these sentiments and share how the clinic earned the nickname “Miracles on a Mountainside.”

For more information contact our team at wintersportsclinic@va.gov, or 303-619-1145.

Posted in Guest Post, Veterans | Comments Off on Disabled Veterans Overcome Obstacles Through Adaptive Sports

Blue Force Gear Presents: How MARCO Literally Changed the Game of Tactical Marking

Saturday, March 22nd, 2025

Whether you’re military, law enforcement, or security personnel, the ability to quickly and reliably mark people, places, and things during operations is non-negotiable. In this video, Chris Sizelove and Jared Reston discuss tactical marking and how MARCO allows them to do things they would otherwise not be able to do.

Chris and Jared both have stories about the frustrating inefficiencies of traditional chemlight marking methods. The approach before BFG’s revolutionary MARCO design involved bundling together ten 6-inch chemlights with 550 cord or something equivalent. But each light was too bright, so the SOP was to partially tape the individual lights to dim them. This ridiculous process still didn’t solve the problem that these bundles were heavy, clunky, and impractical in other ways they discuss in the video.

Blue Force Gear’s MARCO Marking Light Dispenser radically changed tactical marking by addressing the vast deficiencies of traditional marking using chemlight bundles. It’s lighter, holds thirty chemlights per dispenser, optimizes brightness, can protect the lights from UV exposure, and doesn’t present a snag hazard. It’s all that you need and nothing you don’t and “you’re not giving anything up to have them” as the guys mention in the video.

Jared and Chris discuss the numerous applications for marking. In a professional setting, marking is essential for room clearing and the chemlights are also useful in various ways in training environments or range use. MARCO is one of those BFG products that literally changed the game and allowed operators to greatly improve their abilities and techniques. Watch the full video to learn more about lighting philosophy and the MARCO Dispenser from Blue Force Gear.

Jared is a seasoned law enforcement veteran with over 20 years of service at Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Since retiring in 2020, he now travels the nation teaching firearms and tactics to prepared citizens, military personnel, and law enforcement agencies. For more information on Jared or to take a training course from him, visit his website.

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post | Comments Off on Blue Force Gear Presents: How MARCO Literally Changed the Game of Tactical Marking

Cobra Gold 25 | Royal Thai Army, U.S. Special Operations Forces Subject Matter Expert Exchange

Saturday, March 22nd, 2025

Lop Buri, Thailand – Royal Thai Army 1st Special Forces Division and U.S. Special Operations Detachment – Pacific shared staff insights on the Joint Planning Process and combined operations during the 2025 Cobra Gold academic week subject matter expert exchange, February 17-21, 2025.

Facilitated by Joint Special Operations University, the bilateral exchange for Royal Thai Army Special Forces and U.S. Special Operations participants focused on knowledge of best practices through candid dialogue and iterative demonstrations of processes through hands-on exercises.

CG25 has three primary events: a command and control exercise, humanitarian civic assistance projects, and a field training exercise to enhance readiness and foster responses to security challenges and natural disasters. Approximately 30 nations participate, with 3,200 U.S. personnel directly involved, underscoring the importance of cooperation and goodwill.

JSOU’s focus is joint special operations education and has the mandate to support U.S. Special Operations Command Pacific. SOCPAC serves as the operational component command for all SOF missions throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

The JSOU JPP academic SMEE prepared participants for aspects of special operations forces’ integration during the Cobra Gold command and control event. JPP is a method to determine the use of military capabilities in time and space to achieve objectives within an acceptable level of risk.

“Having this academic SMEE as part of Cobra Gold 2025 demonstrates the importance both Thai and U.S. leadership place on cognitive warfare,” said JSOU senior mentor retired U.S. Army Col. Scott Malone. “As part of its Joint SOF charter, the university is uniquely positioned to facilitate operational collaboration and the exchange of strategic thought amongst Special Operations partner forces.”

JSOU’s academic engagements enhance operational collaboration and strategic thinking among partner forces, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptive thinking. Class discussion and group exercises were the primary means for the intellectual exchange.

“The special operations professionals from Royal Thai Army 1st Special Forces Division and SOD-P collaboration nurtures a culture of continuous improvement and highlights adaptive thinking where knowledge transference and removing barriers to learning is paramount.” said Malone. “This SMEE on day one placing Thai and U.S. participants together in working groups heightens learning and promotes intellectual exchange. This immediate placement allows for each individual to gain a sense of ownership as the combined team is built and fosters unbiased exchanges of best practices as the week progressed.”

SOD-P provides trained, prepared, and equipped augmentation to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and SOCPAC.

“This is an unparalleled opportunity for us to share our expertise with each other,” said U.S. Army Col. David Coughran, commanding officer of SOD-P. “Our focus is on strengthening our combined operational proficiency and leadership acumen, ensuring we are all prepared to handle any eventuality.”

CG25 is a visible symbol of the U.S.-Thai defense alliance, demonstrating the U.S.’s steadfast commitment to maintaining the conditions for peace and prosperity. Enhancing critical capabilities and readiness enables each force to jointly address regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.

The 44th iteration of this exercise exemplifies the longstanding alliance with Thailand and reflects the shared commitment to preserving a peaceful, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific region.

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Joseph Rolfe

U.S. Special Operations Command Pacific

Posted in Army, Guest Post, SOF | Comments Off on Cobra Gold 25 | Royal Thai Army, U.S. Special Operations Forces Subject Matter Expert Exchange

FirstSpear Friday Focus: FS Hooded Field Shirt V2 – ACM Base 150

Friday, March 21st, 2025

The FirstSpear HOODED FIELD SHIRT v2 – ACM™ BASE 150 is a versatile and rugged garment designed for all-season performance. Made in the USA from American-sourced wool, this shirt offers exceptional durability and comfort. The lightweight 4.3oz ACM Base 150 fabric delivers superior moisture-wicking and antimicrobial properties.

This unique blend provides the natural benefits of wool with enhanced strength and flexibility, making it ideal for demanding conditions. The oversized hood offers added coverage and protection, while the low-profile cuffs with integrated thumb holes ensure a secure fit and keep your sleeves in place.

Designed for adaptability, it functions perfectly as a base layer in cold weather or as a standalone piece during warmer seasons. Its breathable construction helps regulate temperature, keeping you comfortable and dry whether you’re on the range, on the trail, or handling everyday tasks. The antimicrobial properties reduce odor buildup, making it a reliable choice for extended wear. Despite its lightweight feel, the fabric is built to withstand heavy use without sacrificing comfort.

FirstSpear is the premier source for cutting edge-tactical gear for military, law enforcement and those who train.

For more information visit First-Spear.com.

Posted in Advertiser, Clothing, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on FirstSpear Friday Focus: FS Hooded Field Shirt V2 – ACM Base 150

Project Convergence Capstone 5 Returns to California; Expands to Indo-Pacific AOR

Friday, March 21st, 2025

FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Project Convergence Capstone 5 (PC-C5), the latest iteration of the U.S. Army’s premier modernization experiment, is set to take place in March and April 2025. This ambitious campaign of learning will bring together Joint and Multinational partners in a series of complex, realistic scenarios designed to push the boundaries of future warfare capabilities.

PC-C5 is organized in two parts:

The first part arrays land forces across the National Training Center at operationally relevant distances. In addition to addressing aspects of the emerging Army Warfighting Concept this phase will assess Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2).

The second part is nested with Global Information Dominance Experiments by using Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control in the Indo-Pacific Theater, across multiple combatant commands; with Joint and Multinational partners.

Building on the successes and lessons from previous experiments, PC-C5 focuses on experimental objectives aligned with the Army Warfighting Concept and the Joint Warfighting Design. This year’s experiment boasts greater participation from Joint and Multinational allies and partners, along with a broader array of cutting-edge technologies and equipment.

A Crucible for Innovation: PC-C5 serves as a critical proving ground for emerging technologies and concepts crucial to enabling a data-centric and networked fighting force. Participants will engage in both live and simulated exercises focused on:

Data-Driven Decision Making: Evaluating the effectiveness of advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence to provide real-time situational awareness for rapid, informed decisions.

Expanded Maneuver: Experimenting with new concepts and technologies that enhance the ability to maneuver and engage adversaries across land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace.

Forging Seamless Joint and Multinational Interoperability: Refining the ability of allied forces to operate together seamlessly across all domains.

A Catalyst for Transformation: PC-C5 is more than just an experiment; it’s a critical component of the continuous transformation within the U.S. Army. The insights from this event will directly inform future readiness and modernization efforts, ensuring that the Joint Force remains at the forefront of military innovation.

By David Miller

Posted in Army, Guest Post | Comments Off on Project Convergence Capstone 5 Returns to California; Expands to Indo-Pacific AOR