Conflicts

Soldiers assigned to the 319th Expeditionary Signal Battalion returned to the United States after completing a deployment to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, where they maintained more than 35 tactical network nodes across over five countries. Despite regional hostilities, changing threat conditions and redeployment delays, the battalion sustained critical communications, supported command and control and completed the mission without interruption.

Repair crews at U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii replaced a 4,000-pound motor deep beneath the Area North water treatment plant July 17, 2026, marking a major step in stabilizing the installation’s strained water system. The work required navigating a steep 1,150-foot underground track — roughly the same climb as Oahu’s Koko Head Trail.

The mission of the 56th Fighter Wing is to train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat-ready Airmen, leading the way in modern airpower to secure tomorrow’s victories. For two pilots at Luke Air Force Base, the month of July brought a historic moment where two different career milestones crossed paths in the very same training mission.

CENTCOM Finishes Latest Wave of Strikes Against Iran

The National Cyber Range Complex’s Eglin facility officially became fully operational with a ceremonial ribbon cutting June 25.

The 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, made history during a change of command and major command reassignment ceremony held July 17 as the wing officially transitioned from Air Education and Training Command (AETC) to Air Combat Command (ACC) marking a historic milestone for the base while ushering in new leadership for the installation.

Navy Talent Acquisition Group Southwest held a change of command ceremony July 17, 2026, at the Naval Air Station North Island, where Cmdr. McKenzie Plank relieved Cmdr. Joseph Gilligan as commanding officer of the command. Capt. Mark Moran, Commodore of Navy Recruiting Command Region West presided over the ceremony.

Maritime patrol aircraft from the United States and partner nations operate together during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026, providing commanders with a shared understanding of the maritime environment. The exercise highlights the interoperability and partnerships that enable multinational forces to operate as a unified team.

U.S. Army soldiers, Navy sailors, Air Force airmen, and civilian staff at Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) and Desmond T. Doss Health Clinic (DDHC) conducted a mass casualty exercise July 9 as part of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise.

NORAD F-16 fighter aircraft intercepted a general aviation aircraft violating a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) area over New York, New York, on July 17, 2026, at approximately 4:18 p.m. EDT.

Col. Sarah E. Fraticelli assumed command of U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy during a change-of-command ceremony July 17 at Veterans Memorial Plaza in Fort McCoy’s Commemorative Area.

Capt. Nicholas Hoffman took the helm as commanding officer of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, relieving Capt. Anthony Holmes in a traditional Navy change of command ceremony July 17.

Texas Army National Guardsmen attend Cyber Shield 2026 both as attendees and trainers. They will use the information gained to thwart would-be cyber attackers targeting infrastructure in the Lone Star State.

Before most Oahu residents begin their day, U.S. Space Force 1st Lt. Thomas Moriarty is already on the road. Three days a week, Moriarty wakes up around 3 a.m., to make the drive from Mililani to Kakaako, where he trains for more than two hours at a local gym before returning to his duties as an operations officer. For the 48-year-old prior-enlisted Guardian, this routine is not only about lifting heavier weight, but it's also about discipline, longevity and setting a standard that others can follow.

Construction of Dry Dock 5 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam advanced in June with continued pile installation, land reclamation and infrastructure work, as well as the project’s largest concrete placement to date.

BALTIMORE — Two hundred and fifty Soldiers and Airmen were sworn into the Maryland National Guard by Gov. Wes Moore and Maj. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, adjutant general of Maryland, during a historic ceremony celebrating America's 250th birthday at the Fifth Regiment Armory, July 17, 2026. The ceremony brought together new Guard members taking the oath of enlistment for the first time, current service members reenlisting, and officers accepting new commissions.

A reflection on how an interview with Gary Sinise reaffirmed the importance of preserving the stories of service members, veterans, and military families through military journalism.

Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Twentynine Palms staff anesthesiologist Lt. Tristan McLean Loesberg participated in the command's "Commanding Officer for a Day" program on June 16, gaining firsthand insight into the leadership, decision-making and operational responsibilities of commanding a military treatment facility. Through discussions with Capt. Janiese Cleckley and participation in command activities, Loesberg explored how clinical care, operational readiness and the partnership between Navy Medicine and the Defense Health Agency support high-quality patient care while keeping warfighters in the fight. The experience provided valuable leadership development while reinforcing the connection between patient care and Navy Medicine's operational mission.

Staff Sgt. Benjamin Brinker of Fox Battery, 1st Battalion, 40th Field Artillery Regiment, 434th Field Artillery Brigade, was named the 2026 Fires Center of Excellence Drill Sergeant of the Year after a grueling multi-day competition testing physical endurance, tactical skill, and cognitive readiness. Brinker will advance to represent Fort Sill at the U.S. Army Recruiting Command level.

On May 29, 2026, U.S. Army Commander of the Guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Capt. Sean Paul Stolarski said goodbye to his fellow Tomb Guards at Arlington National Cemetery as he prepared to leave the Army. Yet he did not see his departure as final. “I still have a vested interest in a lot of these guys,” Stolarski said, “and I plan on returning to check on them.” Since 1948, the Tomb Guards of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) have stood watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery 24 hours-a- day, seven days-a-week. Their vigilance and precise rituals honor the three Unknowns buried at the Tomb, as well as all unknown or unidentified American service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

More U.S. Air Force tankers and fighters head to the Middle East as the conflict intensifies. The post U.S.-Iran Fight Heats Up With Mutual Strikes On Infrastructure Targets appeared first on TWZ.

More U.S. Air Force tankers and fighters head to the Middle East as the conflict intensifies. The post U.S.-Iran Fight Heats Up With Mutual Strikes On Infrastructure Targets (Updated) appeared first on TWZ.

The 156th Combat Communications Squadron, Puerto Rico Air National Guard, conducted exercise FUNKY BUSINESS, a joint training exercise integrating the 282nd CBCS, Rhode Island ANG, testing their deployment capabilities from June 1-12, 2026.

The Mission and Installation Contracting Command leadership team reinforced its commitment to transparency, communication, the Army’s contracting mission, and organizational transformation during the command’s Fiscal Year 2026 third quarter town hall July 13 at MICC headquarters. Originally scheduled for June 30, the town hall was hosted by the MICC Command Team, Brig. Gen. Freddy Adams, the MICC commanding general, Clay Cole, the MICC deputy to the commanding general, and Command Sgt. Maj. JennyAnne Bright, the MICC command sergeant major. While approximately 30 senior leaders and headquarters staff joined in person, over 745 Soldiers and Civilians from across the command participated virtually through Microsoft Teams.

Hanwha Philly Shipyard will build a new missile-range instrumentation vessel for the U.S. Navy that will support the Trump administration’s Golden Dome effort, White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought announced Friday. Dubbed the “Golden Defender,” the ship is based on the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel design that Hanwha is finishing for the U.S. Maritime Administration’s training ships. Hanwha will build the ships, with TOTE Services functioning as the vessel construction manager, Vought said during a ceremony at the yard in Philadelphia, Pa. “This new ship will not only support the president’s policies of restoring American maritime

Traveling 1,200 miles from Superior, Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 950th Route Clearance Company recently partnered with the U.S. Forest Service for a unique, high-impact training mission June 22-25.

Mr. Robert L. Mclymore, Jr., a native of Raleigh, NC, and former member of the North Carolina National Guard, was awarded the Soldier’s Medal by the Army Decorations Board on June 12, 2026. Mclymore earned this medal in two very different ways, one for his service during a lifesaving moment and the other for his tenacity. According to the award citation, at approximately 0545 on November 15, 2015, then Sgt. Mclymore was traveling down Interstate 40 in Raleigh when he saw flashing blue lights in the highway’s median. A vehicle that was involved in the accident was on fire, and a female occupant was stuck inside.

FORT IRWIN, Calif. – The final remaining M1A2 Abrams tank at Fort Carson, Colorado recently departed for Fort Irwin, California in support of Project Convergence Capstone 6 (PC‑C6). There, the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team (3ABCT), 4th Infantry Division, will continue testing emerging technologies and take the final steps in its transition to a Stryker Brigade, marking one of the most significant organizational changes in the unit’s modern history.

Space Training and Readiness Command’s Space Delta 10, the Space Force organization responsible for wargaming, field experimentation, concept evaluation and doctrine development, welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony held July 17 at The Tides on Patrick Space Force Base. Col. Leah Shubin took command from outgoing commander Col. Shannon DaSilva in front of Guardians, families and senior leaders from across the installation.

Issues tied to Zumwalt's hugely powerful hybrid-electric power plant and other factors have set back its return to the fleet. The post USS Zumwalt Set To Return To Fleet After Long Anticipated Hypersonic Missile Upgrade appeared first on TWZ.