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Baledogle Military Airfield, Somalia. (November 13, 2024): The U.S. Army, along with its African counterparts, is helping the war-torn nation of Somalia build a professional military to combat the Al Qaida affiliated terrorist group Al Shabaab. In this photo by Sergeant Jose Albansantos, Captain Darryl Padgett greets a leader of the Somali National Army during a recent Somali National Army-Danab graduation ceremony. The Army is training members of the Somali Danab Brigade, or “Lightning Force,” an elite special operations force within the Somali National Army that specializes in urban warfare. The Al Shabaab terrorists are responsible for a reign of terror that has resulted in a famine that has killed millions.
The Danab Brigade was established in October 2013 with just 150 recruits and has grown to a several thousand-person brigade. Over the years, the unit has regularly conducted strikes that have crippled the Al Shabaab leadership and capabilities. The force has been particularly successful in recapturing territory previously held by the terrorist group.
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San Diego, California. (November 7, 2024): Who is better at helping U.S. Sailors and Marines deal with underwater threats than the highly intelligent creatures that call the deep their home? In this photo by Todd Hack, a scientist signals a sea lion to salute during an exhibition as part of Fleet Week held here this week. Fleet Week is a great opportunity for service members to participate in various community relations events, showcase their military capabilities and equipment, and enjoy local hospitality.
The Naval Information Warfare Center, through its Marine Mammal Program, has trained dolphins and sea lions as workmates since the 1960s. These highly intelligent animals are trained to detect, locate, mark, and recover objects in harbors, coastal areas, and at depth in the open sea.
California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) are coastal seals native to western North America that are particularly accustomed to working with humans. They have excellent low light vision and underwater directional hearing that allows them to detect and track undersea targets, even in dark or murky waters. These large, imposing beasts also function as security by detecting and helping apprehend unauthorized swimmers that might attempt to harm the Navy’s people, vessels, or harbor facilities.
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Fort Knox, Kentucky. (November 13, 2024): What do high school students who have high attendance, few discipline problems, and a high graduation rate have in common? Junior Reserve Officer Training (JROTC). In this photo by 2nd Lieutenant Marin-Cruz, JROTC Cadets from Leavenworth High School, Kansas, participate in the Cross-Country Rescue event at the National Raider Challenge 2024. This high intensity competition attracted more than three hundred teams consisting of four thousand cadets from high schools as far away as Guam.
Activities included precision military drill, a Leadership and Academic Bowl, and a demanding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Camp. The competition was balanced by a tough physical fitness competition known as the Cadet Leadership Challenge.
Established by Congress in 1916, the JROTC is one of the largest citizenship programs for youth in the world, helping high schoolers learn positive, life-long habits and skills. The program helps shape the character of young people at a very critical point in their lives. JROTC instills values of citizenship, service to the United States, and personal responsibility. The program is particularly effective for kids growing up in economically distressed communities. Currently, forty percent of JROTC programs are in inner city schools serving diverse populations.
There are currently more than 1,700 JROTC units taught by a faculty of nearly 4,000 instructors who are mostly retired from active duty, reserve duty, or National Guard. All JROTC Instructors are trained and qualified in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act 2007.
These highly dedicated instructors teach approximately 314,000 Cadets annually in topics including leadership, health and wellness, physical fitness, American history and government, communications, and emotional intelligence. Many high schools grant core credits for some of the subjects taught in JROTC and the regular Army ROTC offers college scholarships for those who qualify.
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Syria. (November 15, 2024): American forces struck back this week against Iranian-sponsored forces after two recent attacks against U.S. outposts in this war-torn nation. In this photo by Staff Sergeant Emma Scearce, a soldier on dismounted patrol gives candy to children as they pass through a local village. He is one of the approximately 900 U.S. troops in Syria working with local partners to defeat the remnants of the Islamic State group.
The American response came amid a new round of attacks, the second strike on U.S. personnel in two days, consisting of an Unmanned Airial Vehicle (UAV) strike and indirect rocket fire. There were no injuries and little damage was reported. The U.S. response targeted the militia groups’ weapons storage and logistics facilities, according to Central Command.
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“I am a lineman for the county
And I drive the main road
Searching in the sun for another overload.”
Wichita Lineman, by Glen Campbell. 1968 Classic.
Overland Park, Missouri. (November 7, 2024): This number one hit in 1969 by Glen Campbell (are we dating ourselves) romanticized the lonely electric lineman plying his essential trade, out in the worst weather, struggling to keep the power flowing. In this photo by Sergeant Jason Palacios, Soldiers participate in a lineman's rodeo event to show off their power distribution skills. This forty-year-old Rodeo attracts the best linemen from around the world to compete in various events. Since September 1984, the Rodeo has grown to over three hundred teams and 450 apprentices.
Teams compete in the “hurt man rescue” exercise where teams must “rescue” a one-hundred-and-fifty-pound mannequin from atop a forty-foot pole. Another timed event requires competitors to scale a pole with a raw egg in their mouth. Unfortunately for some, they had to endure the bitter taste on the way down. Apprentices also take a written test that measures their knowledge of basic skills.
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Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. (November 8, 2024): In the movies, they appear like ghosts out of the forest, unseen until they take the critical shot. What viewers don’t see is the hours of grueling training, constant practice, and a strong ability to endure. We ask a lot of our Snipers.
In this photo by Staff Sergeant Adeline Witherspoon, Specialist Drew Topp emerges from the wood line after completing an infiltration mission. During this event, Snipers were dropped at designated grid points and then moved towards observers using natural vegetation to avoid detection. A Sniper is expected to be fit, up to special operations standards, and must be prepared for long, difficult field training. They are expected to be expert infantrymen well-schooled in fieldcraft, escape, and evasion. They must also be an expert in concealment, tactical movement, land navigation and, on top of all that, they must be an excellent marksman!
Of all these skills, the most important attribute of a Sniper is patience. As a Sniper approaches or waits for a target, hours, sometimes days go by before a single shot is taken. A Sniper may lie in uncomfortable conditions for days yet must be ready to execute the mission in an instant.
How does a Sniper maintain such extreme patience?
Websters defines Patience as “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.” Psychologists say it is a “wrestling match” between the body’s natural desire for safety and to avoid pain and the determination of the subject to endure hardship. This “contest” of wills is something every Sniper must win and is often the hardest part of the job.