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Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. (March 31, 2024): In the above photo, members of the Air Force Civil Air Patrol (CAP) practice land navigation as part of search and rescue training held here recently. During the exercise, volunteers used a compass while conducting a search and rescue in a lost-person scenario, a typical emergency in which the patrol is called on to assist.
The CAP is a federally funded non-profit corporation that serves as the Air Force auxiliary that supports America’s communities in an emergency. CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership of cadets ranging from twelve to just under 21 years of age. The CAP is a major operator of single-engine general aviation aircraft used in the execution of its various missions, including orientation flights for cadets and the provision of emergency services. Because of these extensive flying opportunities, many CAP members become licensed pilots.
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Fort Irwin, California. (March 29, 2024): The Russian invaders in Ukraine have found themselves on the business end of an American-made nightmare… the “Ghost” drone. In this photo by Staff Sergeant LaShic Patterson, Staff Sergeant Stetson Manuel, a Robotics and Autonomous Systems platoon sergeant and infantryman assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, 316th Cavalry Brigade, assembles the Ghost-X Unmanned Aircraft System during the human machine integration experiment. The Ghost Drone made its combat debut on the battlefields of Ukraine where its nearly silent flight and deadly payloads have terrified Russian troops.
The Army is evaluating upgrades to the unmanned aircraft system developed by Anduril Industries. The Ghost-X represents the latest advancement in autonomous vehicles designed for reconnaissance, perimeter security, and force protection missions.
Ghost-X stands out for its portability and ease of deployment across various operational environments. Engineered for expeditionary use, the system can be compacted into a slim rifle case or a tactical soft case, enabling a single operator to assemble and prepare it for flight in less than two minutes without the need for tools.
These key advances give the Ghost-X greater autonomy through onboard computing and computer vision algorithms that detect, classify, and track objects of interest while intelligently navigating terrain and airspace.
It boasts an impressive endurance of 75 minutes on a single cruise and has a range of 15.5 miles without the need for frequent recharging or refueling. It can carry payloads of up to twenty pounds and the package is easily transportable weighing only fifty-five pounds.
The most striking aspect of the “Ghost” is it’s nearly silent operation. Using this muffling technology, the Ghost can sneak up on enemy soldiers to deliver its deadly payload before they know what hit them.
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Quantico, Virginia. (March 27, 2024): The Marines are mourning the loss of a legendary commander with the passing of General Alfred M. Gray, 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps, by honoring his service to our nation and the lasting impression he left on the Corps.
General Gray enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950 and served overseas with the Amphibious Reconnaissance Platoon, Fleet Marine Force Pacific where he attained the rank of sergeant. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1952 after attending the Basic School at Quantico and the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He served as an artillery officer with the 1st Marine Division in Korea and went on to serve with the 12th Marines in Vietnam in 1965.
It was in Vietnam that then Major Grey earned the Silver Star for conspicuous bravery in combat.
According to his citation, during the night of May 14, 1967, three Marines who were enroute to a listening post became confused in the darkness and unknowingly entered a mine field. One of the Marines inadvertently detonated a mine which killed him and seriously wounded his comrades. Upon learning of the accident, Major Gray immediately proceeded to the area and, realizing that the casualties required immediate medical attention, unhesitatingly entered the mined area to assist them.
Disregarding his own safety, Major Gray, accompanied by another Marine, calmly and skillfully probed a cleared path forty meters through the unmarked minefield to the side of the wounded men. When stretcher bearers arrived, he directed the safe evacuation of the casualties through the minefield. His timely and heroic actions in the face of great personal danger inspired all who served with him and were instrumental in saving the lives of two Marines.
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Baltimore, Maryland. (April 1, 2024): Americans looked on in horror at images of the sudden collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the resulting loss of life. Pictured above is Army Corps of Engineers Chief of Engineers Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon viewing the damage and making plans to clear the channel to restore operations at the Port of Baltimore.
The Corps of Engineers is deploying over a thousand personnel to remove and manage debris from the river, with the eventual goal of making it safe for ships to navigate again. The Corps is using a 61-foot survey vessel, the Catlett, for topographic and hydrographic surveying. They will provide engineering, construction, contracting and operations expertise to support local, state, and federal agencies.
The Port of Baltimore is key for importing cars and food products, as well as exporting coal. Last year, the port saw nearly 850,000 car and truck imports, according to Maryland state data, marking it a top port for the auto industry. It's also the home to more than 15,000 jobs and is a vital traffic artery as some 30,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily.
The Army Corps of Engineers is one of the world's largest public engineering, design, and construction management agencies. The Corps has an Engineering Regiment, a military construction role, and participates in countless civil works projects in the U.S. and abroad. The Engineer Regiment is comprised of combat engineer, rescue, construction, dive, and other specialty units. The Corps’ civil works mission includes maintaining navigation, flood and storm damage protection, and aquatic ecosystem restoration.
Read more: Baltimore Bridge Collapse… Army Corps of Engineers Responds
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Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. (March 30, 2024): Since the earliest days of our Republic, military chaplains have tended to the spiritual needs of servicemembers and their families at bases all over the world. In this photo by Kemberly Groue, the Easter Bunny spreads holiday cheer to youngsters of Air Force servicemembers. Events like these are only a part of the efforts of military clergy to support the needs of members of our armed forces.
The Chaplain Corps is one of the oldest branches of our military and was established by the Continental Congress in 1775. Congress authorized one chaplain for each regiment of the Continental Army and many also served in the ranks of local militias. Since then, chaplains have served in every American war.
Like the nation they serve, the ranks of military chaplains have evolved over the years to include the addition of Roman Catholic priests in the Mexican American War and Jewish and African American ministers during the Civil War. In 1979, the Army commissioned its first female chaplain and today, some 1,300 active-duty Army chaplains and 1,200 in the reserve components, representing five major faiths groups (Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist) and over 120 denominations, administer to soldiers and their families.
The primary role of military clergy is to conduct religious services and to provide counseling for their adherents. In wartime, they are vital for offering encouragement and comfort to troops under the extreme stress of battle. Stories abound of chaplains administering the last rites to fallen soldiers, oblivious to the fire around them, or dashing out into the open to rescue the wounded without regard to their own lives. In fact, there are nine chaplains that have earned the Medal of Honor for bravery. Many military chaplains have made the ultimate sacrifice, living up to the Chaplain Corps motto, For God and Country.
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Southwest Asia. (March 23, 2024): The American military is launching a massive effort to send critical lifesaving supplies to the innocent citizens of Gaza as the Middle East war intensifies. In the above photo, a C-130J Super Hercules is loaded with over 38,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) and water destined for an airdrop over Gaza as part of the U.S. Air Force’s rapid global mobility relief campaign.
The U.S. has conducted several humanitarian assistance airdrops into Gaza alongside the Royal Jordanian Air Force and the combined operations have delivered hundreds of thousands of badly needed meals to civilians. The U.S. decided to mount the air drops after more than 100 Palestinians, who had surged to pull goods off an aid convoy, were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops.
Three planes from Air Forces Central dropped sixty-six bundles into southwest Gaza on the beach along the territory’s Mediterranean coast. The airdrop was coordinated with the Royal Jordanian Air Force, which said it had two food airdrops Saturday in northern Gaza and has conducted several rounds in recent months.
Army Soldiers who specialize in the aerial delivery of supplies built the bundles and ensured they are dropped safely. The MREs— shelf-stable meals that contain a day’s worth of calories in each sealed package — were dropped in locations that were thought to provide civilians with the greatest level of safety to access the aid. Afterward, the U.S. monitored the sites and was able to see civilians approach and distribute food among themselves,
A C-130 can airlift as much as 42,000 pounds of cargo and its crews know how to rig the cargo, which sometimes can include even vehicles, onto massive pallets that can be safely dropped out of the back of the aircraft. Air Force loadmasters secure the bundles onto pallets with netting that is rigged for release in the back of a C-130, and then crews release it with a parachute when the aircraft reaches the intended delivery zone.