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Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany. (October 1, 2023): In this photo by Senior Airman Edgar Grimaldo, Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Flint, and Airman 1st Class Andrea Medranda, 37th Airlift Squadron loadmasters, sit on a C-130J Super Hercules ramp during a simulated cargo drop during a Hispanic heritage flight over Germany. The 37th Airlift Squadron celebrated the contributions of Spanish Americans to our nation’s defense by flying an all-Hispanic crew including the loadmasters, pilots, maintainers, and medical personnel who participated in an aeromedical flight training sortie.
From the Spanish-American War to Operation Enduring Freedom, Latinos have served with great distinction. According to the Department of Defense, Hispanics represent 19% of the U.S. population and make up 17% of our active duty servicemembers. In a testament to their toughness, the Marine Corps has the highest percentage (23%) of Latino members among all the services. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are nearly 1.3 million Latino veterans, or about 8 percent of the veteran population. By 2045, this figure is projected to reach 12 percent.
Soldiers of Spanish or Latin American heritage have fought in every U.S. conflict since the Revolutionary War. The first Hispanic recipient of the Medal of Honor was awarded to Joseph H. De Castro who served in the Civil War. As a member of the Massachusetts Infantry, Castro served as a color-bearer, the flag he was carrying making him a visible target of Confederate forces. In total there have been over 60 Hispanic Medal of Honor winners in American history.
Several thousand Hispanic Army volunteers, mostly from the Southwest, fought with distinction in Cuba during the Spanish-American War in 1898. Among them was Capt. Maximiliano Luna, the only Mexican American officer in the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry — better known as the Rough Riders — led by Col. Theodore Roosevelt.
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San Diego, California. (September 29, 2023): In this photo by Corporal Daniel Childs, Marines with 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force exit an MV-22B Osprey with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, during the Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration at Air Station Miramar Airshow. The show gave civilians the chance to witness the coordinated use of air support, armor, artillery, and infantry forces and to see first-hand the spirit of American Marines. Visitors learned how the Corps operates and got a chance to interact with individual Marines and other servicemembers. The highlight of the event was an air show by the famous Navy Blue Angels precision flight demonstration team. Formed in 1946, the Blue Angels perform at over seventy shows a year throughout the country, thrilling audiences with their twisting, falling, turning, and staying in formation maneuvers that push flying to the limit.
The Marines are not alone in staging these important community relations events.
The Army deploys its Golden Knights dare devil parachute team across the nation to perform for large audiences demonstrating the skill and professionalism of today’s soldier. The team is composed of ninety-five soldiers broken into four parachute units, an aviation unit, and a headquarters. The demonstration teams, which use five dedicated aircraft to perform at more than one hundred events per year, even take celebrities and heads of state on jumps.
The Navy also fields an expert parachute team, “The Leap Frogs” , staffed by elite active-duty Navy SEALs and Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen. The Leap Frogs were formed in 1969 when Navy SEALs and Underwater Demolition Team members volunteered to perform at weekend air shows.
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Ostroeɫęka , Poland. Division2, 2023): In this photo by Alex Soliday, U.S. Army Sergeant Francisco Quinones, assigned to Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment “Panther Battalion,” 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, shows a child how to move and operate a hitch on the back of a HEMTT recovery vehicle during the Polish Army’s 11th Cavalry competition for the prized Mayor of Ostroeɫęka Cup”. The event is held every year in honor of the Polish regiment that defended the city in the 1920s.
Since 1989, Poland has been a stalwart ally of the United States and is one of America’s most important partners in Eastern Europe. As a fellow member of both NATO and the European Union, Poland is literally at the center of allied defense plans for Europe. Poland has deep cultural ties to America based on immigration and a shared support for democratic institutions. What is more, Poland is one of the most consistently pro-American nations in Europe and the world, with 79% of Poles viewing the US favorably. According to a BBC World Service Poll, 55% of Poles view US influence positively, the highest rating for any surveyed European country. Poland was also one of four participating countries in the American-led Iraq War coalition in 2003.
Over the last five years, the United States has provided more than $34 million in security assistance to Poland for military mobility, security services, and intelligence capabilities. The U.S. Army V Corps is establishing its Headquarters Forward Command in Poland marking the first permanently stationed U.S. Forces on NATO’s eastern flank since World War II.
The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners.
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Hohenfels, Germany.(September 24, 2023): In this photo by 1st Sgt. Michel Sauret, Army Specialist Dylan Horak, a network communication systems specialist with the 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, reconnects cables to a communication system after a drone attack during Saber Junction 23. This annual exercise with NATO allies and partners included 4,000 participants from sixteen different countries. Participants trained with drones to simulate unmanned aerial combat including fixing damage to facilities.
Network communication systems specialists install tactical fiber and cable wiring, help troubleshoot computer systems, and routine maintenance on assigned vehicles, power generators, and equipment. They give technical assistance at the unit level to install automated telecommunications systems and are often called upon to repair malfunctioning network connections.
Created in October 2022, the network communication systems specialist was the first new military occupational specialty in two years. To become a 25H, students undergo 19 weeks of Advanced Individual Training at the U.S. Army Signal School at Fort Gordon, Georgia following their standard 10 weeks of Basic Combat Training. Soldiers learn to operate multiple nodes, or communications hubs, transmission assemblages, and ways to develop/splice fiber cables. Throughout the course, Soldiers also train on warrior tasks and battle drills to prepare them for a comprehensive field evaluation prior to graduation.
Commanders count on these highly skilled technicians to keep their communications up and running.
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Riga, Latvia.(September 24, 2023): In this remarkable photo by Staff Sergeant Jesus Sepulveda Torres, a Marine assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit appears to be directing both sea and air forces ashore using a handy laptop. This amphibious landing scene unfolded during Northern Coast 2023; a German-led multinational exercise hosted by the Latvian Armed Forces.
The United States established diplomatic relations with Latvia in 1922 following its independence after World War I. In World War II, Latvia was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 and the country finally claimed its independence in 1991.
Latvia and the United States have signed treaties on investment, trade, intellectual property protection, extradition, mutual legal assistance. Latvia has enjoyed most-favored-nation treatment with the United States since December 1991.
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Orchard Combat Training Center, Boise, Idaho.(September 23, 2023): In this photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, Army National Guard Soldier Staff Sgt. Lauren Cox completes an 11-mile ruck march with 40 lbs. of weight carried in a pack during the Best Warrior competition held here. The Idaho Army National Guard hosted the four-day event that featured fifteen Idaho National Guard Soldiers competing for the prestigious title.
The Best Warrior Competition is an annual event conducted by the United States Army to identify and honor the most skilled and proficient Soldiers across various military occupational specialties. It is designed to evaluate a Soldiers’ physical fitness, military knowledge, marksmanship, tactical proficiency, leadership abilities, and mental resilience.
The Best Warrior Competition consists of a series of challenging events that simulate real-world combat scenarios and tasks. These events include an Army Combat Fitness Test, a land navigation course, and shooting competitions to demonstrate weapons proficiency. Soldiers must overcome various obstacle courses including urban warfare simulations and tactical combat casualty care. They also must pass various written exams and oral boards to assess their knowledge of military doctrine, tactics, and leadership skills. Competitors had to endure little sleep and high stress that challenged them both physically and mentally while evaluating their ability to shoot, move, communicate, and survive.