U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3 unload cargo from a U.S. Air Force C-130J with 36th Airlift Squadron, 374th Airlift Wing after their arrival to Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, from Mindanao for Balikatan 2025, April 15, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between U.S. and Philippine armed forces … [Read more...]
Paratroopers Honor 80th Anniversary
APRIL 28, 2025 – Sgt. William Cantrell stood beside Italians dancing in Piazza Marconi to celebrate the 80th anniversary of their town being liberated. And then, he was part of it. “I was on the side and this little old lady just took my hand,” said Cantrell, a Tennessee-born paratrooper from the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion. “I couldn’t say no.” His command team, … [Read more...]
JROTC Students Fly High With the 101st
APRIL 28, 2025 - There was a sense of anticipation and excitement as students with the Hermon JROTC sat aboard the bus, waiting to be escorted to the KC135-R to witness a refueling from the air. The sun was shining and the skies were clear, making for a promising flight. The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps or JROTC is a high school program that provides leadership, … [Read more...]
Marines Deploy Anti-Ship Missile System in Philippines
APRIL 28, 2025 – U.S. Marines with 3d Marine Littoral Regiment deployed the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) for the first time during Exercise Balikatan 2025 on Batan Island, April 26. This marks the inaugural employment of the fielded Marine Corps weapon system to the Philippines and serves as a major milestone for the ironclad alliance between … [Read more...]
Army Exceeds Retention Targets
APRIL 28, 2025 — The Army recently surpassed its fiscal year 2025 reenlistment goal by retaining 15,600 Soldiers, 800 more than the 14,800 target, well before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2025. Soldiers whose service contracts expire between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, were eligible for reenlistment starting in March 2024. Early reenlistment offered … [Read more...]