Author name: Common Defense

Vermont F-35 Wing Roars Home After Nine Month Combat Odyssey Across Two Hemispheres
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Vermont F-35 Wing Roars Home After Nine Month Combat Odyssey Across Two Hemispheres

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The final deployed members of the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing returned to Burlington on Sunday, closing a demanding nine month mission that carried the unit into combat across two hemispheres.

The homecoming brought the Green Mountain Boys back to their families after an unusually long stretch overseas.

The deployment began before Christmas and eventually placed the F-35 unit in two separate combat theaters.

Rather than returning home after its first assignment, the wing moved directly from operations in the Caribbean and South America to missions in the Middle East.

An earlier group of personnel returned during the opening days of August, according to photographs released by the 158th.

The final arrivals on Sunday marked the end of the wing’s extended absence and delivered a welcome moment for families who had carried the burden at home.

Guard officials said Vermont leaders had little influence over when the wing would finally return.

Their attention instead remained focused on supporting the families of deployed airmen as operational demands kept shifting the unit’s schedule.

“For months, our Airmen remained focused on the mission while their families carried on at home,” said Col. Michael Blair, the 158th Fighter Wing commander.

“Their professionalism and resilience throughout this deployment have been remarkable.”

The wing departed Burlington in December and initially deployed to Puerto Rico. Its aircraft operated from José Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba while supporting U.S. Southern Command operations throughout the Caribbean.

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U.S. Air Force Major Kristin Wolfe, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team pilot and commander, flies at the Wings over South Texas air show held on Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, April 2nd, 2022. The F-35A Demo Team is an Air Combat Command single-ship jet demonstration team that travels to air shows across the country. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Codie Trimble)

Local news organizations reported that the Vermont unit flew missions into Venezuela during that phase of the deployment. Those operations placed the Green Mountain Boys at the center of an active American military effort in the Western Hemisphere.

Over the summer, the wing shifted from Southern Command to Central Command without first returning to Vermont.

Its pilots and crews then flew missions connected to the ongoing war with Iran, transforming an already lengthy deployment into a rare consecutive assignment across combat theaters.

The 158th holds a notable place in Air National Guard history because it became the first Guard unit in the country to begin operating the F-35A.

That milestone came with serious responsibilities, and this deployment demonstrated how quickly a Guard fighter wing can be called from one region to another when combat requirements demand it.

The unit’s total time away roughly matched the deployment endured by sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

That carrier’s lengthy tour has received scrutiny because of the strain imposed on its crew, while the Vermont wing reportedly had some ability to exchange personnel during its mission.

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An F-35A Lighning II taxis off the runway at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Feb. 22, 2024. (Staff Sgt. Kaitlyn Ergish/Air Force)

A Guard spokesperson told Vermont Public Radio in August that more than 200 members were deployed. Rotating personnel provided some flexibility, although it did not erase the pressure on airmen, families, employers, and communities affected by months of uncertainty.

The wider military has extended multiple deployments as the war with Iran entered its seventh month.

The Army recently confirmed that more than 2,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division would remain in the region into 2027 after deploying there in March.

Other units are moving into the region to relieve forces that have served longer than originally expected.

The USS George Washington is deploying to replace the Abraham Lincoln, while Air & Space Forces Magazine reported that the Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing is sending F-16s to replace some fighter units departing the Central Command area.

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Air Force F-35A fighter jets and two two French Dassault Rafales fly over Palau in the Pacific in July 2023. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Michelle Chang.

Most members of the 158th live and work in Vermont or nearby communities, according to a Guard spokesperson.

Some travel from other parts of the country, a common arrangement among Air National Guard pilots who also hold full time civilian jobs with commercial airlines.

“This deployment asked a great deal of our Airmen and of those who stood behind them,” said Army Maj. Gen. Henry Harder Jr., adjutant general of Vermont.

“We are incredibly proud of what they represent, but today, more than anything, we are grateful to welcome them home.”

For the Green Mountain Boys, Sunday was more than another movement on a military schedule.

It was a hard earned return after combat operations spanning the Caribbean, South America, and the Middle East, with Vermont families finally getting their airmen back home.

Navy to Install Advanced Nuclear Microreactor at Indiana Command by 2028
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Navy to Install Advanced Nuclear Microreactor at Indiana Command by 2028

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The Navy plans to install Indiana’s first advanced nuclear micro modular reactor at Naval Weapons Station Crane by September 2028, the Pentagon announced Wednesday.

The project will give the strategically important installation a dependable source of electricity that can operate independently from the commercial power grid.

The deployment directly advances President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order demanding the rapid integration of nuclear power across the military.

That order establishes a goal of placing at least one operational nuclear reactor on a military installation by Sept. 30, 2028.

Naval Weapons Station Crane is now positioned to become the proving ground for that ambitious energy mission.

Rather than leaving critical military operations exposed to civilian grid failures, the Navy intends to secure a constant power source built for demanding national security requirements.

“The MMR installation will provide reliable, around-the-clock power independent of the commercial electric grid, capable of sustaining critical operations under the most demanding conditions,” a Pentagon release said.

That independence matters because military installations cannot afford to go dark when storms, equipment failures, cyberattacks or hostile actions disrupt civilian infrastructure.

A reactor capable of providing continuous electricity offers commanders another layer of resilience when the surrounding grid becomes unreliable.

The project is also expected to support American jobs and strengthen the domestic nuclear supply chain. At a time when Washington has spent years talking about infrastructure resilience, the Trump administration is moving forward with actual hardware at an operational military installation.

The reactor will be the first power producing nuclear reactor installed in Indiana. That makes the Crane project significant not only for the Navy, but also for the state’s growing role in advanced energy technology and national security.

The Army’s Janus Program will help implement the installation alongside the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment.

The Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering and the state of Indiana will also participate.

The Janus Program was established to bring nuclear power to military bases while allowing those systems to function independently of nearby municipal electrical networks.

Its purpose reflects a basic operational reality: military readiness should not depend entirely on the same civilian grid serving shopping centers and suburban neighborhoods.

Micro modular reactors are intended to provide steady power in a smaller package than traditional commercial nuclear facilities.

For military installations with specialized missions, that smaller footprint could offer a practical route to energy security without relying on sprawling civilian power projects.

At Crane, the reactor is expected to support critical operations around the clock while reducing vulnerability to outside power interruptions.

That capability could prove especially important during emergencies when electricity demand rises and civilian utilities face their greatest strain.

The Pentagon said it will coordinate closely with federal, state and local partners as the project advances.

Officials pledged that the reactor will be installed in accordance with applicable environmental and safety regulations.

That coordination will be essential because the installation represents a first for Indiana and a major test for military nuclear energy planning.

Successful deployment could provide a model for similar systems at other installations where uninterrupted electricity is central to readiness.

President Trump’s executive order has placed a clear deadline on a bureaucracy that too often turns straightforward military priorities into years of paperwork and committee meetings.

The September 2028 target gives the services a firm objective and puts pressure on officials to deliver an operating reactor rather than another stack of studies.

The Crane announcement also signals a broader shift toward making military infrastructure more self reliant.

While civilian energy debates remain trapped in politics, the military has an immediate responsibility to keep weapons facilities, communications systems and other essential operations functioning under hostile conditions.

If the project stays on schedule, Naval Weapons Station Crane will become the first military installation to meet the reactor objective established under Trump’s 2025 order.

Indiana, meanwhile, will host its first electricity producing reactor while contributing directly to American military readiness and the revival of the nation’s nuclear industrial base.

Air Force Fighter Pilots Plunge Below Sortie Minimums for Combat Readiness
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Air Force Fighter Pilots Plunge Below Sortie Minimums for Combat Readiness

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America’s fighter pilots are flying far too little to meet the Air Force standard for combat mission readiness, according to a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies expert.

The alarming shortfall leaves pilots receiving only a fraction of the training sorties required for a high end fight.

An average fighter pilot needs roughly nine or 10 sorties every month to qualify as combat mission ready, according to previous service statements.

Yet pilots assigned to nondeployed aircraft in the United States and “other locations” are now getting only about one sortie per month.

John Venable, a senior resident fellow at the Mitchell Institute, disclosed the figure after speaking with commanders and line pilots.

He presented the readiness assessment during a Friday roundtable hosted by the institute.

The last publicly released Air Force data showed pilots flying approximately five and a half sorties per month in fiscal 2023.

Even then, aviators were receiving only about 60 percent of the flight activity they needed.

“That has withered again in the last couple of years, and the Air Force has stopped reporting it,” Venable said.

Keeping the public in the dark does not put more aircraft in the air, nor does it sharpen pilots for combat.

The shortage extends beyond flying hours and reaches directly into the service’s personnel ranks.

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Venable said the official pilot shortage remains around 2,000, although anecdotal information indicates the real deficit has climbed to approximately 2,400 pilots.

The maintenance side also took a serious blow under former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall during the Biden administration.

Funding tied to 6,000 aviation maintenance positions was redirected toward other priorities in fiscal 2025, a decision Venable said “exacerbated itself into the readiness scheme.”

That Biden era reshuffling now looks especially reckless as global threats expand and American aircrews face mounting operational demands.

Fighter aircraft cannot generate sorties without maintainers, parts, training resources and enough pilots to fill cockpits.

The readiness gap became particularly visible during Rising Lion and Midnight Hammer, the Israeli and U.S. operations conducted against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure in June 2025. Venable said American air superiority “came on the backs” of Israeli forces because their pilots were flying at a dramatically higher rate.

Israeli pilots are reportedly flying about 20 sorties every month, while line pilots receive between 25 and 30 flight hours.

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A passenger in an F-15D ejected on the ground this week at the 104th Fighter Wing in Massachusetts. (Senior Airman Ivy Thomas/U.S. Air Force)

That tempo is not merely a comfortable advantage but the kind of repetition that builds instincts, coordination and survivability under combat pressure.

Operation Epic Fury has involved 25 U.S. squadrons containing about 325 aircraft, according to Mitchell Institute data shared during the roundtable.

Those aircraft come from an active inventory of 1,084, of which only 634 were considered mission capable based on fiscal 2024 figures.

The scale is a sobering contrast with Operation Desert Storm, when the Air Force alone deployed roughly twice as many aircraft.

America may possess advanced fighters and precision weapons, but limited capacity can still become a strategic vulnerability when multiple crises erupt.

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U.S. Air Force Major Kristin Wolfe, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team pilot and commander, flies at the Wings over South Texas air show held on Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, April 2nd, 2022. The F-35A Demo Team is an Air Combat Command single-ship jet demonstration team that travels to air shows across the country. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Codie Trimble)

“If you look schematically at the whole picture, 325 aircraft, combat-coded fighter aircraft, is half of what we had in Desert Storm, and it’s about all we can muster today,” Venable said.

That is hardly the margin a global superpower wants when facing China, Russia, Iran and other hostile actors.

An April White House release reported that more than 10,200 total air sorties had been flown in Epic Fury overall, along with more than 13,000 combat flights.

Those numbers demonstrate the intense demands placed on available crews and aircraft when major operations move beyond planning slides and into real missions.

Flying hours have troubled Air Force leaders for years, with pilots receiving roughly 17 hours per month in fiscal 2017. More recently, the Department of the Air Force’s fiscal 2027 budget request funded 1.1 million hours through the Flying Hours Program, described as the “maximum executable level for the total force.”

For President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth, the figures reveal the scale of the readiness repair job left behind after years of misplaced priorities.

Combat aviation cannot be rebuilt through slogans or bureaucratic accounting because pilots must fly, maintainers must have resources and commanders must be able to train forces at warfighting tempo.

The U.S. Military’s Next Major Challenge: Hiding Before the Enemy Strikes
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The U.S. Military’s Next Major Challenge: Hiding Before the Enemy Strikes

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Recent Iranian missile and drone attacks on American bases across the Middle East have exposed a dangerous reality: yesterday’s operating methods are becoming liabilities.

Large headquarters, concentrated supplies and predictable infrastructure now offer hostile forces inviting targets.

For years, American forces operated from sprawling bases under overwhelming air superiority, particularly during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Against enemies armed with precision missiles, surveillance systems and cheap attack drones, the military must again master the basic battlefield skill of disappearing.

The Army’s Combined Arms Command, which oversees leadership and doctrine development, is changing how troops train for concealment and survival.

“Hiding in plain sight has become an imperative on the modern battlefield,” Lt. Gen. James P. Isenhower told reporters during a War Department briefing Thursday.

“We think very differently about how we employ ourselves [and] how we remain dispersed” compared with operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Isenhower said.

Regarding oversized command posts and their obvious signatures, he added, “We have to work really hard to look like that which we are not.”

His warning comes as more details emerge about the damage Iran inflicted on Naval Support Activity Bahrain on Feb. 28.

Although the War Department initially reported no major operational effects, later reporting placed the destruction at approximately $400 million.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao delivered a considerably less polished assessment, saying Iran “blew the hell out of Bahrain.”

That blunt description cut through the usual bureaucratic fog surrounding the attack and highlighted just how exposed America’s regional footprint has become.

The Bahrain strike was not isolated. Three American soldiers were killed in July when Iranian ballistic missiles and drones penetrated defenses around Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, while six soldiers died in March after an Iranian drone struck a tactical operations center at Port Shuaiba in Kuwait.

“For 20 years we didn’t have to worry about anything coming out of the sky, and we lost proficiency that I think we had trained in the Cold War era — through the 80s and 90s — where we were worried about adversaries who had fixed-wing aircraft and the capability to send long-range precision fires at us,” Isenhower said. “That wasn’t the case in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, said American installations became protected hubs where personnel, supplies and headquarters could gather without constant aerial surveillance. “These bases were sanctuaries,” she said, calling that arrangement “an aberration, historically.”

America is now returning to a “period of warfare where the base itself is a vulnerability and something an adversary can attack,” Grieco said.

hat reality demands smaller footprints, wider dispersion and more deception, rather than assuming another expensive interceptor will always save the day.

The cost of interception is already becoming severe. A recent Center for Strategic and International Studies report estimated that the United States expended about 65 percent of its Patriot interceptor inventory between February and July, while its stock of THAAD ballistic missile interceptors fell 38 percent.

Dispersion brings its own logistical headaches because fuel, ammunition, food and equipment must move across more locations, often separated by considerable distances. “We’re now trading efficiency for survivability,” Grieco said, neatly describing the bargain commanders have little choice but to accept.

After NSA Bahrain was damaged, American ships relied on Diego Garcia, more than 2,000 miles from carrier strike groups operating in the Middle East.

Personnel had to submit food orders 30 days ahead, an awkward requirement when combat operations refuse to follow neat spreadsheets and peacetime schedules.

Isenhower said command posts repeatedly shrank during exercises because opposing forces kept detecting and striking them through electronic signatures.

Units answered with dispersion and deception because commanders must “create the benefits of mass without presenting the vulnerabilities of concentration.”

“It affects the squad differently than it affects a battalion, but we’ve seen in current combat operations: the vulnerabilities of a large, distinct signature, whether it’s physical, visual or something on the electromagnetic spectrum,” Isenhower said.

In modern war, anything that emits, moves or gathers in obvious numbers can rapidly become a target.

That threat extends to aircraft, as demonstrated when Iran reportedly used a drone swarm in April to identify an American fighter’s GPS position, speed and direction before the jet was brought down.

Army troops are now learning to use electromagnetic information “to try to get a bearing or pinpoint a fix on the enemy,” while also studying “how to operate in that environment so they don’t do the same to us.”

U.S. Shoots Down Iran’s Claim of Captured Saildrone
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U.S. Shoots Down Iran’s Claim of Captured Saildrone

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Iran circulated a dramatic video Wednesday that purported to show an American Saildrone unmanned surface vessel burning near the Strait of Hormuz after an attack by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The footage quickly spread across social media, where Tehran’s propaganda machine appeared eager to claim another trophy.

There was just one inconvenient problem for the Iranian regime.

The United States says none of its Saildrone vessels are missing, damaged, or sitting in the hands of the Revolutionary Guard.

“All of our Saildrones are accounted for and fully operational,” an official said.

That direct response sharply contradicts Iran’s apparent effort to portray the burning vessel as captured American military technology.

The video does not independently establish that the vessel belonged to the United States.

Iran’s presentation may generate attention online, but dramatic flames and regime messaging are not substitutes for verified identification.

The episode follows a separate incident involving an Anduril Dive LD autonomous underwater vehicle on Sept. 8.

Iran Claims Capture of Advanced U.S. Underwater Drone Near Strait of Hormuz

That platform, which is designed for long range surveillance and other undersea missions, was captured after it became defective.

U.S. Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins of U.S. Central Command told Reuters that the “defective drone was an older model that neither collected sensitive data nor carried any classified sonar or radar equipment.” In other words, Tehran did not exactly haul away the crown jewels of American undersea warfare.

Still, Iran is likely to squeeze every possible propaganda point from any American made system that drifts within reach.

The Revolutionary Guard routinely uses military spectacle and selective claims to project strength both inside Iran and across the region.

“Of course Iran will take every opportunity as a propaganda win,” Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Reuters.

He added, “It can help the (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) make better versions of their own designs.”

That possibility gives American planners a reason to monitor even older and less sensitive systems operating near hostile forces.

While the captured Dive LD reportedly contained no classified sonar, radar, or sensitive information, physical access could still allow Iranian engineers to study basic construction and design choices.

The Saildrone claim, however, remains refuted by the American official’s statement that the entire fleet is accounted for and operational.

Unless Iran produces verifiable evidence, its latest video looks more like information warfare than a confirmed battlefield success.

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Saildrone platforms have become increasingly useful to the Navy because they can conduct persistent surveillance without placing sailors aboard vulnerable vessels.

Their endurance allows commanders to watch broad maritime areas while reserving crewed ships and aircraft for missions requiring greater force or direct human involvement.

The Navy recently awarded Saildrone Voyager a $16.3 million task order to continue operations by the Voyager fleet in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, according to an August company release. Those missions support American efforts to track suspicious maritime activity across the southern approaches to the United States.

Since 2023, Saildrone unmanned surface vessels have operated in coordination with the Navy, Joint Interagency Task Force South, and United States Naval Forces Southern Command and Fourth Fleet. That partnership places the technology within a wider network focused on maritime awareness, surveillance, and regional security.

The Voyager measures 33 feet in length and is built for persistent surveillance above and below the water.

It can also perform nearshore mapping missions and characterize the seafloor, giving commanders additional information about coastal and underwater environments.

According to the company, the vessels can remain “on mission and on station” for months at a time.

That endurance makes the platforms valuable across enormous stretches of ocean where constant coverage by conventional ships would demand far more personnel, fuel, and money.

Saildrone describes the vessels as “both a deterrent and an alarm” along America’s expansive southern maritime border.

Iran may enjoy posting fiery videos, but the official American account is clear: every Saildrone is present, functioning, and still doing its job.

Air Force Pilot Wins Top Safety Honor for Daring F-22 Rescue
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Air Force Pilot Wins Top Safety Honor for Daring F-22 Rescue

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An Air Force fighter pilot who saved an F-22 after its right main wheel fell off has received the service’s highest flight safety award.

Capt. Michael Cloninger kept his composure, built a landing plan from scratch, and brought the advanced combat jet down without injury or fire.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach presented Cloninger with the 2025 Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy this week.

The honor recognizes the kind of disciplined courage and sharp decision making that American airpower demands when a routine flight suddenly becomes anything but routine.

Cloninger serves with the 90th Fighter Squadron, which deployed F-22 aircraft to the Middle East in August 2024.

The deployment was part of a rapid surge of American airpower as threats mounted across the volatile Central Command area of responsibility.

The emergency unfolded on Sept. 18, 2024, while Cloninger was participating in a tribute flight marking the anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

Shortly after takeoff, the entire right main wheel separated from his fighter, creating a dangerous situation with no easy checklist solution.

Cloninger and the other pilots in the formation identified the problem and immediately abandoned the planned flight.

They circled the airfield while assessing how to land a fully armed F 22 with one of its essential wheels missing.

There was no established procedure tailored to the emergency confronting the aircrew.

A bad landing could have endangered Cloninger, ground personnel, nearby aircraft, and a fighter worth tens of millions of dollars.

Rather than rush the approach, Cloninger remained airborne for roughly an hour to burn fuel and reduce the risks.

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He also used that time to coordinate with his teammates and develop the safest possible method for putting the crippled aircraft on the runway.

The final plan called for a shallow approach followed by a controlled belly landing.

Cloninger touched down, kept control of the fighter as it scraped along the runway, and brought it to a stop without the aircraft catching fire.

He then safely shut down the jet and escaped injury. The F 22 was also recovered, turning what could have become a catastrophic loss into a remarkable demonstration of training, teamwork, and old fashioned American nerve.

The Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy is named for Air Force 1st Lt. Koren Kolligian Jr., who disappeared off the California coast in 1955 while flying a T-33.

It “recognizes outstanding feats of airmanship by aircrew members who by extraordinary skill, exceptional alertness, ingenuity, or proficiency, averted accidents or minimized the seriousness of the accidents in terms of injury, loss of life, aircraft damage, or property damage.”

F-22

The trophy carries special significance because it is the only Air Force safety award personally presented by the chief of staff. Wilsbach praised Cloninger’s “extraordinary airmanship” and his ability to adapt when the emergency rapidly changed the mission.

“You faced an emergency you could not see with no warning from your aircraft, while carrying a full combat load thousands of miles from home,” Wilsbach said.

“You remained disciplined. You trusted your training, listened to your teammates, and made sound decisions.”

“When it was time to land, you flew the aircraft all the way through the emergency. That is what we expect from American Airmen,” Wilsbach continued, delivering a fitting summary of a pilot who refused to surrender either himself or his aircraft to mechanical failure.

Previous recipients have earned the award after surviving sudden engine failures, structural problems, and other potentially deadly malfunctions.

Those cases include an F-16 pilot who landed safely in South Korea after losing the engine and an A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot who completed a belly landing after the aircraft began coming apart during training.

Cloninger credited the aircrew members who communicated with him and helped work through the available checklists. His response reflected the reality of military aviation, where even exceptional individual skill depends on disciplined crews functioning as one team.

“Without my teammates assisting with communication and walking through the checklists, I truly believe I wouldn’t be standing here today,” Cloninger said.

“I owe more than this award to them — this recognition is a testament to the teamwork that helped us successfully manage the emergency.”

Georgia Guard Helicopters Sweep All 159 Counties to Spot Marijuana Grows for Police Warrants
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Georgia Guard Helicopters Sweep All 159 Counties to Spot Marijuana Grows for Police Warrants

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Georgia National Guard helicopter crews spent the summer flying over fields, forests, and private property in a statewide hunt for illegally cultivated marijuana.

The flights supported civilian police agencies seeking aerial observations that could establish probable cause for search warrants.

Guard officials describe part of the counterdrug mission as “probable cause generation,” a role that places civilian law enforcement officers aboard military aircraft.

Those officers scan the ground while Guard crews handle the flying.

This year, authorities expanded the scope of the aerial searches.

Instead of restricting missions to properties already identified by local police, helicopters flew over general areas in all 159 Georgia counties.

The approach gives law enforcement a much wider view without burning through local manpower, vehicles, and fuel.

Marijuana growers counting on fences, tree lines, or isolated acreage to keep their operations hidden now have to worry about eyes in the sky.

Aircraft selection depends on availability and what civilian agencies request. The Guard can provide either a Lakota or Black Hawk helicopter staffed by a three person military aircrew.

The Guardsmen operate under Title 32 federal counterdrug authority, while the accompanying civilian officer performs the law enforcement observation.

When that officer spots and verifies marijuana plants, the aerial observation can be used to support an application for a search warrant.

One summer operation near Dalton demonstrated the process. A civilian officer riding aboard a Lakota observed marijuana growing behind a private residence, giving authorities the information needed to pursue a warrant.

Police later seized 17 plants and two pounds of processed marijuana from that property.

Authorities estimated the combined value at more than $40,000.

Across Georgia, Guard crews helped state and local agencies seize 343 marijuana plants during the summer. That total came from only two reported operations, with the overwhelming majority recovered during a single action in Polk County.

The Georgia Guard has conducted marijuana eradication flights for decades through its partnership with the Governor’s Task Force.

In 2013, however, the operating model relied more heavily on suspected locations supplied by local sheriff’s departments.

“We receive suspected locations from the local Sheriff’s office and talk the ground team in to eradicate the marijuana grow sites once we locate them,” a Georgia Guard aircrew member said in 2013. Under that older approach, crews generally knew where local authorities wanted them to look before launching the search.

The newer statewide method allows helicopters to survey broader areas before ground teams are committed.

Guard officials say that saves police time and resources because officers on the ground deploy only after a suspected grow has been positively identified from above.

The aviation mission is only one element of the Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force.

Guard personnel also assist police through criminal case analysis involving drug trafficking organizations, financial activity, and illicit networks.

That analytical support can help investigators connect individual seizures to larger organizations moving drugs or money.

It also gives civilian agencies access to specialized personnel and capabilities that many local departments could not easily maintain on their own.

“The success of this ERAD season highlights that the Georgia National Guard is not an afterthought or secondary request, but an indispensable partner,” Capt. Jimmy Williams, deputy director of the Georgia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, said in a release.

The summer operations reflected that partnership, with military crews providing aviation support while civilian authorities retained responsibility for warrants, searches, and seizures.

The number of plants recovered this year remains far below figures reported more than a decade ago.

In 2012, the same task force seized over 71,000 plants across Georgia, including major growing operations found on public land inside the Chattahoochee National Forest.

This summer produced 343 seized plants, including 326 recovered in Polk County and the remaining 17 taken during the Dalton operation.

Although the seizure count was smaller, the Guard searched a much broader geographic area by conducting missions across the entire state.

Georgia’s effort is part of the National Guard Counterdrug Program, which operates in every state and several United States territories.

According to the Government Accountability Office, Congress appropriated approximately $1.33 billion for the program between fiscal years 2019 and 2024.

For Georgia police, the arrangement provides aircraft, trained crews, and intelligence assistance without forcing every local agency to build those expensive capabilities from scratch.

For illegal growers, it means private acreage is not necessarily private from a helicopter, especially when a civilian officer aboard is watching for the evidence needed to bring police through the gate.

Soldier Earns Bronze Star for Valor After Heroic Response to Deadly Iranian Drone Strike
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Soldier Earns Bronze Star for Valor After Heroic Response to Deadly Iranian Drone Strike

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An Army noncommissioned officer has received the Bronze Star Medal with valor recognition for his heroic response to a deadly Iranian drone strike on a United States military operations center in Kuwait.

The March 1 attack killed six Army Reserve soldiers during the opening hours of the war with Iran.

Sgt. 1st Class Oscar M. McGrew was recognized for his actions at Port Shuaiba as Iranian forces launched retaliatory attacks against American bases across the Middle East.

The “V” device on his Bronze Star confirms that the award honors valor displayed during combat.

“Sgt. 1st Class Oscar M. McGrew demonstrated extraordinary heroism during a ballistic missile and one-way unmanned aerial system strike at the Port of Shuaiba, Kuwait, on March 1, 2026.

His actions reflect the highest traditions of the United States Army and the selfless service expected of our noncommissioned officers,” Maj. Peter Sulzona, an Army spokesperson said.

McGrew served as the Directorate of Logistics noncommissioned officer in charge for Area Support Group Kuwait.

His award citation credits his “bravery and aggressive actions under fire.”

The certificate does not publicly explain precisely what McGrew did as the Iranian attack unfolded.

That leaves the full account of his courage under wraps while the Army completes the process of briefing the families of the fallen.

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In an email, the service explained that “the Army will not release additional details about this incident until the families of those killed in action have received their official 15-6 investigation out briefs.”

Those briefings will provide relatives with the findings of the Army investigation into the circumstances surrounding the strike.

A 15 6 investigation is an administrative process used by the Army to establish the facts surrounding serious incidents.

In a case involving six fallen soldiers, getting those answers to their families before releasing more details to the public is the right priority.

“We remain focused on supporting those families during an extremely difficult time and will share further information as appropriate,” said Sulzona.

Until then, McGrew’s citation offers a limited but powerful picture of a senior enlisted soldier moving toward danger when American troops were under attack.

The soldiers were working inside an operations center described as a trailer like building when an Iranian one way attack drone hit the position.

Satellite imagery reportedly showed protection along the sides of the structure but no comparable overhead cover.

The War Department initially described the building as fortified, but survivors challenged that claim. They said the position was not adequately prepared to defend against the kind of drone attack that struck it, raising serious questions about force protection and readiness.

Cheap attack drones have transformed modern battlefields by threatening command posts, logistics hubs, airfields, and troop concentrations far behind traditional front lines.

Calling a structure fortified does not make it so when hostile drones can simply come down through an exposed roof.

Sixth Army Reserve Soldier Confirmed Killed in Iranian Drone Strike in Kuwait
Top row: Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, Capt. Cody A. Khork, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan. Bottom row: Master Sgt. Nicole M. Amor, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, and Sgt. Declan J. Coady.

The six soldiers killed were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, Capt. Cody A. Khork, Master Sgt. Nicole M. Amor, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, and Sgt. Declan J. Coady. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa.

The Port Shuaiba strike became the single deadliest incident for American forces in the Iran war.

It also demonstrated how quickly support facilities can become front line targets when an adversary possesses long range missiles and expendable attack drones.

Another Iranian attack on March 1 struck Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia and wounded Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington.

He died from his injuries one week later, adding another American name to the war’s growing casualty list.

Since the conflict began, 18 United States service members have died and more than 800 have been wounded in action, according to the War Department casualty database.

Those numbers reflect the steep human cost paid by troops operating throughout a region under sustained Iranian attack.

McGrew’s Bronze Star recognizes courage amid that cost and devastation. Although the Army has not yet released the full story, his citation makes one fact unmistakable: when the attack came, he answered with bravery, aggression, and the battlefield leadership expected from America’s noncommissioned officer corps.

Army Eyes Major Uniform Shake Up with Baseball Caps and Collar Rank
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Army Eyes Major Uniform Shake Up with Baseball Caps and Collar Rank

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The Army is considering a broad package of uniform and appearance changes that could alter where soldiers display rank, what headgear they wear, and how much color appears on combat uniforms. Baseball caps, boonie hats, collar insignia, and new limits on unit patches are all reportedly under review.

The possible revisions surfaced after a post on the popular Army subreddit described changes being weighed for Army Regulation 670-1.

The service confirmed that uniform, grooming, and appearance policies remain under active examination, although no final decisions have been announced.

The Army “consistently reviews policy for improvement of standards with uniforms, grooming, and appearance,” according to the service.

That review process is intended to balance practical concerns from the force with the Army’s longstanding emphasis on discipline and a consistent military appearance.

Maj. Travis Shaw, an Army spokesman, cautioned against treating the proposals as settled policy.

He said that “while maintaining uniformity, discipline, and readiness, current items referred to as possible changes are all pre-decisional and require a thorough review prior to final decisions.”

That means soldiers should not start rearranging insignia or shopping for baseball caps just yet.

Proposed revisions must move through the Army’s established uniform policy process, which includes review by the Army Uniform Board before senior leaders make final calls.

Some items described as possible revisions are already in effect, Shaw noted.

Army Eyes Major Uniform Shake Up with Baseball Caps and Collar Rank

One example is the requirement for soldiers to remain responsible for maintaining a high shine on their dress shoes, a standard familiar to generations who learned that military polish is both literal and figurative.

One of the most significant possibilities involves moving rank insignia from the chest back to the collar on everyday camouflage uniforms.

Branch insignia could also appear on the collar, restoring a more traditional placement while changing the visual layout soldiers have grown accustomed to.

The proposal resembles a recent policy affecting Army chaplains.

During the summer, chaplains were ordered to remove rank from their combat uniforms and display religious branch insignia on their collars instead.

That change drew criticism from some retired chaplains, who argued that less visible rank could weaken a chaplain’s perceived authority when dealing with commanders.

Rank placement may look like a minor tailoring issue to civilians, but inside military culture it shapes recognition, customs, and interactions across the chain of command.

Headgear is another major area under consideration. The Army could authorize baseball caps and boonie hats while also permitting limited wear of the black beret, giving commanders and soldiers additional options for particular duties, weather conditions, or settings.

The idea would bring Army practice closer to what is already seen elsewhere in the armed forces.

The Navy permits sailors to wear command ball caps with working uniforms, while Air Force personnel may wear baseball style tactical caps with combat uniforms.

Another proposed revision would eliminate colored unit patches from the Army Combat Uniform and Improved Hot Weather Combat Uniform, including during ceremonies.

Army Eyes Major Uniform Shake Up with Baseball Caps and Collar Rank

If approved, the move would reverse a policy change made only last year and send full color shoulder insignia back out of the combat uniform lineup.

In 2025, the Army authorized commanders to let soldiers wear full color unit patches and full color special skill tabs on combat uniforms.

The latest proposal would remove that discretion entirely, restoring a more subdued and standardized battlefield appearance even when troops participate in ceremonial events.

Changes are also being considered for service uniforms. All authorized accoutrements would be worn on the Army Green Service Uniform jacket, while the shorter Ike jacket would remain limited to two rows of ribbons.

Officers would retain the blue Army Service Uniform as an authorized option, eliminating its previous wear out date.

Enlisted soldiers could continue wearing it as an optional uniform, particularly for formal and ceremonial occasions.

The Army has been transitioning to the Army Green Service Uniform since announcing its return in 2018.

Under the current schedule, every soldier must wear the green uniform beginning Oct. 1, 2027, while the blue Army Service Uniform becomes an optional choice for formal events.

For now, the ideas remain proposals rather than orders, and the Army’s review could modify or reject any of them.

Still, the scope of the discussion suggests soldiers may eventually face one of the service’s more noticeable uniform refreshes, complete with collar rank, fewer colorful patches, and perhaps a ball cap replacing familiar headgear.

Iran Blew the Hell out of Key Bahrain Base, Acting Navy Secretary Admits
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Iran Blew the Hell out of Key Bahrain Base, Acting Navy Secretary Admits

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Iran inflicted severe damage on the vital American naval installation in Bahrain, according to a blunt acknowledgment from acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao.

His comments offered one of the clearest official accounts yet of what happened to the headquarters of the Navy’s 5th Fleet.

“They blew the hell out of Bahrain,” Cao said during an interview with The Epoch Times.

The remarkably direct description cuts through months of limited public disclosure concerning the condition of Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

The military has largely avoided detailing the destruction since the war began.

Cao’s admission now confirms that Iranian attacks caused far more than the sort of minor disruption previously suggested by official statements.

Iran launched waves of drones and missiles against American installations across the Middle East at the start of the conflict.

Those attacks included deadly strikes in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, while bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, and other regional locations also came under fire.

Bahrain was repeatedly targeted because it hosts the 5th Fleet and serves as a central pillar of American naval operations in the region.

Personnel were evacuated from the installation and relocated to hotels and other buildings in Manama, but some of those locations were targeted as well.

Following the first attacks, the War Department said military operations had not been significantly affected.

US Bases and Troops Once Again Exposed by Strava Security Failure
A sailor stands watch on the destroyer USS Roosevelt as it sits at port at Manama, Bahrain in January 2026. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Indra Beaufort.

That carefully polished assessment looked increasingly questionable as evidence emerged that critical command and communications facilities had been struck.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this summer that satellite imagery and accounts from personnel showed “extensive damage” at the base.

The reported destruction included command buildings and satellite systems, raising serious concerns about the installation’s ability to resume normal operations.

Cao’s remarks followed another unusually candid assessment from the Navy’s senior uniformed officer.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said the service is “not getting back in [the base in Bahrain] anytime soon.”

“I just want to be completely honest with that,” Caudle said during an Aug. 31 town hall.

His statement made clear that repairing the base and restoring full access will not be a quick or simple project.

Military families have provided another indication of just how badly the attacks disrupted the American presence in Bahrain.

More than 1,000 family members were evacuated, and many have spent months waiting for firm answers about whether they will ever return.

Stars and Stripes reported last month that military personnel, civilian employees, and family members would not return for “the foreseeable future.”

The report cited a message sent to families affected by the evacuation.

Navy Rules Out Return to Ravaged Bahrain Base Anytime Soon, Top Admiral Warns

The uncertainty has added a personal burden to the operational damage, leaving service members and their loved ones separated from homes, schools, and established support networks.

Meanwhile, officials have revealed little publicly about repair timelines or the long term future of the installation.

The damage also created major logistical complications for Navy forces operating throughout the Middle East.

Naval Support Activity Bahrain is not merely an administrative headquarters because it also functions as a crucial supply and support hub for deployed ships.

With facilities in Bahrain damaged, many supplies were shifted to Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, which is considerably farther from regional operating areas.

That distance complicated deliveries to deployed vessels, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, and placed additional strain on already demanding supply routes.

Cao said he has established a task force that is “looking” at what steps should be taken regarding the base.

He did not explain whether those options involve extensive repairs, relocation of certain functions, stronger protection measures, or some combination of all three.

A Navy official later said the service had “nothing additional to provide at this time” regarding Cao’s comments.

That familiar bureaucratic curtain may limit public details, but it cannot conceal the basic reality that Iran successfully battered one of America’s most strategically important naval facilities.

The episode will likely force serious questions about air defenses, hardened infrastructure, family evacuation plans, and the Navy’s regional logistics network.

Bahrain remains strategically valuable, but rebuilding American combat support capacity there will require time, money, and a clear eyed assessment of how Iran penetrated its defenses so repeatedly.


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