Military exercises

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command will exercise their response abilities to a variety of events during an intensive eight-day national level exercise in May. National Level Exercise 2-08 will run May 1-8 and will exercise national capabilities to prepare and respond to multiple incidents including both natural disasters and terrorist incidents.

C-130H aircraft: Photo by Tech. Sgt. Joe Zuccaro

The exercise will include hurricane preparedness and response and Defense Support to Civil Authorities coordination in response to a weapon of mass destruction terrorist attack.    » read more »

Dec 21, 2007 -- AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy — Jets could be heard roaring off the runway here and into the Italian sky as pilots from Aviano and Grossetto Air Bases participated in Operation Longshank, a large force exercise (LFE) Dec. 14.

Today's military pilots have to be trained to handle any type of combat scenario and exercises like these help hone each pilot's skills.

"An LFE allows us to essentially replicate a combat mission - as if we were going to war tomorrow against a significant threat," said Air Force Capt. Jesse Proctor, 555th Fighter Squadron pilot.    » read more »

Dec 03, 2007 -- HEIDELBERG, Germany — April 25, 1945, was a historic day for the soldiers of V Corps' 273rd Infantry Regiment, 69th Infantry Division. As they moved deep into eastern Germany, the American troops apprehensively chased remnants of the German army. Approaching the Elbe River in the small town of Torgau, the soldiers saw something unexpected -- men in Soviet uniforms. As they came together to shake hands, the union of the U.S. and Soviet armies marked the symbolic defeat of Germany's Third Reich and the victory of the Allied forces.    » read more »

October 16, 2007 -- FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas — Servicemembers and civilians from U.S. Army North began participating yesterday in Vigilant Shield 2008, a week-long, national-level exercise involving federal, state and local agencies across the United States and Guam.

Army North Deputy Commanding General, Brig. Gen. Francis Mahon, said the exercise is "a great opportunity for all of us to work together, now, prior to a crisis.”    » read more »

9/4/2007 -- ABOARD USS WASP (NNS) -- Multinational naval and civil officers have joined forces at sea with the U.S. Navy aboard USS Wasp (LHD 1) to strengthen cooperation among dozens of foreign vessels sailing near the Panama Canal in Exercise Fuerzas Alidas (FA) PANAMAX 2007, off the coast of Panama in the Caribbean.    » read more »