U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Mathison, sniper section noncommissioned officer in charge assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard, discusses the importance of sniper training during the 48th IBCT annual training at Fort Stewart, Georgia, June 4, 2026. Sniper training strengthens precision marksmanship, develops reconnaissance capabilities and prepares Soldiers to operate effectively in realistic, mission-focused environments. Annual training provides Soldiers opportunities to sharpen critical combat skills while reinforcing readiness across the formation. (U.S. Army National Guard video by Staff Sgt. Rydell Tomas Jr.)
FORT STEWART, Ga.— The Georgia National Guard’s Fort Stewart Youth Challenge Academy (FSYCA) graduated a new class of 87 cadets June 9, marking the completion of a five-and-a-half-month program designed to provide second chances to at-risk youth between the ages of 16 and 18 who struggle to complete high school in a traditional setting.
Established in 1993, the voluntary, cost-free program combines a structured, quasi-military environment with academic coursework and focuses on education, leadership, character development and life coping skills.
According to program officials and instructors, the curriculum aims to foster growth in self-awareness, confidence and sense of purpose.
"The most profound transformation observed in cadets...
06.12.2026 | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
Story by Charles Emmons
