Interview
Josh Uecker, Wisconsin Assistant Task Force 1 Leader (0:00)
Senior Master Sergeant Thomas Dunnan, 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard (02:40)
Teams worked cohesively to train in simulated search and rescue.
Patriot 26, an Air National Guard-hosted exercise taking place at Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, brings together approximately 1,000 Airmen and Soldiers from National Guard units across 35 states, along with federal, state and local agencies, to enhance domestic response readiness and interagency coordination during large-scale emergencies. (U.S. Army National Guard video by Sgt. Chasity Williams)
MARIETTA, Ga. – High heat, constant humidity, heavy rainfall, dense vegetation, dangerous animals, and countless insects are what Soldiers from the 1st Battalion 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) endured at the Combined Jungle Training Center-South in Panama from 13 June through 3 July 2026.
“The moment I stepped off the bus at the Jungle Operations Training Center in Panama, the humidity hit me immediately,” exclaimed Capt. Christopher Dudley. “In the jungle, your primary adversary isn’t an opposing force; it is the environment itself.”
Jungle Operations Training Course – Panama, was re-established in August 2025 at Cristobal Colon (formerly Fort Sherman) located on the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal...
Soldiers pose for group photo under Jungle sign during Jungle Operations Training in Panama June 17, 2026. Jungle Operations Training Course - Panama leverages the unique and demanding jungle environment of the Isthmus to train and certify leaders and units from the United States, Panama, and other partner nations in basic jungle warfare techniques, survival skills, and interoperability, ensuring they are prepared to fight and win in any tropical environment. The school is dedicated to fostering a multinational center of excellence that promotes shared tactics, mutual understanding, and enduring security cooperation throughout the Western Hemisphere.
