About a decade ago, Soule Malame left his home country of Togo in search of a better life in America. Today, he's paying it forward to another West African nation, as part of a U.S. Army mission to strengthen Cameroon's military and its people in defeating Boko Haram and other violent extremists. A first lieutenant with Task Force Toccoa, a 101st Airborne Division-led unit based just south of the frontlines of Boko Haram in northern Cameroon, Malame uses his cultural identity to be a key part of the mission.

Soldiers Journal

Soldiers Journal - Return To Africa

Current U.S. integrated air and missile defense capabilities are not keeping pace with the rapidly evolving unmanned aerial systems threat and require both materiel and non-materiel solutions to mitigate warfighter capability gaps. BLACK DART is an annual field demonstration of current and emergent Counter-UAS technologies sponsored by the Joint Staff J8 Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Organization also known as JIAMDO. As the Black Dart 2016 lead assessment organization, the Joint Staff J6 Joint Deployable Analysis Team, also known as JDAT, collected data to answer two main questions: 1- Can current fielded systems counter UAS threats? 2- And, what is the capability or potential of non-Program of Record systems to enhance counter UAS operations? The live-fly, live-fire demonstration took place in late 2016 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida and the surrounding land and sea ranges with over 900 personnel in attendance including participants from Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. BLACK DART demonstrations began in 2010 and are the only Joint and partner nation Department of Defense counter UAS events. The JDAT Black Dart Report will include detailed findings on systems’ abilities to detect, track, identify, and negate unmanned aircraft systems to support Joint and Combined warfighter capabilities and make our forces more connected, survivable, and lethal on the battlefield. a. Execute live-fly, live-fire C-UAS technology demonstrations to assess and validate existing and emerging IAMD capabilities. b. Present emerging solutions to inform requirements decision making. c. Identify and develop IAMD operational concepts, system interoperability, and operational architectures for the C-UAS mission set. d. Advocate for warfighters’ desired C-UAS capabilities and affordable, integrated solutions. e. Identify C-UAS capability gaps for IAMD. f. Identify promising materiel and non-materiel solutions for C-UAS operations. g. Investigate new methods for UAS Combat Identification (CID). h. Improve completeness of the shared air picture with respect to Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs). i. Develop C-UAS non-kinetic negation methods and techniques. j. Promote and integrate interagency participation and capabilities. k. Promote foreign/partner nation observer participation and coordination. The demonstration will include Program of Record (POR) as well as non-POR C-UASs demonstrating capabilities and/or collecting data in support of proprietary C-UAS development. Onsite data collection supports real-time feedback, opportunities for participant feedback, and becomes the basis for formal analysis at the conclusion of the demonstration. In order to align with warfighter needs, JIAMDO coordinated with the Combatant Commands and Services to prioritize capability gaps related to C-UAS.

JDAT Support to the Black Dart C-UAS Demonstration

Squad X is a multiyear Department of Defense program sponsored by DARPA to identify emerging technologies and facilitate their development for military use. The Joint Deployable Analysis Team, also known as JDAT, recently supported the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Maneuver Battle Lab by enhancing their assessment process for testing Squad capabilities. The Maneuver Battle Lab is responsible for infantry capabilities development under TRADOC’s Maneuver Center of Excellence, the project lead for this DARPA-sponsored initiative. Over the course of several events held at Fort Benning, Georgia, JDAT collected digital and voice data passed between systems from the infantry Company through subordinate SQD levels and assisted in the analysis effort. The assessment will provide observations, findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the U.S. Army and the DOD regarding new technology initiatives and their contribution to improve dismounted infantry SQD mission performance. This year’s program will establish a baseline capability to compare against future experimental technologies employed by dismounted infantry SQDs.

JDAT Support to the U.S. Army's Maneuver Battle Lab Squad X Event

More than 300 Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets, representing more than a dozen colleges and universities, gathered at Howard University in Washington, D.C. for the Army Senior Leader/ROTC Professional Mentor Forum where Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning provided keynote remarks and took questions from cadets on subjects ranging from leadership, the value of diversity, and the critical role ROTC cadets play as ambassadors to bridge the civilian-military divide.

Soldiers Journal: Shaping Diverse Future Leaders

Best Warrior is the highlight of all Army competitions. Fort AP Hill hosted this year and the winners were announced at this year's Association of the United States Army Convention.

Soldiers Journal: Best Warrior 2016

An Army Veteran draws on the Warrior Ethos for motivation as he trains for competition in the Octagon as a Mixed Martial Arts Fighter.

Soldiers Journal: Warrior Mindset

A recruiting station in Blacksburg, VA is running a pilot program for the Occupational Physical Assessment Test that will help Future Soldiers realize what Army jobs they are eligible for.

Paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division join British and Polish Troops for Exercise Swift Response 16. Commander of US Army Europe, LTG Ben Hodges and Chief of Staff of the Army, GEN Mark Milley tells us about the importance of the training.

Soldiers Journal: Swift Response 16

The Under Secretary of the Army and Sergeant Major of the Army visit the birthplace of the Army, Philadelphia, for a challenge to remind Soldiers that you must #EarnYourCake!

Soldiers Journal: Army Birthday

A profile of Greg Quarels and his journey to become an Adaptive Warrior for the 2016 Warrior Games.

Soldiers Journal: Greg Quarels

Adaptive Warrior Sydney Davis tells us about being a competitor for Warrior Games.

Soldiers Journal: Sydney Davis

Adaptive Warrior Monica Southall tells us about being a competitor for Warrior Games.

Soldiers Journal: Monica Southall

Adaptive Warrior Ryan Major tells us about being a competitor for Warrior Games.

Soldiers Journal: Ryan Major

A soldier deployed in Iraq is shot in the head during an ambush but the Army's Advanced Combat Helmet saves his life. Watch the ceremony at Fort Belvoir where he is reunited with the equipment that saved his life.

Soldiers Journal: Life Saving Equipment

The city of Torrance, California holds a celebration larger than any other over its year. The city's Armed Forces Day Parade is an event where citizens come out to show their support for those that serve.

Soldiers Journal: Armed Forces Day

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